Tried to remove the fill plug from the transaxle, using the 17mm 3/8" drive socket I have left over from my VW days.

It just rounded the corners. Hopefully, the plug did not get rounded inside.


Has anyone used the Assenmacher 17mm socket?

Is it good-quality hardened steel? I like that it is 1/2" drive.
Is Assenmacher the Snap-on of Germany? Sounds like a gay nightclub.

 

I've seen those plugs be very tight... I've also seen a socket welded to one!

 

Step 1. Get 1/2" drive 17mm socket
step 2. Apply a hammer forcefully to the end of a long 2-3" bar or
step 2b. Apply 1/2" impact wrench

Either way your drain plug is now removed.

 

I did the same thing with one of my plugs, it was rounded from using a crappy socket.

Got this, haven't had a problem since:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/H17-Long-Imp...-/141120744875

Stop by Pelican Parts and get new plugs ($cheap)
...and of course follow the torque spec when putting the new plugs in.

 

Well, the eBay one is $10 shipped, the Assenmacher is $17.

But the eBay seems to be a no-brand, made in China.
Not necessarily bad...

 

mine only came out after bumping is with a 1/2 impact. After soaking it in PB blaster for 2 days and applying heat...

 

Ditto +1, soak the hell out of the plugs for a couple of days with PB Blaster and all is good. Get them replaced for $5-6 and torque them to 17ft lbs, and the next time you need to change the rear diff fluid, the fill/drain plugs will come off without the drama.

 

The plug on mine was an enormous PITA. Hoping yours is easier.

 

if I had a nickel for every stripped allen, I coukd afford these))


someone suggested these bmw items as replacements.

 

I just bought a 17mm hex wrench, then used a cut-off wheel to hack off a 1-1/2" piece then chuck that into a 17mm socket. Works great and you can make about four of them from the hex key. I also put anti-seize on the threads after every removal.

 

Never heard of Assenmacher.

I shelled out for a Hazet 17mm hex and it has worked successfully every time.

The "Snap-On of Germany" would be Stahlwille or Hazet (though I would rate both as better than Snap-On).

 

GET THIS.

I have this as well and I've NEVER ran into a problem. I put it onto an 18" breaker bar and it works wonderfully. Mine has seen 4 gear boxes so far and hasn't met its match.

 

The idea about cutting a 17mm Allen key and using it with a 17mm socket is really clever!

After a tiny bit of research, it turns out that Assenmacher is about as German as Coors beer. It is a US manufacturer based in Boulder. http://asttool.com/

My go-to supplier for Chinese value-priced tools, Harbor Freight, has an 8-piece set for $30.

http://www.harborfreight.com/8-pc-12...set-67895.html

 

A trick you can do to help ensure a good bite on the plug, is to grind down the very top (or tip) of the socket you end up buying, so that the tapered edges are no longer there. It helps get the socket in just that little extra bit further. It really works wonders on these particular plugs because they are usually packed in with dirt/grease and a lot of times have been removed previously by someone who may have rounded them out just a bit. Having the extra depth of the ground down socket really does make a difference!

 

Before buying the right socket, I welded two 17mm nuts together and then used a regular box end wrench.