Rear Axle Shafts & Bearings: Removal

Remove flange nuts from hub studs. Using heavy hammer, rap sharply on center of axle flange to loosen tapered dowels See Fig 1. Remove dowels. Rap center of flange again to cause flange and axle assembly to spring away from hub. Remove axle without using prying devices which might damage axle flange and hub mating surfaces. To service bearings, remove locking devices and bearing adjusting nut. Pull wheel straight off axle housing using care to avoid dropping bearing cones. Remove and discard seal(s). Remove bearing cones from hub or axle housing.
NOTE: Close inspection of hub and axle type is necessary to determine which procedure applies.

Fig 1: Detail View of Tapered Dowels
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Fig 2: Sectional View of Axle Shaft and Bearings With Snap Ring Bearing Retainer
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Two methods are used to position outer bearing cup in hub: Seating cup against a machined shoulder, and seating cup against a removable snap ring set into a machined groove. To remove machined shoulder type, drive each bearing cup out of hub using a long drift or suitable tool. To remove snap ring type, remove inner cup with long drift. Remove snap ring with pliers. Using a suitable tool, drive outer bearing and cup out of hub.

Fig 3: Sectional View of Axle Shaft and Bearings With Machined Shoulder Bearing Retainer
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