Hey so you guys who read the previous thread know that I'm an idiot. That being said I'm going to take a look at the diff to see if I need to replace it or just the bearings. So to my understanding I need to do:

REMOVE THE HUB ASSEMBLY:
1. Loosen front wheel nuts, jack up vehicle and
lower onto axle stands and remove road wheel.
2. Release brake hose clips and remove brake
caliper. Secure to one side.
3. Lever off dust cap.
4. Remove circlip and drive shaft shim from
driveshaft.
5. Remove five bolts and withdraw driving member
and joint washer.
6. Bend back lock washer tabs.
7. Remove locknut and lock washer.
8. Remove hub adjusting nut.
9. Remove spacing washer.
10. Remove hub and brake disc assembly complete with bearings

REMOVE THE DIFFERENTIAL
1. Remove axle shafts then differential assembly
fom axle.
2. Remove roll pin securing bearing nut locking
fingers to bearing caps. Remove locking fingers.
3. Loosen bearing cap bolts and mark caps for
assembly.
4. Using service tool LRT-54-508, remove bearing
adjusting nuts.
5. Remove bearing cap bolts and bearing caps.
6. Remove crown wheel differential unit and
bearings.
Remove pinion FRONT AXLE DIFFERENTIAL
ONLY
7. Remove pinion flange nut using service tool
LRT-51-003 to restrain flange.
8. Remove washer and pinion drive flange.
9. Remove pinion complete with bearing and outer
bearing shims.
10. Remove pinion flange oil seal, spacer and
bearing.

Questions:
Do I need to remove both wheels and hub assemblies on the front?

Since I take off the hub, does the differential kind of slide over to one side (if I take one hub assembly off) or do I need to take off the whole front axle? (if I take off both). That's why I asked the question above.

If I am just taking off to CHECK, because I have not bought anything, I don't need to replace anything yet when I reassemble right? I want to check the diff for teeth damage or bearing damage so I know what to buy.

 

I would imagine you need to remove both axles from the diff so the diff can slide out once you have it unbolted. I have never pulled the third member diff before, but positive that the axles will keep you from removing it otherwise.

 

You should be able to do a visual inspection without disassembly of the diff. Just need to remove the diff from the axle housing.

 

The RAVE only talks about how to remove the Hub Assembly, which I assume is needed to remove the axle. And how to remove the differential. Doesn't say anything about the axle housing. So do I remove both hub assemblies on the front. Remove the front axle. Remove the axle housing. Peer at the diff. Reassemble?

 

The axles need to be slid out about 5 inches. Not removed completely. Then remove the front driveshaft(propshaft). Unbolt the diff and remove it from the axle/differential housing. Inspect unit. If no problems found, then order bearings and when parts get in, replace and have a shop set the gear lash. Install in reverse order. I think you do have to remove the huds to slide the axles out the required 5 inches.

 

A note of caution here: Those front brake lines are pretty fragile and will easily kink and break on you, you are better off to unbolt the brake lines from the caliper rather than leaving those heavy calipers hanging on those small brake lines. If you are not careful, you will kink or damge the brake lines and end up replacing them as well. Save yourself the risk and unbolt the line at the caliper body.

 

No need to mess with the brakes.
Just jack up the front, remove the front wheels.
Unbolt each axle shaft and slide it out 6" or so.
Unbolt the front driveshaft from the diff and move it to the side, you can leave it attached to the t-case.
Unbolt the diff, man handle it out of the housing.
Have a helper because the diff will be heavy.
You drop it on the cement and your toast.

 

I had a question about that, do we have SS brake lines? When I changed the brake pads and caliper I noticed that

So I don't need any special tools? Just a ratchet, sockets big enough, and a torque wrench?

 

Someone may have put stainless steel lines on it, but stock was a 1/4 inch steel seamless tubing painted an olive drab color like the lines coming out of master cylinder and ABS module.

Sounds like you are getting mighty brave with youir efforts. Good luck, go slow and steady and minimize your risks. Use lots of PB Blaster on threaded items that have been on a long time. Use a long breaker par with a steadily increasing controlled pull instead of jerking a smaller wrench off and hurting yourself or the fasteners.

Be prepared for the unexpected. Have big strong helper around if possible. Don't let it fall on you either. Makes a big mess to clean up.

Take some good pics for us.

 

Disco Mike told me I needed a big socket, but I'm confused for what? What size is it?

I have to wait for my teacher to come back from eating. I used the shop without him present to remove the front tires and I might suffer repercussions later..

ANYWAYS.. I removed the wheels, and popped off the dust cap. I'm pretty sure I saw the circlip and shim.

So following the RAVE,
1. Do I now remove the 5 bolts and remove the driving member and joint washer?
2. Remove the lock nut (IS THIS THE BIG NUT I NEED TO CRACK WITH MY BIG SOCKET?)

Somebody please PM me their number if they can help haha.