GM 91176680 Front Differential Carrier

Raise the front or back end of your vehicle, put strong jackstands under it, and begin to loosen the front or back wheel lug nuts. Remove the front or rear wheels. Drain the differential lubricant. Separate both the front and rear axle shafts or drive shafts plus the side gear shaft. Put the wire underneath the driveshaft and hold it above the ground to keep it off the floor. The entire differential carrier must come off together with the axle housing while being taken apart. Insert a jack under the differential, take out the bolts linking the upper arm to the carrier, and let the rear axle go down on two metal supports or on large wooden blocks. Unbolt and remove all eight bolts that keep the differential carrier unit together. Once loose, lift down the assembly using a jack. Wipe off the mating areas between the differential carrier and the rear axle housing and spread RTV sealant over them. Installation is the reverse of removal.

The driveshaft for each Suzuki Sidekick, Suzuki X-90, Suzuki Vitara, and Chevrolet Tracker has a unique setup, four driveshafts total. The Sidekick/X-90 and Tracker use either one drive shaft (for 2WD models) or two driveshafts for all different driving options: one for front 4WD and two for front and rear power in 4WD. The transfer case sits behind the transmission, replacing the requirement for a short driveshaft. The standard transmission driveshaft of 2WD later models has two segments with a bearing support added in the middle. Universal joints remain solid no matter what you do with the driveshaft. You can fix or replace them on their own. When you take out or take apart driveshafts, you need to put them back together exactly as they were before, in their original positions, to stop them from shaking too much. The rear axle points at the car's body, connected by the suspension. This axle contains a differential that receives turns from the driveshaft and passes them down the axleshafts. The rear wheel bearing holds the ends of the axle that attach to its outer housing, and the insides of the axle fit into the differential's gears. The front axle wheels rest on their ball bearings inside the axle mountings. Because it's difficult to adjust differentials correctly and install the needed tools, we suggest having differentials taken apart by manufacturer mechanics or auto repair businesses that know what they are doing.