NEED HELP rear axle shaft removal ?

j-bone

Original poster
Member
May 5, 2014
83
Hello all , im in the middle of replacing rear axle seals on the 06 rainier have the carrier cross pin out and passanger side c clip out but cant slide the axle shaft out ??? the driver side i cant push in enough to get the clip out . do i have to remove the abs sensor to get the shafts out?
ive been trying to remove the abs sensor but GM must of used lock tite on the bolts!?
what am i missing ?? downloaded the factory service manual from this site but its not very helpful .
 

AWD V8

Member
Jan 12, 2015
463
I've had axles that I needed to bump with a big hammer inward to jar it to get to the C-clip.

With the caliper off it should move inward without much effort.
 

j-bone

Original poster
Member
May 5, 2014
83
The shaft with the c-clip removed moves more then with the c-clip installed but still won't come out even with a pry bar feel like an o-ring is stopping it not a metallic stop that's why I think the abs sensor is the problem. Also this axle is a locking carrier not an open one if it matters .
 

j-bone

Original poster
Member
May 5, 2014
83
Ok boys an girls I got the shaft out . There is a plastic press on sensor behind the wheel bearing that's what was holding the shaft in . I had to use a pry bay to get it out . Removed the abs sensor finally just to make sure .
 

AWD V8

Member
Jan 12, 2015
463
Glad to hear. I somehow don't remember removing the ABS sensor when I removed my axles??
 

j-bone

Original poster
Member
May 5, 2014
83
The sensor doesn't have to be removed the pressed on tone ring is what threw me for a loop .
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,260
Ottawa, ON
Glad to hear. I somehow don't remember removing the ABS sensor when I removed my axles??

06+ has a sensor at the end of each axle tube. I don't remember mine being particularly difficult to pull the axles.
 

j-bone

Original poster
Member
May 5, 2014
83
06+ has a sensor at the end of each axle tube. I don't remember mine being particularly difficult to pull the axles.
I do a lot of high tolerance work for my day job so my feel might be more then most . I err on the side of caution most of the time .
I'm curious how I'm going to press then back on the shaft with the bearing and seal installed in the housing ...?
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,260
Ottawa, ON
Mine didn't come out with the axles so I can't help you there. They stayed in the axle tubes.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,260
Ottawa, ON
The tightness getting them out/in might not be caused by the sensor at all. I remember doing axles from older vehicles that were just difficult to get to slide out of the spider gears. Don't know if it was the spline on the axle or the gears that were just tight but did need a bit of coaxing. Could be that little bit of movement allowed by the C-clip that wears the splines or something.
 

j-bone

Original poster
Member
May 5, 2014
83
I'm missing something... Still can't get the driver side axle to slide in and release the c-clip . Took to 4 ft sledge and gave a tap and still nothing !
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,260
Ottawa, ON
So the locking bolt and pin are out and it won't move at all? Maybe try turning the axle back and forth while pushing on it.

Does the axle rock up/down, back and forth? Maybe the bearing wore a grove into the axle and it's catching on it. Haven't seen that happen in a long time but could happen. I had an old S-10 pickup that had a 1mm deep groove worn into it, kinda like this one but worse.
factory-10-bolt-axleshaft
 
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j-bone

Original poster
Member
May 5, 2014
83
So the locking bolt and pin are out and it won't move at all? Maybe try turning the axle back and forth while pushing on it.

Does the axle rock up/down, back and forth? Maybe the bearing wore a grove into the axle and it's catching on it. Haven't seen that happen in a long time but could happen. I had an old S-10 pickup that had a 1mm deep groove worn into it, kinda like this one but worse.
factory-10-bolt-axleshaft
hmm i like your theory but unfortunately that didnt help . I"m ready to throw in the towel on this .
from my serching this has the gov-lock factory locker ?
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,260
Ottawa, ON
If it's a locker of some sort, that would be the G80, gov-lock. Look for G80 on the glove box label.

Try giving it one good whack with that sledge. You can't really hurt anything.
 
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j-bone

Original poster
Member
May 5, 2014
83
ok the bigger hammer worked , the pressed on tone ring was holing it back 5 hits with the 4 ft sledge knocked it in and the clip fell out . that tone ring is seriously pressed on there !
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,260
Ottawa, ON
Cool. Glad it worked.
 
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j-bone

Original poster
Member
May 5, 2014
83
Thanks guys...now I know what I have to look forward to as my rear axles are bleeding a bit aswell.
It's easy once someone figures out the problem. Haha had to make a bearing puller for the axle bearings the slide hammer wasn't cutting it .
 

AtlWrk

Member
Dec 6, 2011
674
Having gotten to this point too, spent a few hours trying to get the clips out, giving up and just having to put it back together I want to make sure I'm understanding before (IF) I try again:

1. For 06+ axles (like mine) with outboard (individual wheel) speed sensors, the ABS reluctor wheel behind the bearing may be what is preventing the axle from going in enough to get the clips out, so...

2. When the service manual just says "push" the axle in or Hayne's/Chilton's/other guides say to lightly tap or pry the axle what you may really need is a couple GOOD WHACKS with a BFH to break the axle free.

3. When the axle is in far enough the c-clip should pretty much just fall out or just need a little coaxing with a long screwdriver or magnet.

Sound right?

I did give the axle a couple light whacks with a regular hammer and assumed that it was in as far as it could go. The c-clip still had a tiny amount (less than ~ 1/64") not clear but I assumed that it was just a matter of getting it in exactly the right position/angle to come out. That obviously never happened.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,260
Ottawa, ON
That's about right.
 

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