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Removal & Disassembly

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NOTE: Ring gear bolts on 10.5" ring gear differential assembly are left-hand thread. Ring gear bolts on 11.5" ring gear differential assembly are right-hand thread.
  1. Raise and support vehicle. Place drain pan below differential cover. Loosen, but DO NOT remove, differential cover bolts. Break cover loose. Allow lubricant to drain. Remove differential cover. Remove axle shaft locks. See ,AXLE SHAFTS  under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Pull axle shafts out of housing until axle shafts are clear of differential case.
  2. Note letters on bearing caps and drive axle housing for reassembly reference. Remove bearing adjuster nut retainers. Remove differential bearing cap bolts and caps. Mark bearing caps left and right for reassembly. Using Side Bearing Adjustment Spanner (J-24429), loosen side bearing adjusters. Remove differential case. See Fig 1 and Fig 2 .
  3. Using shop towels, place differential case assembly in a soft-jaw vise. Remove the bearing races. Mark the races left and right. Place the races with the bearing caps. Using Side Bearing Remover Kit (J-22888-D), remove the differential side bearings.
  4. Remove ring gear bolts. Ring gear bolts are left-hand thread. Using a soft-face hammer and or brass drift, tap ring gear off differential case. Separate the differential case assembly.
    5. NOTE: If the differential pinion gears, the differential side and the thrust washers are to be reused, mark the components so they can be reinstalled in their original location in the differential case.
  5. Remove the thrust washers, the differential pinion gears and the differential pinion spider from the differential case. Remove the differential side gears.
  6. Using an INCH lbs. torque wrench, measure and record for reassembly the amount of torque required to rotate the pinion and the ring gear. This will give the combined preload for the pinion bearings, pinion pilot bearing, pinion oil seal and the differential case bearings.
  7. Place an alignment mark between the pinion and the pinion yoke. Remove the pinion gear bearing retainer bolts. Remove the pinion gear bearing retainer and the pinion. Remove the selective shim. Using an INCH lbs. torque wrench, measure and record for reassembly the amount of torque required to rotate the pinion.
  8. Install the Yoke Puller/Holder Set (J-8614) to the pinion yoke. See Fig 3 . Remove the pinion nut and washer. Using yoke puller/holder, remove the pinion yoke by turning the remover screw clockwise while holding the yoke. Using suitable removal tool, remove the pinion oil seal. DO NOT damage the housing. Remove the outer pinion bearing. Remove the pinion. Remove the collapsible spacer.
  9. Using Bearing Puller (J-22912-O1) and a hydraulic press, remove the inner pinion bearing from the pinion.
  10. Using a hammer and a brass drift in the slots provided, remove the outer pinion bearing race. Move the drift back and forth between one side of the race and the other in order to work the races out of the retainer evenly. Remove the inner pinion race in a similar manner.
Fig 1: Exploded View Of Full-Floating Rear Axle Assembly (10.5" Ring Gear With Disc Brakes Is Shown; 11.5" Ring Gear Is Similar)
G00173831Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Fig 2: Adjusting Differential Side Bearing
G00173834Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Fig 3: Removing Pinion Yoke & Outer Bearing
G00173833Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
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