So I tried to replace one half axle shaft, which in theory seemed pretty simple. Heres what happened:

I jacked up the car and removed the wheel on the side I'm working on. I was about to remove the differential drain plugs when I noticed they're socket-heads. Well, I get out my set of hex drivers, but don't have one that fits. I figured I can make a makeshift hex driver with a nut and bolts. I look all around my garage and dont find one that fits. I go to home depot and look for the 14mm hex driver I'd need to get out the drain plugs. They dont have one. I buy some nuts and bolts to make a makeshift hex driver. I drive to pep boys to see if they have a hex driver. Nope. I go home and try out the nut-and-bolt solution. That is, I had a bolt that fits the sockethead. I put two nuts on it, locked together. I put some liquid wrench all over the drain plugs bang them a bit, and wait a while. I try my contraption and I break the bolt! The drain plug didn't budge. I went back to Home Depot and got some grade 8 nuts and bolts and tried again. I couldn't get enough torque on it to budge.

I then decided that I'd just take off the Differential Cover, and fiddle with the drain plug while the cover is off. I jacked up the diff and removed the four bolts holding the rubber bracket. I then attempt the 22mm bolts holding the bracket to the Differential cover. The bottom one wont move. I cant get to the top one because the sway bar is in the way. I put some liquid wrench on it, and it still wont budge.

Okay, I'll just leave the bracket attached to the cover. I start removing the diff cover bolts. I can get to 6 of them, but the top two are impossible to get a socket and a wrench on. So now I have a jacked up car, lots of bolts that wont budge, or are hard to get to, and not much of a plan. Any Ideas?

Specifically....
1) How do I get the drain plugs off? I think I may try another hardware store tomorrow, and get a 14mm wrench with a long arm for more leverage.

2) How do I get the 22mm bolts connecting the Differential Cover to the bracket off? One wont budge. I cant get to the other because the sway bar is in the way.

3) How do I get the top two differential cover bolts off?

4) Are there any other things I should watch for?

Thanks for any help you may be able to provide. I feel like quite the loser right now!

Paul