Front end overhaul begins tomorrow morning

[07keo02]

Just thought I'd share my upgrades I'll be doing tomorrow. I've had loose steering for a while so I decided to go somewhat all out. My final part arrived this morning. I'll be adding Moog pitman/idler arms, moog idler support bracket, rare parts tie rods, cognito support kit, bilstein steering damper, new bump stops, and replacing the bad left upper a-arm. The bolts are seized in the bushings so that should be fun. I will also be replacing the right cv axle and dropping the differential out to try my luck again at removing the stubborn left stub shaft to replace the output seal. I'm certain that something will give me hell along the way but I'm excited about getting my front end all fixed up.

 

[07keo02]

A beautiful sight.

 

[rgullett83]

have fun and patience with the stub shaft... if you beat it, it will come.. out:happy2:

 

[07keo02]

I hope so, I had a good slide hammer on it when I did my wheel bearing a few months ago. It wasn't giving but I am going to try and pull the diff, stand it up and hit it back and forth per the tsb.

 

[whitelmmmax]

Congrats and good luck!:thumb:

 

[07keo02]

Thanks, I'll update on how it all goes.

 

[07keo02]

Well I was able to find a new seal and roller bearing today. I know the seal can be replaced without splitting the case but does anybody know if the bearing can be replaced without splitting the case and or re-adjusting pre-load?

 

[07keo02]

Things are not going good, A-arm doesn't want to come off, which I figured would happen. Torch just arrived so things are going to start budging or burning to the ground.

 

[07keo02]

I seriously don't know how I would have got that A-arm off without a torch. Tomorrow I'll see what kind of fight the stub shaft will give me.

 

[07keo02]

Got everything else done but the Diff stub shaft still won't come out. I'm going to give it one more shot tomorrow with a slide hammer and if that doesn't work I'll have to take it somewhere. I hate to do that, I haven't paid anyone to work on any of my stuff for a long time but it may come to that.

 

[delong_1]

Have a part # for the diff seal? Mine needs replaced also

 

[jlawles2]

To get the driver side shaft out of my diff, it took 2 chisels. drove one in each side between the case and the flange. Kept hitting both until it came free. Appears that the retainer groove is cut square on my shaft which did not let it come out of the groove easily. Ended up breaking the retainer into small pieces. Also had issues getting the new one back in. A little grinder work (slow and keep it touchable) to re-angle the end of the shaft goes a long way to getting it back together.

 

[07keo02]

Have a part # for the diff seal? Mine needs replaced also

GM part number: 19169124

 

[07keo02]

To get the driver side shaft out of my diff, it took 2 chisels. drove one in each side between the case and the flange. Kept hitting both until it came free. Appears that the retainer groove is cut square on my shaft which did not let it come out of the groove easily. Ended up breaking the retainer into small pieces. Also had issues getting the new one back in. A little grinder work (slow and keep it touchable) to re-angle the end of the shaft goes a long way to getting it back together.

Did this do any damage to the diff housing? I may end up taking it all apart. When I drained it this time, there was a pretty good amount of black gunk with some shavings built up around the magnetic drain plug. I wouldn't be too concerned with this but I drained it and refilled it about a month ago when I tried to get the left stub shaft out the first time. Now both sides are leaking. I'm thinking about replacing the pinion bearings, both seals, and both stub shaft bearings. Anybody else see this gunk built up on the plug?

 

[07keo02]

So both sides are leaking and I'm thinking of just doing the pinion bearings since there was junk on the magnetic plug. Is there any sure way of knowing the pinion bearings are good or bad without splitting everything?

 

[07keo02]

Left stub shaft will not come out, I just tried the chisels and a slider hammer at the same time and its not moving.

 

[jlawles2]

It left a small indention in the housing. That is why I used 2 chisels. I would suggest plastic wedges if possible, but I did not have any. Just keep making small taps on whatever wedge you use.

The most damage was to the end of the shaft where the retainer tore the splines off the end. No damage to the diff gears.

If you pull it apart, you cannot get to the retainer in the center to do any good. Been there, tried that. Even if you could see something, there is no room to get the tools between the retainer and the diff gear to pull it out.

 

[07keo02]

Wow, you must have had alot of pressure to pull that thing out of its own splines. I thought I read you can get a really long screw driver or punch and get to it through the hole of the right stub shaft but I can't find any solid information on this. I can pick up a stub shaft from the local salvage yard for a really good price but I'm still not sure how to get this thing out even if I cut it, and I really don't have a good tool for doing that.

 

[07keo02]

Well its in the dealers hands now. I hate to take anything to them but I don't have the time or tools to get this shaft out.

 

[jlawles2]

I tend to not give up. I was determined to get it apart or break it trying.

The main problem I found was in the way the groove in the driver side shaft is cut. A round ring in a square groove. Since the ring was tight in the bottom of the groove and the back of the spider has a chamfer on it, it just pushed the retainer tighter into the groove.

The 2 cold chisels and working back and forth did create a lot of force on it. I have not driven it since completing the work. Still need to put the remaining oil in it, and install the steering damper. Hopefully I can do that this weekend as it looks like after work is out of the question. Miss driving the 04.

Luckily I get my diesel fix by having the 06 to drive....