Removing a stubborn transfer case plug can quickly turn into a frustrating ordeal. When a standard Allen wrench fails and rounding out the plug becomes a reality, many Jeep owners turn to an “easy out” tool, often found at Autozone. This article details one such experience, highlighting the challenges and potential solutions when dealing with a seized transfer case fill plug.
The initial attempt to remove the fill plug with a 10mm Allen wrench proved futile. The plug wouldn’t budge, feeling as if it were welded in place. Applying more force with a breaker bar only resulted in rounding out the hexagonal socket. This necessitated a trip to Autozone for a 7/16-9/16″ easy out.
Drilling a pilot hole into the now-damaged fill plug and using the easy out still didn’t break the plug free. This left the owner with a rounded plug with a hole in it, a situation even more challenging than the initial problem. The next step involved trying a larger easy out with a correspondingly bigger hole in the plug.
If the larger easy out fails, a more drastic measure is planned: tapping a hole in the plug to accommodate a threaded bolt. After refilling the transfer case with fresh oil, a grade 8 bolt would be screwed in, effectively replacing the original plug. A future solution might involve welding the bolt in place for even more secure removal. Unfortunately, this repair process wasn’t without collateral damage. The garage door was inadvertently broken, hindering access to tools and further complicating the repair. With impending rain and a non-functional Jeep, the situation became increasingly urgent. The experience serves as a cautionary tale about the potential difficulties of removing transfer case plugs and the escalating challenges when initial attempts fail. While an easy out from Autozone can sometimes provide a solution, it’s not always a guaranteed fix and can lead to further complications if not used carefully.
