Rear Axle Assembly
Rear Axle Assembly
Special Tool(s)
1. With the vehicle in NEUTRAL, position on a hoist.
2. Remove the rear axle assembly.
3. Remove the components in the order indicated in the illustration and table.
4. To assemble, reverse the disassembly procedure.
5. Fill the axle with the specified quantity of the specified lubricant.
Item 3: Differential Housing Cover Disassembly Note
1. After removal of the rear housing cover, mount the differential assembly in the special tool.
Item 4: Pinion Nut Disassembly Note
1. Install a Nm (inch-pound) torque wrench on the nut and record the torque necessary to maintain rotation of the drive pinion gear through several revolutions.
2. Index-mark the rear axle pinion flange to the drive pinion stem.
3. CAUTION: After removing the nut, discard it. Use a new nut for installation.
Use the special tool to hold the rear axle pinion flange while removing the nut.
Item 5: Rear Axle Pinion Flange Disassembly Note
1. Using the special tool, remove the rear axle pinion flange.
Item 7: Rear Pinion Oil Seal Disassembly Note
1. Use a screwdriver to force up the metal flange of the rear pinion oil seal. Install gripping pliers and strike with a hammer to remove the rear pinion oil seal.
Item 12: Halfshaft Housing Seal Disassembly Note
1. Force up the metal flange on the halfshaft seal.
2. Install gripping pliers and strike with a hammer to remove the seal from the housing.
Item 22: Inner Pinion Bearing Disassembly Note
1. Using the special tool and a press, remove the pinion bearing.
1 Position the special tool under the pinion bearing.
2 Using a press, remove the pinion bearing.
Item 24: Inner Pinion Bearing Cup Disassembly Note
1. Using the drift punch and a hammer, remove the inner pinion bearing cup.
Item 25: Outer Pinion Bearing Cup Disassembly Note
1. Using the commercially available drift punch and a hammer, remove the outer pinion bearing cup.
Item 26: Differential Bearing Disassembly Note
1. Using the special tools, remove the differential bearing.
^ Repeat for the other side.
Item 27: Differential Pinion Shaft Roll Pin Disassembly Note
1. Using a drift punch and a hammer, drive the roll pin into the pinion shaft until bottomed. The pinion shaft roll pin will remain in the shaft when the pinion shaft is removed from the case. Drive the roll pin from the pinion shaft after the shaft is removed from the case. Discard the roll pin.
Item 33: Axle Isolator Bushing Disassembly Note
1. Using the special tools, remove the rear axle isolator bushing.
Item 33: Axle Isolator Bushing Assembly Note
1. Align the notches in the bushing at 45° from the fore and aft position.
2. Using the special tools, install the rear axle isolator bushing.
Item 27: Differential Pinion Shaft Roll Pin Assembly Note
1. CAUTION: Always use a new roll pin.
Install the differential shaft roll pin so the top of the roll pin is flush with the differential case.
Item 24 and 25: Outer and Inner Pinion Bearing Cup Assembly Note
1. Coat the new differential drive pinion bearing cup(s) with lubricant.
2. Using the special tool, install the differential drive pinion bearing cup(s).
^ Position the bearing cup(s) on the special tool.
^ Position the special tool and the bearing cup(s) in the differential housing.
^ Tighten the special tool to fully seat the bearing cup(s) in the bore(s).
Item 23: Differential Pinion Bearing Adjustment Shim Assembly Note
1. NOTE: Apply a light film of lubricant on the front and rear pinion bearings.
Install the pinion bearings and special tools as shown.
. NOTE: This step duplicates pinion bearing preload.
Thread the special tool onto the screw and tighten to the specification shown.
3. CAUTION: Offset the special tool to obtain an accurate reading.
Rotate the special tool several half turns to seat the pinion bearings. Position the special tool as shown.
4. Install the special tool.
^ Position the special tool in the differential housing differential bearing seat.
5. Install the differential bearing cap.
^ Seat the special tool in the housing.
^ Position the bearing cap.
^ Torque the cap to specification.
6. Use a drive pinion bearing adjustment shim as a gauge for shim selection. Check the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim thickness between the Gauge Block and the Gauge Tube. A slight drag indicates correct shim selection.
7. Remove all of the special tools.
8. CAUTION: Use the same pinion bearings and drive pinion bearing adjustment shim from the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim selection procedure for final assembly.
Position the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim and the pinion bearing on the drive pinion gear stem.
Item 22: Inner Pinion Bearing Assembly Note
1. Using the special tools and a suitable press, firmly seat the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim and pinion bearing on the drive pinion gear stem.
Item 13, Item 14, Item 18 and Item 26: Selective Snap Ring, Differential Bearing Shim, Differential Case and Differential Bearing Assembly Note
1. Install the special tools on the differential case.
2. Place the differential case with the special tool in the differential housing.
3. Position the special tool on the differential case in the differential housing.
4. Install a unique set-up selective snap ring with a thickness of 0.100 inches.
5. Position the special tool.
6. NOTE: Repeat this step until obtaining a consistent reading.
Measure the total end play.
^ Attach the special tools and position the indicator tip on the machined surface of the differential case flange.
^ Move the differential case to the left and the right (as far as possible).
^ Record the reading in Line A.
Differential Bearing Shim Selection Chart
To determine the snap ring thickness, add lines C, D and E (Example: 0.037 + 0.016 + 0.100 = 0.153 snap ring thickness).
To determine the bearing shim thickness, add lines A, F and G. Subtract line C and D from the sum. Example:
^ 0.230 + 0.100 + 0.012 = 0.342
^ 0.342 - 0.037 - 0.016 = 0.289 bearing shim thickness
7. Remove the Dial Indicator and the differential case from the differential housing.
8. Install the differential ring gear.
1 Place the differential ring gear on the differential case.
2 Hand start three bolts to align the holes in the differential ring gear and the differential case.
3 Place the differential case and differential ring gear onto the press bed blocks with the differential ring gear teeth facing downward.
4 Press the differential ring gear into place.
9. Install the remaining bolts.
10. Place the differential case with the special tool into the differential housing.
11. Install the special tool.
12. Measure the end play.
^ Attach the special tool and position the indicator tip on the machined surface of the differential case flange.
^ Rock the differential ring gear to allow full mesh with the drive pinion gear.
^ With the gears in full mesh, set the special tool to zero.
^ Move the differential case as far as possible to the left and note the reading.
^ Record the reading on the differential bearing shim selection procedure Line B.
^ Remove the special tool.
13. Remove the differential case from the differential housing.
14. Remove the bolts. Apply stud and bearing mount to the bolt threads, and reinstall the bolts.
15. Press the left and right differential bearing on the differential case.
16. Place the differential case and bearing curs in the differential case.
17. NOTE: Select the correct size selective snap ring using the differential bearing shim selection chart. To determine the thickness of the snap ring to be used, subtract Line B from Line A. Add Lines D and E to the difference. This is the thickness of the snap ring required.
Place the selective snap ring in the differential housing.
18. NOTE: Select the correct size selective bearing shim using the differential bearing shim selection chart. To determine the thickness of the bearing shim to be used, add Lines A, F and G. Subtract Lines C and D from the sum. This is the thickness of the bearing shim required.
Position the differential bearing shim indicated by the bearing shim selection chart.
19. Using the special tools, seat the differential bearing shim in the differential housing.
20. Install the differential bearing cap in the original location and tighten the bolts.
21. Using the special tools, measure the differential ring gear backlash at four equally spaced points.
^ Attach the special tool.
^ Position the special tool tip centrally on a drive tooth.
^ Zero the indicator.
^ Turn the differential ring gear without turning the drive pinion gear. Record the indicator reading. The allowable backlash is 0.127 mm (0.005 inch) to 0.228 mm (0.009 inch) and must not vary more than 0.076 mm (0.003 inch) between points measured. A backlash variation of more than 0.076 mm (0.003 inch) between points checked indicates gear/case runout.
^ If backlash is within specifications, install the differential assembly.
^ To correct for a high or low backlash, proceed as follows.
22. To correct for high or low backlash, increase or decrease the thickness of the differential bearing shim and decrease or increase the thickness of the selective snap ring by the same amount. When the backlash is within specifications, install the differential assembly.
Differential Snap Ring Size Chart - 13277 -
Differential Shim Size Chart - 4067 -
Item 12: Halfshaft Housing Seal Assembly Note
1. NOTE: Lubricate the lips of the seal with axle lubricant.
Using the special tools, install the halfshaft housing seal.
Item 10: Drive Pinion Collapsible Spacer Assembly Note
1. CAUTION: Make sure the splices on the drive pinion gear stem are free of burrs. If burrs are evident, remove them using a fine crocus cloth.
Place a new differential drive pinion collapsible spacer on the drive pinion gear stem against the pinion stem shoulder.
2. Install the drive pinion gear with the differential drive pinion collapsible spacer in the differential housing.
Item 7: Rear Pinion Oil Seal Assembly Note
1. CAUTION: Installation without the correct tool can result in early seal failure. If the seal becomes misaligned during installation, remove it and install a new one.
NOTE: Coat the rear axle drive pinion seal lips with grease.
Using the special tool, install the new rear axle drive pinion seal.
Item 5: Rear Axle Pinion Flange Assembly Note
1. NOTE: Disregard the index marks if installing a new rear axle pinion flange.
Position the rear axle pinion flange.
^ Lubricate the rear axle pinion flange splines.
^ Position the rear axle pinion flange.
2. Using the special tools, install the rear axle pinion flange.
Item 4: Pinion Nut Assembly Note
1. CAUTION: Do not, under any circumstance, loosen the nut to reduce preload. If it is necessary to reduce preload, install a new collapsible spacer and nut. Remove the special tool while taking preload readings with the Nm (inch-pound) torque wrench.
Use the special tool to hold the pinion flange while tightening the nut.
^ Rotate the pinion occasionally to make sure the differential pinion bearings seat correctly. Take frequent differential pinion bearing preload readings by rotating the pinion with a Nm (inch-pound) torque wrench.
2. Tighten the nut to set the preload.