Axle Shafts & Bearings: Removal

Raise vehicle. Remove wheel and brake drums. Drain lubricant from drive axle. Remove housing cover. Remove pinion shaft lock screw.
NOTE: On vehicles equipped with 8 7/8" ring gear and Eaton positive traction differential, proceed to step 3). On all remaining models, proceed to next step.
Remove pinion shaft. Push flanged end of axle shaft toward center of vehicle. Remove "C" lock from splined end of axle shaft, and remove axle shaft.
On vehicles with 8 7/8" ring gear and Eaton positive traction differential, remove pinion shaft lock screw. Partly withdraw pinion shaft.
Rotate differential case until pinion shaft touches edge of housing. See Fig 1.

Fig 1: Positioning General Motors Case for Axle Removal.
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY

Rotate case until pinion shaft touches edge of housing.
Reach into case with screwdriver, and rotate "C" lock until open end points directly inward. When "C" lock is correctly positioned, axle shaft can be pushed inward, allowing "C" lock to be removed. Remove axle shaft. See Figure.
CAUTION: Do not hammer on axle shaft. It should slide easily when "C" lock is correctly positioned. When removing axle shaft on the 9 1/2" ring gear axle, be sure thrust washer in differential case does not slip out.
With axle shaft removed, insert bearing removal tool (J-23689 or equivalent) into axle housing behind bearing. Attach slide hammer to tool and remove bearing and seal.