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 differential 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 (A) must have a minimum thread engagement in carrier.






4. Unseat the clutch shaft rod 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, please refer to Transmission and Drivetrain/Drive Axles, Bearings and Joints/Service and Repair/Procedures/Front/ Axle Tube Disassembly and Assembly

(1) Reposition the front drive axle assembly in the Bench Mounted Holding Fixture.
(2) 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 Blind Hole Puller and Slide Hammer to remove the front axle shaft pilot bearing.






12. Lift the (A) front axle shift lever and remove the (B) coupler cluster gear.






13. If necessary, remove the shift lever assembly and the shift fork assembly.
(1) Drive the roll pin through the shift fork.
(2) Remove the (A) shift lever assembly and the (B) shift fork assembly.

NOTE: Clearance is provided in casting for roil 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 Housing Spreader Adapter (A) (left) and (B) (right).

CAUTION: Housing spreader adapter bolts have a minimum thread engagement.






16. Position Carrier Housing Spreader on the spreader adapters.






17. If necessary, adjust Carrier Housing Spreader to provide clearance for the shift lever.






18. Install (A) Dial Indicator on (B) Dial Indicator Bracketry and position (C) Clutch Housing Adapter with the tip in the (D) spreader adapter hole.






19. Spread the front axle housing.
(1) Adjust Dial Indicator to zero.
(2) Tighten the housing spreader screw until the front axle housing is spread to specification.
(3) Remove 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; push down on the pry bars.
(3) Remove the differential case.
(4) Remove Differential Housing Spreader.

CAUTION: Wood blocks must be used to avoid Font 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.
(1) Position (A) Companion Flange Holding Tool and install the (B) companion flange holding tool bolts.
(2) Loosen the pinion nut.






24. Remove the front axle universal joint flange.
(1) With the (A) pinion nut still engaged by a few threads, install (B) 2-Jaw Puller.
(2) Remove the front axle universal joint flange.






25. Remove the pinion from the carrier housing.
(1) Hold the pinion inside carrier housing.
(2) Use a soft face hammer; remove the pinion from the carrier housing.






26. Remove the pinion seal.

CAUTION: Do not damage the front axle housing while removing the pinion seal.






27. Use (A) Puller Tool and (B) 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.
(1) Install Pinion Bearing Cone Remover on the differential pinion bearing assembly.
(2) Position (A) Pinion Bearing Cone Remover and the differential pinion bearing assembly in a (B) press.
(3) Press the differential pinion 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.
(1) Remove the ten differential ring gear bolts.
(2) Use a drift that will bottom out in the ring gear bolt holes to separate the (A) differential ring gear from the (B) differential case.






33. Assemble Pinion and Carrier Bearing Puller.






34. Position Pinion and Carrier Bearing Puller.






35. Use Pinion and Carrier Bearing Puller to remove the differential bearing.
- Repeat the procedure for the other side.