Kx033-4 final drive oil drain plugs

[Semo]

I'm in the process of servicing my 2020 Kx033-4 (a used machine with 1600 hrs.) and I don't have any service records yet, but still working on getting them. I'll be attempting to change the final drive oil next, and saw in some instructional videos that the drain plugs can be tricky to remove without stripping the 8mm allen inserts in the plugs. It was said that stripping them would be an expensive error. I've ordered a set of impact rated allen wrenches as advised, and will try to ease them out hopefully. Any advice from excavator owners will be most appreciated. Local dealer told me they are $45 each. A less expensive source for these would be nice if possible and if needed. This kind of stuff can be scary!

 

[kubotafreak]

My advice is use a pick and remove all the packed in dirt. Tap the end in with a plastic hammer. Wouldn't hurt to hit them with penetrant spray. I would suggest using a 1/2 breaker bar. Impact gun will strip them easy.

 

[fried1765]

My advice is use a pick and remove all the packed in dirt. Tap the end in with a plastic hammer. Wouldn't hurt to hit them with penetrant spray. I would suggest using a 1/2 breaker bar. Impact gun will strip them easy.

Wouldn't an impact gun be more effective if only used gently, and alternately in both reverse and fwd, and repeatedly?

 

[kubotafreak]

It can go either way. The hammering can zip it off fast, or wear out the interface. Using hand tools, and the appropriate socket (fully seated) will not prematurely wear the socket plug interface. The only time I have ever had trouble with allen hardware, is if they are corroded, or someone already used an impact and loosened interface. Many tend to overtightened drain plugs, or any hardware for that matter. I use impact power tools plenty, but not for drain plugs…

 

[TheOldHokie]

Wouldn't an impact gun be more effective if only used gently, and alternately in both reverse and fwd, and repeatedly?

An impact gun has been my go to tool for stubborn plugs for many years. Never in reverse and always effective.

Dan

 

[fried1765]

An impact gun has been my go to tool for stubborn plugs for many years. Never in reverse and always effective.

Dan

I have a sweet DeWalt 20V battery impact wrench, plus several of the much older pneumatic types.

 

[Jchonline]

I'm in the process of servicing my 2020 Kx033-4 (a used machine with 1600 hrs.) and I don't have any service records yet, but still working on getting them. I'll be attempting to change the final drive oil next, and saw in some instructional videos that the drain plugs can be tricky to remove without stripping the 8mm allen inserts in the plugs. It was said that stripping them would be an expensive error. I've ordered a set of impact rated allen wrenches as advised, and will try to ease them out hopefully. Any advice from excavator owners will be most appreciated. Local dealer told me they are $45 each. A less expensive source for these would be nice if possible and if needed. This kind of stuff can be scary!

Mine were no problem at all. 1/2" breaker bar (maybe 24" in length) and the appropriate allen head.

There is NO reason to use an impact on these. That would be a mistake. Do it with a manual breaker bar. If you dont have one get one.

The harder part is figuring out which two plugs to loose and getting them at just the right angle/height so it drains.

 

[whitetiger]

the drain plugs can be tricky to remove without stripping the 8mm allen inserts

Do not attempt to remove them with an impact wrench!!!!!!!!! You will most likely strip out the plug.
They are very simple to remove, just clean out the hex, set a large punch on the plug, and rap it once with a medium size hammer. Using a breaker bar and steady pressure, the plug will easily unscrew.
If you do not shock it with a good rap, you will likely not remove the plug.
I have had to clean up several that people thought would just buzz out with an impact.

 

[The Evil Twin]

I do love my impact gun, but this is not a case where I would use one. Use a GOOD QUALITY 8 mil bit on a breaker bar. Not a chinesium bit from Hazard Freight. Cheap tools are often soft metal.

 

[Henro]

My KX41-2V final drive plugs came out easily when I changed the final drive oil. Glad I didn’t watch any videos first!

I don’t remember, but I might have used my battery impact DRIVER. (NOT impact wrench). Or I might have used hand tools only. I will certainly follow the advice given above next time.

 

[rentthis]

I have owned dozens of KX machines and have never had a problem removing those plugs. Most of them come out with an allen wrench and a box end wrench for leverage.

 

[whitetiger]

My KX41-2V final drive plugs came out easily when I changed the final drive oil. Glad I didn’t watch any videos first!

I don’t remember, but I might have used my battery impact DRIVER. (NOT impact wrench). Or I might have used hand tools only. I will certainly follow the advice given above next time.

I suspect that by the time you got your unit, they had been loosened once or twice and not tightened as much as they are during assembly.

I Predelivered a new KX U 55-5 today and the final drive check plugs could have been removed with a common L Allen wrench. Maybe they have relaxed their assembly torque requirement.

 

[Semo]

Do not attempt to remove them with an impact wrench!!!!!!!!! You will most likely strip out the plug.
They are very simple to remove, just clean out the hex, set a large punch on the plug, and rap it once with a medium size hammer. Using a breaker bar and steady pressure, the plug will easily unscrew.
If you do not shock it with a good rap, you will likely not remove the plug.
I have had to clean up several that people thought would just buzz out with an impact.

Thanks all for the good advice. I'll use the breaker bar method and a good hammer rap with a fresh 8mm allen wrench. I just lightly tried an old allen in a couple of the plugs and the fit was only slightly loose. I'm hoping the new one will fit a little more snug. None of the inserts seemed to be distorted at all.

 

[MoCo]

I agree with the posts that say do not use an impact wrench. I stripped the inside of one plug on my KX033-4 trying to remove it with an Allen key for its first service interval and realized I needed a proper good quality 8 mm socket on a 24 inch breaker bar. It seems to me that these are the hardest to remove the first time (painted on?). They have an o-ring seal at the head so they don't need to be torqued on like a fastener.

 

[Semo]

I agree with the posts that say do not use an impact wrench. I stripped the inside of one plug on my KX033-4 trying to remove it with an Allen key for its first service interval and realized I needed a proper good quality 8 mm socket on a 24 inch breaker bar. It seems to me that these are the hardest to remove the first time (painted on?). They have an o-ring seal at the head so they don't need to be torqued on like a fastener.

Hi, thanks for the help. Where did you get the good quality allen wrench? Did you have to replace any of the o-ring seals, and are they rubber or metal? I just tried to loosen 2 of them an hour ago. I first gave the plug a few raps with the flat end of a small ball peen hammer as recommended. The allen fit pretty snug in them. Then I put a 2 ft. length of pipe on it and put down, but obviously not enough because it didn't budge. I have a machinist friend that's coming to take a look next week, he's got a large set of screw extractors just in case we bugger the allen slot. I'll feel a lot better about putting more force on the pipe once the extractor set is here. I'd put some heat on the plug, but if you tell me they are rubber, maybe not. By the way, how did you get the stripped plug out? Thanks again

 

[Pau7220]

Where did you get the good quality allen wrench?

You’re better off with an Allen socket than an L shaped wrench. It’s much easier to control leverage and keep it square in the plug. Another secret is to take the socket to a belt sander to knock the chamfer off the end. That will allow the hex to go in deeper and give you the little extra bite. Lowe’s(Cobalt), Home Depot(Husky), or Ace Hardware (Craftsman) are decent (although all Chinese) quality.

 

[kubotafreak]

Snap on gold bit, I highly recommend. All others I have tried are not as strong. Albeit the snap on are the most $$. Depends on if u can justify the best quality.

 

[Pau7220]

Albeit the snap on are the most $$

50 years as a mechanic and I‘m not ashamed to say way less than 1% of my hand tools came out of a truck…. only because of the $$$$$$$. Really didn’t sound like the op has access to a tool truck.

 

[6869704x4]

A 24" breaker bar on an 8mm allen head? Somehow that won't strip the head but an impact will?

 

[fried1765]

An impact gun has been my go to tool for stubborn plugs for many years. Never in reverse and always effective.

Dan

How do you BACK a threaded plug out with an impact gun ......but..."never in reverse" ???