Disassembly
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Special Tools, Part 6 Of 6:
DISASSEMBLY
1. Remove the front drive axle assembly, please refer to Transmission and Drivetrain/Drive Axles, Bearings and Joints/Service and Repair/Procedures/Front/ Removal & Installation
2. Remove the axle housing cover.
1 Remove the drain plug.
2 Drain the differential fluid.
3 Remove the bolts.
4 Remove the differential cover.
3. Install the front drive axle assembly in the Bench Mounted Holding Fixture.
CAUTION: Fixture mounting bolts must have a minimum thread depth in the carrier.
4. Unseat the dust boot.
5. Remove the snap ring.
6. Disconnect the front axle actuator motor assembly.
1 Fully extend the front axle actuator motor shaft.
2 Plug the vacuum ports.
3 Pull the front axle actuator motor assembly out.
4 Push the front axle actuator motor assembly away, disconnecting the lever from the slot in the actuator motor shaft.
7. Remove the front axle actuator motor assembly and boot.
1 Remove the boot.
2 Remove the front axle actuator motor assembly.
8. Remove the front axle housing tube assembly
^ Reposition the front drive axle assembly in the Bench Mounted Holding Fixture.
^ Remove the bolts.
^ Remove the front axle housing tube assembly.
9. Remove the cluster gear clutch thrust washer.
10. Remove the front axle cluster gear.
11. Remove the front axle shaft pilot bearing from the front axle cluster gear.
1 Position the front axle cluster gear in the vise.
2 Use a blind hole puller and the Slide Hammer to remove the front axle shaft pilot bearing.
12. Lift the front axle shift lever and remove the coupler selector gear.
13. If necessary, remove the shift lever assembly and the shift fork assembly.
^ Drive the manual shaft retaining pin through the shift fork.
^ Remove the shift lever assembly and the shift fork assembly.
NOTE: Clearance is provided in casting for roll pin removal.
14. Remove the axle shaft.
1 Reposition the carrier assembly in the Bench Mounted Holding Fixture.
2 Remove the axle shaft snap ring.
3 Remove the axle shaft.
15. Install the left and right Housing Spreader Adapter tools.
CAUTION: Housing spreader adapter bolts have a minimum thread engagement.
16. Position the Carrier Housing Spreader on the spreader adapters.
17. If necessary, adjust the Carrier Housing Spreader to provide clearance for the shift lever.
18. Install the Dial Indicator and Bracketry and position with the tip in the spreader adapter hole.
19. Spread the front axle housing.
1 Adjust the Dial Indicator to zero.
2 Tighten the housing spreader screw until the front axle housing is spread to specification.
3 Remove the Dial Indicator.
20. Remove the differential bearing caps.
1 Remove the bolts.
2 Remove the differential bearing caps and mark or tag them right or left.
NOTE: Differential bearing caps must be installed in the original place and position. See reference arrows on differential bearing caps.
21. Remove the differential case from the front axle housing.
1 Position the wood blocks.
2 Use two pry bars and push down on the pry bars.
3 Remove the differential case.
4 Remove the differential housing spreader.
CAUTION: Wood blocks must be used to avoid front axle housing damage.
22. Mark the front axle universal joint flange and index it to the pinion stem.
1 Reposition the front axle housing in the Bench Mounted Holding Fixture.
2 Mark the front axle universal joint flange and index it to the pinion stem.
23. Loosen the pinion nut.
^ Install the Companion Flange Holding Tool with bolts.
^ Loosen the pinion nut.
24. Remove the front axle universal joint flange.
^ With the pinion nut still engaged by a few threads, install the 2-Jaw Puller.
^ Remove the front axle universal joint flange.
25. Remove the pinion from the carrier housing.
1 Hold the pinion inside the carrier housing.
2 Use a soft face hammer and remove the pinion from the carrier housing.
26. Remove the pinion seal and the oil slinger.
CAUTION: Do not damage the front axle housing while removing the pinion seal.
27. Use the Puller Tool and the Slide Hammer to remove the inner bearing cup.
28. If necessary, remove the baffle.
NOTE: A baffle to aid bearing lubrication is positioned behind the inner bearing cup. Normally this can be left in position if the inner bearing cup is removed.
29. Remove the outer axle pinion bearing cup, tapping alternately on each side to prevent the outer axle pinion bearing cup from cocking.
30. Remove the differential pinion bearing.
^ Install the Pinion Bearing Cone Remover on the differential pinion bearing assembly.
^ Position the Pinion Bearing Cone Remover and the differential pinion bearing assembly in a press and press the bearing off.
31. Remove the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim from the differential pinion gear.
NOTE: Measure the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim (which is found under the differential pinion bearing) with a micrometer and record the thickness (use this as a reference to compare the shim gauge reading prior to installing the differential pinion bearing).
32. Remove the differential ring gear.
^ Remove the ten differential ring gear bolts.
^ Use a drift punch to separate the differential ring gear from the differential case.
33. Assemble the Pinion and Carrier Bearing Puller.
34. Position the Pinion and Carrier Bearing Puller.
35. Use the Pinion and Carrier Bearing Puller to remove the differential bearing.
^ Repeat the procedure for the other side.