Axle Shaft Assembly: Service and Repair

REAR AXLE SHAFT












Remove

1. Raise and suitably support vehicle.
2. Rear tire and wheels.
3. Rear brake drums, on vehicles equipped with rear drum brake systems.
4. Rotor and rear parking brake shoe lining, on vehicles equipped with rear disc brake systems.
5. Housing cover.
6. Bolt/screw (5) from case (7).
7. Pinion gear shaft (6) from case (7).
8. Shaft lock (38).

^ Access by pushing the flanged end of the shaft (39) into housing (37).

9. Axle shaft (39) from housing (37), being careful not to damage seal (34) or sensor (49) and sensor ring.

^ Hold a shop towel under axle shaft (39) to prevent axle lubricant from contaminating brake shoes and linings.

Install

1. Shaft (39) into place taking care that splines on the end of shaft (39) do not damage seal (34) and that they engage with the splines of the side gear (10).

^ The 30-spline, 8 1/2-inch ring gear rear axle shaft is not interchangeable with any pre-1989 shaft.

2. Shaft lock (38).

^ Push axle shaft (39) outward so that shaft lock (38) seats in counterbore of side gear (10).

3. Pinion gear shaft (6) through case (7), thrust washers (11) and pinion gears (12), align the hole in shaft (6) with the shaft lock bolt/screw hole.
4. Bolt/screw (5).

^ Coat threads with Locktite 242 (GM P/N 12345382) or equivalent.

Tighten
Tighten bolt/screw (5) to 36 Nm (27 lb ft).

5 Housing cover.
6. rear brake drum.
7 Rotor and rear parking brake shoe and linings, if removed.
8 Rear tire and wheels.
9 Lower vehicle.