When you go to put the front end back together use never seize! It will come apart easy the next time you need to remove anything.

 

Sounds like your right on track for a first time front end rebuild lol. We've all been there. Air tools help a ton. Sorry I can't follow along as close as I would like. You would think as advanced as the military is that they would have a better internet service. That what you get with the lowest bidder. When you get the diff cover off, you have 2 bearing caps. When you take the bolts out slide them back in and wiggle the caps side to side and they will come off. TAKE NOTE, the caps have to go back on the same way they come off. They are stamped with a letter that is also stamped on the diff cover housing surface. I think it's a C or an M if my memory is right. Which ever it is, one will be stamped right side up and one will be stamped sideways. Take a good look you will see them. Also use the sock method to pop the diff out. No screwdrivers or pry bars. Ball up a sock or tee shirt and get it bound between the ring a pinion. Then put a socket on one of the ring gear bolts and turn the ring gear with a ratchet. The sock or tee will force the diff out. Just be careful, that bastard is heavy. Also don't mix up the bearing races when you get the diff out. Put a mark on them and mark the diff so you know what side they came off.

 

Some more wins and another loss today. I got the passenger side hub and axle out, the hub just fell right off the axle once I pulled out of the tube. So now at least both axles and hubs are removed, the ujoints can now be attacked. I am also happy to say that I managed to get the passenger side shock installed. Had to get real creative to widen the lower mounting bracket so it would fit in, but thats done now, just need to get em torqued to specs. Also got the diff cover over and assessed the carrier removal. The bad came when I tried getting the cad housing off. Seemed simple enough, I disconnected the vacuum hoses and unplugged the electrical connector , undid the first tiny bolt that holds the housing on just fine, but the second and third bolts (both of the lowers) snapped right off ! F!! So I didnt mess with it anymore. Hoping once the housing is removed there will be enough left of those bolts that I can grab and turn em out with a vise grip. If not I guess Im buying a tap and die set. One thing I should mention ; my local auto parts store has a pretty cool program where they have a bunch of specialty tools (ball joint press, case spreader, etc..) that you can borrow for 24 hours for free.The trick is to borrow it on saturday, since they are closed on sunday, you get a free extra day. You need to put down a deposit (usually equal to the cost of the tool) but its entirely refunded upon return. I am going to use the ball joint press to remove the ujoints from the yolk and shaft. Makes me think about replacing the ball joints a bit more with one of those tools. They all look pretty bad. I imagine since I already have it mostly apart it would go pretty quick with that tool.

 

Thanks a bunch brother ! Really appreciate the tips. After getting the cover off today I was trying to imagine how the sock/shirt trick would work, pretty clear on it now. Should I mark the position of each cap bolt ? or just make sure they go back in the same place they came out of and torque to spec ? I will definitely put the caps and races back exactly as they are.. What about the carrier ? Does it need to be marked so it goes in on the same tooth ? That might be tricky.

 

When I broke my CAD bolt, there was enough sticking out to grab it. PB Blaster and heat help!

 

Basically you want the caps and races to go back the Same way. Mark them if it helps you. I stuck my bolts through the bottom of a piece of flat cardboard and set the caps on top in order. It wasn't till I had to do the job the second time that I noticed the letters stamped in the cap and housing. The diff can go in on any tooth but has to be in the same direction. As far as getting out just ball up the sock or tee and get it wedged in the gears but make sure it is thick and can't pass free. Then turn it. It won't fall out but it will come out far enough that you can work it out without trouble. Going back in, just set it, tap it with a rubber mallet evenly and tighten it in the rest of the way evenly with the bolts. Just be careful the thing has some weight to it. Wouldn't be bad on a lift but it's heavy as well when your on you back!! It sucks when you do a job and have problems with everything. I did the seals , in my truck and blew a new u joint first time I put it in 4wd and wiped out the seal again. You want to talk about passed. I almost threw the u joint through the advance auto window. That's why I went with the lockout hubs. Never again.

 

Take pics! Very helpful too.

 

Thanks again. Ohh man I hope it wasnt the spicer ujoints that broke on you ! The info on the diff removal is awesome. Should I wedge the balled up shirt towards the front of the pumpkin against the pinion gear or in the center of the diff gears ? I presumed the pinion gear.. Im sure wrestling this thing is gonna be a hoot ! Im all of 135 lbs, scrawny as they come, but patient and determined more than most. I dont think I would have made it this far into this if I wasnt inspired by you gentleman and your experience. Its supposed to dump some snow up here for the next several days, but weather forecasting in the mountains is always a crapshoot. So If I can Im hoping to get this diff out tomorrow. Also need to figure out the PS leak. Its coming from the back area of the pump, either one of the o rings, a line, or the pump housing (unlikely). Will need a helper to pin point it.

 

Todays report : Got the CAD housing off, wasnt easy with the broken bolts still in the mounting holes. I had to use a screw driver to pry it off, left a scratch on the axle side mounting surface. Hoping that the gasket sealer fills it in. The passenger side seal looks sound but I will attempt to replace it anyway. Do I need to use any sort of sealant when installing the new one ? I could not manage to get the carrier out. I removed the caps and put the caps and bolts in order through a piece of cardboard , as denn did. I wedged a balled up hunk of jeans into the bottom forward part of the pumpkin, where the pinion and rind gears mesh , I turned the carrier clockwise (right) from the back using a socket , however once the jeans wedged in the gears, it would not budge, in fact, I noticed the ring gear bolts turning but it (carrier) wasnt moving out at all. I did NOT remove the races which were under the caps, they seem pretty in there, and I didnt want to pry on those surfaces. What do I need to do here ? I didnt notice anything in the manual about using a gasket when putting the diff cover back on. Do I just use that rtv black ? Should I use the same on the cad housing gasket (both sides perhaps?) ? Thanks again for all the help. I will hopefully have another update tomorrow

 

Im thinking about trying to wedge the jeans in on the other side of the gear and turn the carrier the other direction (counter clockwise) ....