"Alex" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 20 May 2005 17:57:32 GMT, shane
wrote:

Hi, I want to top the the oil up in a rear axle, as previously it was
leaking, but the filler plug is seized.
Someone has tried to remove it before slightly rounding the nut so that
now a socket will not fit.
I have brought some stillsons, but has anyone got any tips to make it
easier to get off without damaging the plug, for example would heating
the plug up first help?
Thanks
Shane

If it's a brass plug, then heating it is perhaps not the best option,
brass has a tendancy to melt.

The best method I can see is to file the nut down so it has two very
defnite sides on it, which you can get a big spanner onto.

Alex

The first thing I would try would be to see if it's possible to 'persuade' a
six wall socket onto the rounded nut, maybe after a bit of judicious filing.
Then I'd try what Alex suggested and attempt to file a pair of flats.
If that didn't work I would lose patience with the job and find a big nut
that fits over/around the offending plug and weld it on. Well, I would if it
was a steel plug anyway.

Simon H