Drive Axle - Rear - 8.8" & 9.75" Ring Gear: Overhaul: Disassembly
- Raise and support vehicle. Drain lubricant and remove housing cover. Mount dial indicator and measure and record ring gear runout. See RING GEAR RUNOUT under INSPECTION PROCEDURES. Measure and record ring gear backlash. See Fig 1 . See DIFFERENTIAL BEARING PRELOAD & RING GEAR BACKLASH under REASSEMBLY & ADJUSTMENTS.
- Remove axle shafts. See AXLE SHAFT & BEARING under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Place alignment marks on drive shaft, yoke and pinion flange for reassembly reference.
- Scribe alignment marks on pinion flange and drive shaft yoke for installation reference. Remove 4 drive shaft bolts and wire drive shaft aside. Mark differential bearing caps for reassembly reference and note arrow position. Loosen bearing cap bolts. Pry out differential case, bearing races and shims until loose in bearing caps.
- Remove bearing caps and differential. Remove pinion nut and pinion flange. Drive pinion out of front bearing using soft-faced hammer. Remove pinion from housing. Remove oil seal using slide hammer.
- Remove front bearing. Mount bearing puller on pinion shaft, and press shaft out of bearing. Remove, measure, and record thickness of shim located behind bearing. Remove differential side bearings with a puller.
- Mark differential case and ring gear for reassembly reference. Remove and discard ring gear mounting bolts. Press or tap off ring gear. Remove exciter ring from differential case (if necessary). If exciter ring is removed from differential case, a NEW exciter ring must be installed. Remove pinion shaft lock bolt and remove shaft. Remove pinion gears, side gears and thrust washers.
NOTE:
Bearing races and caps must be installed in original positions.
NOTE:
DO NOT remove pinion bearing races unless damaged. If races are replaced, bearings must also be replaced.
NOTE:
Tab on exciter ring must be aligned with slot in differential case.