Service Procedure For Canadian Vehicles
Removal ProcedureCaution:
Make sure vehicle is properly supported and squarely positioned on the hoist. To avoid any vehicle damage, serious personal injury or death when a vehicle is on a hoist, provide additional support for the vehicle at the opposite end from which components are being removed. This will reduce the possibility of the vehicle falling off the hoist.
Caution:
To avoid any vehicle damage, serious personal injury or death, always use the jackstands to support the vehicle when lifting the vehicle with a jack.
Notice:
Perform the following steps before starting any vehicle lifting or jacking procedure:
^ Remove or secure all of the vehicle's contents in order to avoid any shifting or any movement that may occur during the vehicle lifting or jacking procedure.
^ The lifting or jacking equipment weight rating must meet or exceed the weight of the vehicle and any vehicle contents.
^ The lifting or jacking equipment must meet the operational standards of the lifting or jacking equipment's manufacturer.
^ Perform the vehicle lifting or jacking procedure on a clean, hard, dry, level surface.
^ Perform the vehicle lifting or jacking procedure only at the identified lift points. DO NOT allow the lifting or jacking equipment to contact any other vehicle components.
Failure to perform the previous steps could result in damage to the lifting or jacking equipment, the vehicle, and/or the vehicle's contents.
Important:
Place jackstands ONLY under strong and stable vehicle structures.
1. Raise and support the vehicle. (Refer to illustration.)
2. Place a container under the RDM housing.
3. Remove the RDM drain plug and drain the fluid.
4. Remove propeller shaft underbody guard loop bolts.
5. Remove the guard loop.
6. Reference mark the propeller shaft flange-to-pinion relationship at the rear drive module (RDM).
7. Remove the propeller shaft flange mounting bolts at the RDM pinion flange.
8. Apply forward pressure on the propeller shaft to disengage the propeller shaft rear flange.
9. Position the end of the propeller shaft away from the RDM and secure it with a heavy mechanic's wire or equivalent.
10. Install pinion flange holder J44873 (1) to the pinion flange (2) using two propeller shaft bolts.
11. Using a half-inch breaker bar to hold pinion flange holder J44873 stationary, loosen the pinion flange nut.
12. Remove Pinion Flange Holder J44873.
13. Remove propeller shaft guard to rear drive module bolts and remove guard.
14. Place a drain pan under the RDM to capture residual RDM fluid when separating RDM housing cover from RDM housing.
15. Remove the RDM housing cover bolts (1) from RDM housing.
16. Separate the RDM housing cover from the RDM housing.
17. Carefully remove the RDM housing cover and drum from RDM housing.
18. Remove and discard the pinion flange nut (1).
Notice:
Discard used nut. If the old nut is used, it may loosen over time.
19. Remove the pinion flange (2).
20. Remove the clutch drum (2) from the RDM housing cover (1).
21. Remove and discard the RDM filter assembly.
Notice:
Do not gouge housing cover or RDM sealing surfaces. Do not use any kind of motored device for cleaning. If the sealing surfaces are damaged, leaks may result.
Notice:
All sealant must be removed from RDM housing and clutch cover sealing surfaces to reduce the potential of a leak or excess sealant damaging RDM.
22. Remove all traces of sealer from RDM housing and clutch cover sealing surfaces.
23. Clean the RDM housing sealing surfaces with denatured alcohol or equivalent and dry with a clean, lint-free cloth.
Installation Procedure
Important:
Strict adherence to the sealer cure time must be observed.
1. Apply a continuous bead of sealer (P/N 10953472) of equal height and width to the RDM clutch housing sealing surface. Allow sealant to "skin" for 5 minutes before assembly.
Specification
Apply sealer to a height and width of 2.5 mm (0.098 in.)
2. Install a NEW RDM filter assembly (P/N 12569934).
3. Align the RDM clutch with the pump and pump bushing using alignment tool J46607. Place the alignment tool J46607 in the splines of the clutch. Twist alignment tool back and forth to align the pump and bushing. With a properly aligned clutch, the groove on the alignment tool J46607 will be flush with the drum. Remove the alignment tool by pulling straight out.
Notice:
Do not submerge the clutch drum in solvent. This will damage friction material and gerotor pump.
Important:
The clutch drum may require some slight rotational movement to install completely. If the clutch is not fully seated, the clutch housing may break when tightening bolts.
4. Install the NEW clutch drum (1) (P/N 15235314) onto the pinion shaft (2).
5. When properly engaged, the RDM clutch drum will be fully seated against the clutch drum oil seal.
Notice:
The clutch cover housing must be fully seated to the rear drive module (RDM). Do NOT use the mounting bolts to draw the cover to the RDM. If the cover does not fully seat to the RDM, the clutch drum assembly splines must be realigned to the pinion shaft splines before proceeding. Failure to follow these instructions will result in damage to the clutch assembly.
Important:
Do not disturb the sealer bead applied to the RDM clutch housing when installing to RDM differential housing.
6. Hand install the RDM clutch housing cover (1) and bolts (2) to the RDM differential housing, and then tighten bolts.
Tighten
Tighten Clutch Cover Bolts to 25 Nm (19 ft-lbs).
7. Install propeller shaft guard (2) to RDM housing and tighten bolts (1).
Tighten
Tighten Propeller Shaft Guard-to-Rear Drive Module Bolts to 23 Nm (17 ft-lbs).
8. Install the pinion flange (2) to the RDM clutch shaft.
9. Hand install a NEW input flange nut (1) to the RDM clutch shaft.
10. Install pinion flange holder J44873 (1) to the pinion flange (2) using two propeller shaft bolts.
11. Hold pinion flange with half-inch breaker bar to tighten nut.
Tighten
Tighten Pinion shaft Nut to 203 Nm (150 ft-lbs).
12. Thoroughly clean the drain plug threads and apply thread sealer Loctite(R) Threadlocker 592 (P/N 10953480) or equivalent to plug threads.
13. Install the drain plug to the RDM housing and tighten.
Tighten
Tighten Drain Plug to 30 Nm (22 ft-lbs).
14. Thoroughly clean and apply thread sealer Loctite(R) Threadlocker 262 (P/N 10953488) to the propeller shaft flange mounting bolt threads.
15. Align the reference marks on the propeller shaft flange and the RDM input flange.
16. Install the propeller shaft flange mounting bolts.
Tighten
Tighten Propeller Shaft Rear Flange-to-Rear Drive Module Bolts 50 Nm (37 ft-lbs).
17. Install the propeller shaft underbody guard loop.
18. Install the propeller shaft underbody guard loop bolts.
Tighten
Tighten Underbody Guard Loop Bolts to 24 Nm (18 ft-lbs).
19. Remove RDM fill plug.
20. Fill the RDM with 750 ml (25.4 oz) of GM Versatrak(R) fluid (P/N 88901045).
21. Temporarily re-install RDM fill plug.
22. Prime new RDM clutch using the following on-hoist priming method.
A. Ensure all wheels are off the ground.
B. Start the engine and place the transaxle in a forward gear.
C. Release the brake pedal. All four wheels will spin.
D. Slowly apply parking brake just enough to stop the rear wheels from rotating.
E. Carefully accelerate the engine until the rear wheels begin to rotate.
Notice:
Do not exceed 5 seconds of park brake apply while the vehicle is in gear and the engine is running to avoid overheating the rear drive module.
F. Continue allowing the rear wheels to rotate for a maximum of 5 seconds.
G. Release parking brake and release the accelerator pedal.
H. Apply the brakes and bring the wheels to a stop.
I. Place the transaxle in park and turn the engine off.
23. Remove the RDM fill plug.
24. Fabricate a dipstick using a length of heavy mechanic's wire or equivalent. Position a 90 degree bend approximately 25 mm (1 in) from the end of the wire.
25. Place the angled end of the dipstick into the fluid fill plug opening.
26. Rest the wire squarely on the threads of the fill plug hole.
27. Remove the dipstick and measure the distance between the bend and the fluid level as indicated by the witness mark (1).
Specification
The distance between the bend and fluid level should be 8-17 mm (0.32-0.68 in).
Notice:
Too much or too little fluid may have an adverse affect on the operation of the all-wheel drive system.
28. Adjust the fluid level as required by adding or removing fluid (P/N 88901045).
29. Thoroughly clean the fill plug threads and apply thread sealer Loctite(R) Threadlocker 592 (P/N 10953480) or equivalent to the threads of the RDM fill plug.
30. Install the RDM fill plug.
Tighten
Tighten Rear Differential Assembly Fill Plug to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).
31. Lower the vehicle.
32. Perform road test to check for leaks.