I am gonna start this weekend re-doin my front end. Part of this job requires the axle seals and also the ball joints to be done. I have looked through the manuels and for some reason they dont cover this.

1.) Do the axles just slid out like the rear?

2.) Whats the deal with the passenger side axle, how does it come apart?

3.) Do the guts of the pumpkin have to come out to take care of the seals?

And another tricks one might wanna point out, as to keep tools from flying around the yard

 

Use the socket between the frame and hub assembly trick to pop the hubs lose.

Have plenty a beer, a big hammer, a few friends, air tools and a press to get those ball joints out if they are still factory and probably if they have even been replaced already. To be serious here, find a shop and pay them a few bucks to pres those out cause they are a mother to do. When you put the new ones in smear em with anti-seize for the next time.

 

The ball joints dont worry me. I will get those mothers out. But I am unclear on exacly how I get the axles out of the tubs. Espesically the passanger side one with that vac. motor

 

Well I was kinda leavin those questions alone. Pullin this stuff apart was a few projects ago and i don't want my bad memory screwin ya up. As I recall though you just pull the couple of bolts off the vacuum locking assembly and it just pulls right out. From there the axle halves just slide right out of the ends. Just be sure to pull straight out and the seals should stay good unless your gonna replace them also.

 

Seal are shot, fluid leaks out bout as fast as I can put it in. For some reason I seem to remember someone saying the guts gotta come out of the pumpkin in order to push the seals in and out.

As long as there is plenty of beer the project will move forward tho

 

Oh no, I know the gears don't have to come out. I did this project and the diffs are one of the few things I won't mess with. At worst you may have to pull a retainer but I really don't even remember drainin the fluid to do this with this truck.

 

Front Axle Tech Heres some info for ya.Hope this helps.You are going to have to take the pumpkin out.Sorry

 

Hey thanks that some good info there. I always wanted to take a diff apart, wonder if I can get it back together.

 

Just make sure you got a big rubber hammer to smack the diff back in with and you should be good to go. You wont have to disturb the pinion unless that seal is leaking too, so just make sure you torque the cap bolts on the carrier when you reassemble and all should be well.

 

I conceid, none of the four ball joints are coming out with a hydroluic press. So i am now entertaining the option of pulling the whole axle out and bringin it to the shop down the road. Whats the easyiest safest way to do this? I any changing the springs too, so sould I just lift the truck up with the forklift? If possible I would just like to lift the truck off the springs, but not sure if it would work.