I have to pull the front axle on my 2001 Jimmy for either overhaul or replacement (bad seal and maybe a bad bearing). If it were just the seal, I'd do it in place, but things are not sounding really good (and it has 260K miles on it, I've already gone through the real bearings). Anyway, it's ready to come out, but I'm getting stumped by the 3d puzzle of how to maneuver it so the mounting ears will clear the frame and let it drop out. The GM shop manual says to rotate it counterclockwise, but that's not very helpful. On the back end the input flange hangs up on the suspension bracket and on the front end the mounting ear hangs up on the frame crossmember. Anyone have any tips? I'll figure this out eventually, but it's not a lot of fun bench pressing an 80 pound axle, laying on the ground, while trying to rotate it around. I'm sure there is precisely one way to get it out and I haven't found it yet.
thanks
thanks