### Axle Shaft (Solid Rear Axle)

#### REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

NOTE: Bearings must be pressed on and off the shaft with an arbor press. Unless you have access to one, it is inadvisable to attempt any repair work on the axle shaft and bearing assemblies.

1. Remove the hub cap or wheel cover. Loosen the lug nuts.
2. Raise the rear of the car and support it safely on stands.
3. Remove the rear wheel. Remove the four brake backing plate retaining nuts. Detach the parking brake linkage from the brake backing plate.
4. Attach a slide hammer to the axle shaft and remove it. Use a slide hammer and a two-pronged puller to remove the oil seal from the housing.

   NOTE: If a slide hammer is not available, the axle can sometimes be pried out using pry bars on opposing sides of the hub.

   If end-play is found to be excessive, the bearing should be replaced. Shimming the bearing is not recommended as this ignores end play of the bearing itself and could result in improper seating of the bearing.

5. Using a chisel, carefully nick the bearing retainer in three or four places. The retainer does not have to be cut, only collapsed enough to allow the bearing retainer to be slid off the shaft.
6. Pull or press the old bearing off and install the new one by pressing it into position.
7. Install the outer bearing retainer with its raised surface facing the wheel hub, and then install the bearing and the inner bearing retainer in that order on the axle shaft.
8. With the smaller chamfered side of the inner bearing retainer facing the bearing, press on the retainer. The edge of the retainer should fully touch the bearing.
9. Clean the oil seal seat in the rear axle housing. Apply a thin coat of chassis grease.
10. Using a seal installation tool, drive the oil seal into the rear axle housing. Wipe a thin coat of bearing grease on the lips of the seal.
11. Determine the number of retainer gaskets which will give the correct bearing-to-outer retainer clearance of 0.25mm.
12. Insert the axle shaft assembly into the axle housing, being careful not to damage the seal. Ensure that the shaft splines engage those of the differential pinion. Align the vent holes of the gasket and the outer bearing retainer. Install the retaining bolts.
13. Install the nuts on the bolts and tighten them evenly, and in a criss-cross pattern, to 20 ft. lbs.

    Fig. 1: Removing the brake backing plate nuts

    Fig. 2: Use a slide hammer tool to remove the axle shaft — solid rear axle models

    Fig. 3: Carefully remove the oil seal — replace the seal before axle shaft installation

    Fig. 4: Use a chisel to cut the axle bearing retainer

    Fig. 5: Install the bearing spacer with the chamfer side facing the axle shaft flange

    Fig. 6: Solid rear axle assembly