The rear-wheel bearings on a 2002 Chevy S-10 are pressed into the axle tubes. To remove the bearings the differential cover must be removed and the axles released. Special tools are needed for this job as well. You should have some automotive experience before tackling this job. Without experience, if the gears move, you will need someone with experience to help you reinstall the gears in the differential.
Instructions
- 1
Loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheels using the lug wrench so they will be easier to remove when the wheels are elevated. Place the floor jack under the differential and raise the truck. Place a jack stand under each axle tube and lower the truck so it rests on the stands. Remove the lug nuts on the rear wheels and the wheels.
2Pull the rear brake drums off. Place the drain pan under the differential. Place the transmission in neutral. Remove the 13 mm bolts in the differential cover. Use the common screwdriver to pry the cover loose and allow the gear oil to drain into the drain pan.
3Pull the cover off and hold it over the drain pan. Spray it with the brake cleaner to remove the oil and wipe it down with a cloth. Scrape all the remaining gasket material off the lip of the cover and the lip on the differential housing. Once the gasket material is removed, spray the both surfaces again and wipe them down to remove all traces of oil.
4Look at the differential carrier and notice the large rod or pin running from one side of the carrier to the other. The purpose of this rod is twofold: to hold the spider gears in position and keep the axle C-clips situated in the housing so they cannot come out and release the axle. One end of the rod has an 8 mm locking pin inserted from the right side of the differential through the rod to hold it in place. This rod must be removed to allow room for the axles to be pushed inward to remove the C-clips that retain the axles. When this rod is removed, do not turn the differential for any reason. If it is moved, the spider gears will rotate out of the differential, and for the inexperienced, they are difficult to install in the proper position. It is safe only with the rod installed.
5Rotate the differential by turning an axle hub until the rod-retaining bolt is at the bottom. Move the differential so that when the retaining bolt is removed the rod will slide down and out almost touching the bottom lip of the differential housing. It must be down so there is enough room to reach in between the spider gears and remove the C-clips from the axles without turning the differential.
6Push each axle in toward the differential. Reach in and remove the large C-clip on each axle. Walk around to the axle hubs and pull the axles all the way out of the axle housing and stand them up on the wheel studs.
7Insert the rod back into the differential and loosely insert the securing bolt. Remove the seal in both sides of the axle housing using the seal puller. Insert the slide hammer bearing puller into the axle tube and rotate it until the hooks grab the backside of the wheel bearing. Slide the hammer on the handle hard to bang out the wheel bearing.
8Install the new bearing as straight and far as possible by hand. Hold the old bearing you just removed over the new bearing. This will give a surface to hammer without damaging the new bearing. Hammer the old bearing driving in the new one until a hard thud is heard, signifying that it has bottomed in the tube.
9Install the seal making sure it is perfectly straight and tap it carefully around the outside edges until it is flush. Do not hit the body of the seal or the sealing surface will distort and malfunction immediately. Do both sides the same.
10Remove the retaining bolt and rod from the differential again. Insert each axle carefully so the seal is not damaged. When the axle reaches the differential it will stop. Grab the axle hub with the studs with one hand, and use the other to slightly lift the axle so it does not lay inside the tube. The splines on the end of the axle must mesh with the splines in the differential in order to push in. Move the axle up and down until it slides in all the way.
11Install the large C-clip on the inside end of the axle and while holding the C-clip with one hand, use the other to push the axle out. This will move the C-clip into an opening just big enough for the C-clip so it cant fall out. Do the same for the opposite axle.
12Install the rod in the differential and tighten the lock bolt. Spread a -inch continual bead of silicone around the entire inside lip of the differential cover. Allow it to dry until it will no longer stick to your touch. Install the covert and all the 13 mm bolts. Tighten them to 30 foot-pounds of torque.
13Remove the filler plug with a wrench. Fill the differential with the gear oil until it reaches the same level as the plug and begins to drain out. Install the drain plug and tighten it until it is snug. Install the brake drums. Install the wheels and tighten the lug nuts to 90 foot-pounds of torque. Lower the truck.
