[rfins]

I purchased a 2017 Challenger Hellcat a few months ago.
The previous owner had installed a rear differential brace.

I was going to change the rear diff. fluid and need to remove the brace to get to the fill plug.
The two bolts on the flat plate just go round and round.....do not tighten or do not loosen, but there is resistance, they do not feel like they are stripped.

Anyone know what brand of bracket this is or how to remove the bolts ?

 

[Ilikemychallenger]

Is there not the place to hold them on the other side of the bracket

 

[PaVaSteeler]

I'm not 100% familiar with that particular model of the brace (I've used two other models of Per4mance's braces), but if you're talking about the two vertical bolts, depending on the year of your Cat, there is supposed to be an aluminum shim that goes inside the cross beam, into which each of those bolts are threaded. It may be the previous owner filed down the shims to make them easier to insert, and in doing so made them small enough to spin inside the beam.

 

[PaVaSteeler]

I'm not 100% familiar with that particular model of the brace (I've used two other models of Per4mance's braces), but if you're talking about the two vertical bolts, depending on the year of your Cat, there is supposed to be an aluminum shim that goes inside the cross beam, into which each of those bolts are threaded. It may be the previous owner filed down the shims to make them easier to insert, and in doing so made them small enough to spin inside the beam.

To follow up. There should be a couple of openings in that beam just to the left of where each vertical bolt would enter into the beam. These would be the openings used to insert the shims. You should be able to get a finger of your left hand into the slot; feel to the right of the slot for the shim. If you can feel it, then you should be able to maneuver something in there between the edge of the shim and the inside face of the beam to keep it from spinning, allowing you to loosen the bolts. (CAUTION: DO NOT ALLOW THE SHIM for the right side bolt to slide any further to the right, or the left bolt shim to slide further to the left; it could slide down the inside of the beam and be next to impossible to reach to remove, and rattle around forever.....ask me how I know)

 

[rfins]

To follow up. There should be a couple of openings in that beam just to the left of where each vertical bolt would enter into the beam. These would be the openings used to insert the shims. You should be able to get a finger of your left hand into the slot; feel to the right of the slot for the shim. If you can feel it, then you should be able to maneuver something in there between the edge of the shim and the inside face of the beam to keep it from spinning, allowing you to loosen the bolts. (CAUTION: DO NOT ALLOW THE SHIM for the right side bolt to slide any further to the right, or the left bolt shim to slide further to the left; it could slide down the inside of the beam and be next to impossible to reach to remove, and rattle around forever.....ask me how I know)

The slot is so small I could barely get my little finger in there. I could feel the bolt turning but not the flat plate - or shim at the bottom. But it felt like a collar or sleeve part way up the bolt.

 

[OldMoparGuy]

These being the pieces PaVa is talking about, as seen on the P4D website. Maybe work a long nose ViceGrip in there?

 

[2ndgen]

Speaking of... is there any way to change the diff fluid with the DIRS brace installed? Seems you gotta at least remove the back piece, unless I'm missing some trick?

 

[OldMoparGuy]

@2ndgen I think there was a thread a while back about a guy getting an angled Allen Key that was able to do it w/o removing anything. Mines not due for a while, so Ive got that going for me.

 

[basdakur]

Maybe get a new version of those little plates for when you reinstall and put a light coat of anti seize for the future diff oil changes.

 

[rfins]

These being the pieces PaVa is talking about, as seen on the P4D website. Maybe work a long nose ViceGrip in there?
View attachment 600678

Yep......going to buy a bent nose pliers, and try to get ahold of it.

 

[2ndAmend]

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With this:

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