Topic: No more drain plug

[lowgeared]

Has anyone totally eliminated their drain plug in the front/rear end?  My nine inch in my Jeep doesn't have a drain, only a fill in the thrid member, and I drag the bottom of the housing over rocks all of the time with no worry.  On my toyotas, id like to cut the plug flush with the housing, weld and grind smooth and remove the guard around the plug also.  My buddy last year at Goldendale got hung up on his drain plug and couldn't move.  Makes changing the fluid a little more involved, but also lets you check everything out at the same time....any ideas??

[84runner]

Go for it cap the sucker and weld it 

[WHITE_TRASH]

Yep sometime this year Ill use an extra front housing and make a killer housing out of it.  Im thinking shave the whole bottom of the housing and trussing the heck out of the top and cutting the dirr area like a dynatrac axle so increased ground clearance.  Which in effect will eliminate the drainplug.  If you replace a bottom stud with a bolt you effectively wont loose the drainplug.

[Paul_Elbisser]

Some of RotR members have been removing 1 or 2 studs from the bottom of the axle tht holds the diff in, and replacing wit bolts. Then when they weld up the drain they can just pull the bolts and the lube come out. It's slow but works.

Only drawback is you loose th magnet at the bottom of the diff.

[5spd]

Only drawback is you loose th magnet at the bottom of the diff.

All one needs to do it JB weld a flat magnet to the bottom to resolve that issue, it works.

[CGuava]

I don't have drain plugs fr/ or rear.  Just have to unbolt the bottom of the 3rd to drain.  (Weld one of the nuts to the stud).   Shaved about 3/4" for clearance (going by memory not positive).  Anyways, i don't have any problems with it, and i have better clearance.

Christian

[locktup]

I was able to shave almost 1 1/2" out of both front and rear, and I moved the plug to the top for filling and pumping out the crap.

[Hyena]

My rear axle has a low profile drain plug but i welded my front one in.  I just unbolt the bottom of the third and its good.  I do hit it but it seems to be grinding down so i keep getting more clearance after every rock i slide over hehehe.

[84runner]

That is trippy lookin Locktup  do yo care to elaberate on this mod a little, maybe start a tech thread 

[locktup]

I removed the 3rd and cut a hole in the bottom of the housing, then replace the 3rd and used a tape and took a measurement. Once again I removed the 3rd and cut 11/2" out of the bottom, from the upper most side of the drain bung straight across the cover to the other side and down to the bottom of the 3rd flange with my plasma. I made a steel plate and welded it on at an 1/8" from the ring gear. The drain is now on the top of the housing for filling and pumping out the old lube. Then I made armor to place over the cover. 

[yotaboy79]

good idea    

[84runner]

1 1/2 " more clearance is like running a 3 inch bigger tire 

[BigMike]

Awesome - and people pay $$ for that

[superstarai]

 Go to 4crawlers website good pics and lots of info for elimating the drain plug or just type in roger brown offroad products in the search button of google. Anyways it comes with a front skid too! For front and rear each kit is 50 bucks not bad. But you well have to remove the two lower studs of the 3rd member to drain out the gear oil and good luck!