Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Assembly Procedure
- Bend the differential adjuster nut lock tabs over the differential adjuster nut sleeves.
- Remove the differential carrier assembly bolts.
- Remove the right differential carrier case half.
- Clean the sealing surface of each half of the differential carrier case and the inner axle housing to differential carrier assembly.
The surfaces must be clean of all the grease and the oil.
- Apply a bead of sealer to one differential carrier case half sealing surface. Use the correct sealer. Refer to Figure.
- Install the right differential carrier case half.
- Install the differential carrier case bolts.
Tighten
Tighten the differential carrier case bolts to 47 N.m (35 lb ft).
- Install the vent hose connector.
Apply a small amount of sealer GM P/N 12346004 (Canadian P/N 10953480) or equivalent, onto the threads.
Tighten
Tighten the vent hose connector to 28 N.m (21 lb ft).
- Install the new left side axle shaft seal using the J 36600 .
- Install the new left side inner axle shaft retainer ring.
- Install the left side inner axle shaft by doing the following:
- Install the left side inner shaft into the differential carrier assembly until the inner shaft is seated against the differential side gear.
- While holding the inner shaft against the differential side gear, turn the inner shaft in order to align the splines of the inner shaft with the splines on the differential side gear.
- Drive the inner shaft into the differential case side gear using a soft-faced mallet until the retaining ring on the inner shaft is fully seated within the groove in the differential case side gear.
Pull back on the inner shaft to ensure that the inner shaft is properly retained in the differential case side gear.
- Install the right side inner shaft bearing into the inner shaft housing by performing the following steps:
- Install the inner axle shaft housing into a vise.
Clamp only on the mounting flange of the inner axle shaft housing.
- Install the bearing with the square shoulder in using the J 36609 (1) and the J 8092 (2).
- Install the inner axle shaft housing into a vise.
- Install the new inner shaft seal using the J 36600 .
- Apply sealant to the inner axle housing to differential carrier sealing surface. Use the correct sealant. Refer to Figure.
- Install the inner shaft housing to the differential carrier assembly case.
- Install the inner shaft housing bolts.
Tighten
Tighten the inner axle shaft housing bolts to 40 N.m (30 lb ft).
- Install the inner shaft (2) into the inner shaft housing (1) by doing the following:
- Install the inner shaft into the inner axle shaft housing until the inner shaft is seated against the differential side gear.
- While holding the inner shaft against the differential side gear, turn the inner shaft in order to align the splines of the inner shaft with the splines on the differential side gear.
- Drive the inner shaft into the differential case side gear using a soft-faced mallet until the retaining ring on the inner shaft is fully seated within the groove in the differential case side gear.
Pull back on the inner shaft to ensure that the inner shaft is properly retained in the differential case side gear.
- Install the drain plug and the washer.
- Install the fill plug and the washer.
Tighten
Tighten the drain plug and the fill plug to 33 N.m (24 lb ft).
- Install the lower differential carrier assembly bushing by performing the following steps:
- Install the J 21474-18 (1), the thrust bearing (2), the J 36616-2 (3), the J 36616-1 (4), and the forcing screw (5) as shown.
- While holding the forcing screw, slowly tighten the J 21474-18 until the bushing has stopped against the step on the bushing and is centered within the differential carrier assembly bushing bore.
- Install the upper differential carrier assembly bushing by performing the following steps:
- Install the J 21474-18 (1), the thrust bearing (2), the J 36616-2 (3), the J 36616-1 (4), and the forcing screw (5) as shown.
- While holding the forcing screw, slowly tighten the J 21474-18 until the bushing has stopped against the step on the bushing and is centered within the differential carrier assembly bushing bore.
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.