ATC4ever 1,069 Posted July 15, 2021 TBH its a diff so not likely going to be too many small pieces in there, & if there is, youd see them anyway when you drain it next. I usually check mine once a year & if it needs changing i do it. Rotating the axle off the ground with that cap off you can see the oil on the gear, & if it actually is dirty, i always sprayed a little brake cleaner in there to flush it out with the drain plug out, then put oil in to flush the brake cleaner out before closing it up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orvis25 108 Posted July 15, 2021 32 minutes ago, ATC4ever said: TBH its a diff so not likely going to be too many small pieces in there, & if there is, youd see them anyway when you drain it next. I usually check mine once a year & if it needs changing i do it. Rotating the axle off the ground with that cap off you can see the oil on the gear, & if it actually is dirty, i always sprayed a little brake cleaner in there to flush it out with the drain plug out, then put oil in to flush the brake cleaner out before closing it up. Id rather have it and catch what It can, than not have it and have it floating around and being caught in my bearings, leading to pre-mature wear. I wont plan on doing "flushes" any time soon given both my front and rear have now been taken apart (rear rebuilt, front for washer mod), and I don't plan on flushing it with brake cleaner. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Wilson_™ 6,558 Posted July 15, 2021 i agree, and another thing is, filings floating around grinding away is going to get more and more filing etc.... why not take those out of the equation if you can ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ATC4ever 1,069 Posted July 16, 2021 Oh Theres no harm in putting a magnet in there. Ive been driving them with out one for decades & that works good enough for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LedFTed 1,122 Posted July 21, 2021 the 55 chevy- apache , truck didnt have an oil filter, so i changed the oil when it was dirty, or not tacky, an put a magnet on the bottom of the oil pan, course that oil pan wasnt aluminum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
56Sierra 1,844 Posted July 22, 2021 On 7/14/2021 at 10:55 AM, jeepwm69 said: I think I'd be more worried about the magnet dislodging and falling down into the gears than I would from metal bits in the lube. My thoughts too. There are very small magnets available that will hold tight to the outside of the bolt head without the need for epoxy. These are strong enough to magnetize the entire bolt and hold and steel particles on the end of the drain plug. Neodymium magnets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Wilson_™ 6,558 Posted July 22, 2021 and it's going to hold / attract more this this ? and it's not like magnetic drain plugs submerged in oil, collecting while the engine is off, the rear end oil has to be slung around. far as i know all chunks are basically the same.. (oil sling types) (although some ARE oil cooled) so the stronger magnet .... IMO... the better, i know our semi trucks have them, in the drain plug, and check / fill plugs, in both rear ends, over a million miles on one, and not a single issue drivetrain wise. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orvis25 108 Posted July 22, 2021 2 hours ago, 56Sierra said: My thoughts too. There are very small magnets available that will hold tight to the outside of the bolt head without the need for epoxy. These are strong enough to magnetize the entire bolt and hold and steel particles on the end of the drain plug. Neodymium magnets. The TRX 300 cannot accommodate a magnetic drain bolt so the only option you have is to do something with the filler cap. I'm not worried about the magnet coming loose given how overkill I went with both the a poxy and doubling it up with RTV green. If it's gonna come out it's coming out only because I trashed the differential somehow with direct impact, and even then I think it (the diff housing) would crack first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
56Sierra 1,844 Posted July 22, 2021 1 hour ago, _Wilson_™ said: and it's going to hold / attract more this this ? and it's not like magnetic drain plugs submerged in oil, collecting while the engine is off, the rear end oil has to be slung around. far as i know all chunks are basically the same.. (oil sling types) (although some ARE oil cooled) so the stronger magnet .... IMO... the better, i know our semi trucks have them, in the drain plug, and check / fill plugs, in both rear ends, over a million miles on one, and not a single issue drivetrain wise. I hope I never pull a pipe wrench out of my differential case😳 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orvis25 108 Posted July 22, 2021 1 hour ago, _Wilson_™ said: and it's going to hold / attract more this this ? and it's not like magnetic drain plugs submerged in oil, collecting while the engine is off, the rear end oil has to be slung around. far as i know all chunks are basically the same.. (oil sling types) (although some ARE oil cooled) so the stronger magnet .... IMO... the better, i know our semi trucks have them, in the drain plug, and check / fill plugs, in both rear ends, over a million miles on one, and not a single issue drivetrain wise. I think hes more referring to being skeptical on the home made aspect of the magnetic filler cap, compared to company produced magnetic drain bolts for other types of vehicles Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
56Sierra 1,844 Posted July 22, 2021 1 minute ago, Orvis25 said: The TRX 300 cannot accommodate a magnetic drain bolt so the only option you have is to do something with the filler cap. I'm not worried about the magnet coming loose given how overkill I went with both the a poxy and doubling it up with RTV green. If it's gonna come out it's coming out only because I trashed the differential somehow with direct impact, and even then I think it (the diff housing) would crack first. I thought all the drain plugs on my Trx300fws were steel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
56Sierra 1,844 Posted July 22, 2021 A picture is worth 1,000 words. These small magnets are available at Harbor Freight and fit perfectly on the head of a 6mm bolt much like the ones used as drains on the front and rear differential cases of my two TRX300FWs. This was after placing the magnet on the head and a quick swipe at the base of my vice on the workbench. Oh, yeah. It's tough to pull that magnet off too. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orvis25 108 Posted July 22, 2021 9 minutes ago, 56Sierra said: A picture is worth 1,000 words. These small magnets are available at Harbor Freight and fit perfectly on the head of a 6mm bolt much like the ones used as drains on the front and rear differential cases of my two TRX300FWs. This was after placing the magnet on the head and a quick swipe at the base of my vice on the workbench. Oh, yeah. It's tough to pull that magnet off too. Deffenetly a different method. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Wilson_™ 6,558 Posted July 22, 2021 6 hours ago, 56Sierra said: I thought all the drain plugs on my Trx300fws were steel. they are (far as i know) the front rear end, back rear end, and engine, drain plugs are steel the transfer case has three plugs one drain, one check. and that top plug is the fill plug those three big plugs are aluminum .... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orvis25 108 Posted July 23, 2021 Id still prefer the filler cap method over the magnet on the bolt. More direct pulling power to filter it out. With how that stuff is epoxied and RTV'd in there.... i don't think its ever coming out unless sim digging it out with a screw driver and a hammer.... The magnet on the external side of the bolt might be a good addition though. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Wilson_™ 6,558 Posted July 23, 2021 that's the reason i went with check plugs (bigger stronger counter sunk magnets into the caps) on those three, but there isn't much of an option for the engine drain plug, as i was saying in the chat, i have made these before.... made one for my 35 ton kohler powered wood splitter.... drilled the front drain plug, and used hondabond to fasten the magnet (counter sunk) so far it's be perfect, but the drain plugs (especially the transfer case drain) on the 300, nah.... i don't really think there's enough meat on those plugs to center (free hand) drill them deep enoigh to install a strong magnet, plus engine / gear case heat DOES effect them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orvis25 108 Posted July 23, 2021 5 hours ago, _Wilson_™ said: that's the reason i went with check plugs (bigger stronger counter sunk magnets into the caps) on those three, but there isn't much of an option for the engine drain plug, as i was saying in the chat, i have made these before.... made one for my 35 ton kohler powered wood splitter.... drilled the front drain plug, and used hondabond to fasten the magnet (counter sunk) so far it's be perfect, but the drain plugs (especially the transfer case drain) on the 300, nah.... i don't really think there's enough meat on those plugs to center (free hand) drill them deep enoigh to install a strong magnet, plus engine / gear case heat DOES effect them. You would need to buy a heat stable magnet. Thatsbwhybi just bought a tusk magnetic engine bolt. It had a heat stable magnet. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Wilson_™ 6,558 Posted July 23, 2021 (edited) i used rare earth magnets for the ones i made. Quote Rare earth magnets are the strongest permanent magnets available and have significantly higher performance than ferrite (ceramic) and alnico magnets. --------------------- https://drainplugmagnets.com/ for the engine plugs >>>> DIMPLE ^^^^ Edited July 23, 2021 by _Wilson_™ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
56Sierra 1,844 Posted July 23, 2021 My Element has a magnetic drain plug but it isn't very powerful at all. You can barely tell it attracts ferrous metals. I'm wondering if Honda's logic is to make it strong enough to hold particles but not so strong that it will latch on to any steel parts in the transmission should if become dislodged from the drain plug. I do know that some rare earth magnets are made from a compressed powder and must be sealed to prevent corrosion. I'm unable to say for sure if these types of magnets will live a happy coexistence with hot oil or not. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Wilson_™ 6,558 Posted July 23, 2021 (edited) good point ^^^ some will shatter! but the ones i have are sealed up, but yes that was a worry of mine... the pugs i made i tested, with hot oil, and also lieving them in the freezer for an extended time, i didn't notice any less power to attract, or any cracking, or shattering, and the hondabond worked just fine. Edited July 23, 2021 by _Wilson_™ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites