Chevrolet 1988 Light Duty Truck Repair Manual page 210

4B5-18 DANA REAR AXLES
Figure 55 — Removing the Pinion
CLEANING
Do not steam clean drive parts having ground and
polished surfaces such as gears, bearings, and shafts.
These parts should be cleaned in a suitable solvent. All
parts should be disassem bled before cleaning.
Parts should be thoroughly dried im m ediately after
cleaning. Use soft, clean, lintless rags. Parts may be dried
with compressed air. Do not allow the bearings to spin
while drying them with compressed air.
INSPECTION
It is very im portant to carefully and thoroughly inspect
all drive unit parts before reassembly.
Thorough inspection of the drive parts for wear or
stress and subsequent replacem ent of worn parts will
elim inate costly drive com ponent repair after reassembly.
AXLE HOUSING
I?
Inspect
• The c a rrie r bore for nicks or burrs that w ould
prevent the outer diam eter of the pinion seal from
sealing. Remove any burrs that are found.
• The bearing cup bores for nicks or burrs. Remove
any burrs that are found.
• The housing for cracks. Replace the housing if any
cracks are found.
• The housing for foreign material such as metal
chips, dirt, or rust. Refer to " C le a n in g " in this
section.
DIFFERENTIAL
I?
Inspect
• Pinion gear shaft for unusual wear.
• Pinion gear and side gear teeth for wear, cracks,
scoring, and spalling.
• Thrust washers for wear.
• The fit of the differential side gears in the differential
case.
• The fit of the side gears on the axle shafts.
• Differential case for cracks and scoring.
• Replace all worn parts.
PINION AND RING GEAR
I?
Inspect
• Pinion and ring gear teeth for cracking, chipping,
scoring, or excessive wear.
• Pinion splines for wear.
• Pinion flange splines for wear.
• The fit of the pinion on the pinion flange.
• The sealing surface of the pinion flange for nicks,
burrs, or rough tool marks w hich w ould cause
damage to the seals' inside diameter and result in
an oil leak.
• Replace all worn or broken parts.
• Ring and pinion gears are matched sets and are
both replaced any tim e a replacem ent of either is
necessary.