GM 26064387 Rear Axle Drive Shaft

To take out the axle shaft, start off by loosening the wheel lug nuts and raising the motorcar with jackstands. Remove the wheel and use a prybar or big screwdriver to hold the axle shaft while loosening the axle shaft hub nut using a big breaker bar. Get rid of the nut and washer. Then, keep hold of the axle shaft in position and clear away the axle shaft flange bolts ensuring you label CV joint inner to flange interconnectivity before eliminating these bolts. On 1999 on models, there are no axleshafts which are flanged to differential housing anymore but they have snap rings holding them at inside closed end of spline ends at trilobate joints. To free up an axleshaft, thump against it somewhere on its tripod container with wooden hammer until it snaps out of place from its groove. Take out steering knuckle then remove also halfshaft assembly. To reinstall proceed vice versa however when doing that ensure that you properly torque rear cv joint bolt and tighten front left outer cv joint as well as right outer cv joint hub nuts.

Rotate the differential until the pinion shaft touches the case, providing enough clearance for access to the C-locks. Use a screwdriver to rotate the C-lock until the open endpoints align, then push the axleshaft in and remove the C-lock. Repeat this process for the opposite axleshaft.

4WD models use a fully independent front axle assembly consisting of a differential and a pair of drive axles with inner and outer constant velocity (CV) joints. An extension axleshaft is employed on the right side to compensate for the distance difference between the differential and the right front wheel.

Remove the brake drums.

Remove the nut and washer.

Disconnect the driveshaft and secure it out of the way.

Finally, install the differential cover and fill it with the specified lubricant. Install the brake drums and wheels, and lower the vehicle.

To remove the pinion shaft for conventional differentials, remove the lock bolt and pull out the pinion shaft.

Remove the rear wheels and position a jack under the rear axle differential case.

Use a large breaker bar to break loose the driveaxle hub nut.

The differential is housed within a casting known as the "carrier," which has a pressed steel cover. The steel axle tubes are pressed into and welded to the carrier.

The initial steps for removing the rear differential are as follows: Raise the rear of the vehicle and support it securely on jackstands. Remove the wheel and brake drum. For vehicles with a locking differential, remove both rear wheels and brake drums.

Bleed the brakes.

A prybar or large screwdriver can be used to hold the driveaxle.

The optional locking limited-slip rear axle allows for normal operation until one wheel loses traction. This differential includes a pair of clutch "cones" that slow the rotation of the differential case when one wheel is on a firm surface and the other on a slippery one, equalizing the rotation speed of the axleshaft driving the wheel with traction.

The axle shafts are splined to the differential side gears, causing the inner tire to turn more slowly than the outer tire during cornering. The differential pinion gears roll around the slower side gear, driving the outer side gear and tire more quickly.