7.5 rear end frozen bolt

[97ranger22bronco]

I'm working to replace the axle shafts, seals, and bearings on my '97 and the little 8 mm bolt that holds the big pin in place in the diff has decided that it doesn't want to move at all and when i tried to use an open end wrench, it ended up stripping a good bit.

Any ideas on how I can get the bolt out? A regular socket doesn't fit in the opening unfortunately

 

[Uncle Gump]

I have a six point brake bleeder wrench made by snap on that works on every one I've ever come across.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I actually bought a 6-point socket from Autozone for 1/4” drive that was short enough to get a ratchet in there too that I’ve been using. Can’t remember offhand if it was an 8mm or 5/16”, both fit the bolt but I don’t remember if they were both the same length or one was shorter. Basically bought the shortest socket I could find.

If it’s really rounded it may be a problem.

 

[97ranger22bronco]

I found a shorty 8 mm 6 point socket that's coming from amazon tomorrow, but I'm afraid that at this point it may be a little too late. I think the bolt head may be too far gone though

 

[pjtoledo]

5/16 is about .002 smaller than 8mm. your choice on that.

with a damaged bolt head make sure the wrench is on as best as possible.
don't just give it a big pull, instead apply pressure and slowly increase the pressure. take a few minutes to do this.
this allows the thread locker to weaken.

it helps if an assistant can place a punch on the head and give it a whack while exerting pressure. use a big punch.

 

[19Walt93]

The threads are likely to have Lock Tite on them, a little heat would help - just don't set the truck on fire.

 

[pjtoledo]

use the wiffies hair dryer

 

[scotts90ranger]

When I'm going after stuff that has to do with the rear axle on a Ranger at a junkyard I take a butane torch with me, they're enough to help on the loctite on the driveline yoke bolts and that cross pin retainer.

 

[97ranger22bronco]

Tried heat and also that bolt biter thingy, the 5/16 (8mm) is too big because the bolt head is rounded off and the next size down is too small even with using a hammer to try and tap it in. vice grips didn't work either
note, that when i ran heat it was for about 5 seconds, should I try it for longer?

 

[scotts90ranger]

5 seconds wouldn't even have burnt off the gear oil sheen, by heat what were you using? A butane torch would take a couple minutes, propane torch 30 seconds, hair drier like an hour...

Just realize you're trying to heat up 1/2 pound of steel to 300 degrees... that takes time!

That and that bolt head is screwed, oof...

 

[97ranger22bronco]

benzomatic (blue cylinder) torch so butane I think ? Propane. Yeah that bolt head is...gone...I'm praying that with heat I can grab it with a pair of vice grips...I need to apply heat to the carrier housing right, not the bolt head?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

benzomatic (blue cylinder) torch so butane I think ? Propane. Yeah that bolt head is...gone...I'm praying that with heat I can grab it with a pair of vice grips...I need to apply heat to the carrier housing right, not the bolt head?

Yeah, heat the spot between the bolt head and the cross-pin. Try not to put too much heat into the cross pin, but you need to heat that section between it and the bolt head because that’s where the threads are, it’s just a pin end into the cross pin, the threads are in the carrier.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Drive an extractor onto that bolt head... add heat... remove

 

[RobbieD]

That rounded bolt has a pretty healthy flange.

A little careful chisel work may get it loose, especially with some heat. Tap a sharp chisel on the flange edge, toward "loosen", to make a small cut and a step on the flange perimeter. Then with a blunter chisel give it a couple of good hard knocks in the loosen direction with a BFH.

If you use patience and finesse, you shouldn't damage the host part. I used to deal with so many rounded bolts like that at work, I had a collection of chisels that varied in sharpness, bluntness and bit profiles just for that task.