I'm baffled and don't know where to turn. Pinion bolt stuck
 

Replacing my axle bearings and seals, everything was going fine until I took the diff cover off, drained the fluid, and saw the small bolt that holds in the pinion shaft. The thing was stripped, so I went to careful measures to get it out. First I bought a new bolt, used liquid wrench and a torch, and tried a 5/16" ratchet, no luck. So I went to vice grips with heat, still no luck. I cannot get this damn thing out, so my car is stuck, I'm not driving it until the job is done. I really need some help, how do I get this thing out?

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...5def1009b0.jpg


Right above my index finger

Thats your cross pin retaining bolt, what you have to so now is get needle nose vise grips and put those on there as tifht as you can, you may have to use other pliers to make the vise gripa get tight enough. Then take a hammer and hit the vise grips. That ia always what i have done.

It's 11pm and I'm not sleeping until that sucker is out, so thank you. I'll run to the store and try to find a pair. The big vice grips I used were too thick so maybe needlenose will work.

You have a means of welding? I would weld another nut or an old socket to it and back it out

I wish, its on my list of things but no I don't have a welder

You get it out? Same exact thing happened to me, except I was the dumbass who stripped it. Ended up going to Sears and grabbing one of their damaged bolt remover kits, hammered that sucker on and it came off. Amazing that one tiny little bolt can disable a whole car :lol:

Right??? Lol I was saying the same thing. Nope its sitting in my garage with its ass in the air. I tried everything -_- Can you send me a link or photo of what you bought to get yours out??? I tried one at O'Reily but it was too big to turn in that crevice. Thanks bro!

another idea that might help:

1. Somehow heat the diff up near the pin (remembering that oil can burn, so be careful)
2. Then take a can of compressed air and spray it upside down with a Q-tip in front of the nozzle. Do this only for a couple seconds. Liquid CO2 comes out at almost -70 degrees and can cause instant frost bite. You may wish to use a mechanics glove (thin, but good enough insulation).
3. Take the now bitterly cold Q-tip and press it against the head of the stuck bolt for a few seconds. This will *hopefully* cause enough shrinkage in the bolt to loosen its bond against the diff housing
4. Immediately use the tool of your choice to attempt removal of the bolt

I really hope you get it out. Sorry to hear about it being a pain in the ass. When I was in high school I toasted the rear in my v6 and sure enough a 5/16 wrench was loose enough to strip the bolt. Vice grips did it for me luckily.

I used something like this:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...87ae4fbc08.jpg

You're gunne need a new bolt, obviously as this will destroy the current one.