Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

The two large cap screws that you removed hold the diff mount to the diff. You'd be way ahead of the game if you removed the four screws that hold the mount to the body. Use a socket wrench with an extension and a proper socket bit (6mm??).

You probably have the diff supported already (or you'd be wearing it), >> Not so! There's four more points of 'attachment' that need to be removed first! These are what hold the diff up to the sub-frame. I can actually lower the hydraulic jack from under the diff and it (diff) stays right there! << so, you can lower it three inches or so for improved access on the cover. Remove all the cap screws and the cover will come off with a bit of persuasion.

Now you've got to find the clips that hold the axles in place. They are not immediately visible to a person who's never been inside of the diff, but, you'll see a tang protruding from the clip and you can grab the tang with needlenose vice grips. Pull smartly and the clip will disengage. Once the clips are off, the axles slide right out of the diff. You've already done the difficult part of removing the splines from the hub.

Make sure you transfer the spacers from the old axles to the new axles as they belong to the diff >> Thanks for this tip! <<. There should be just about zero axial play in the axle after installing the clip.



When reinstalling the cover, thoroughly clean both surfaces (preferably with acetone) and use a small line of RTV around the entire face. Set the cover, screw it in place, and allow to dry for 24 hours before running the vehicle. >> Should I also wait 24 hours before filling with fluid? <<