Tools Required
|     •  | J 46003    Output Shaft
Bearing Locknut  Wrench | 
 
|     •  | J 46001    Differential
Drive Pinion  Holding Tool | 
 
Disassembly
- Remove the No.1 plug from the transfer case assembly.
 
- Remove the No.2 plug from the transfer case assembly.
 
- Place a drain pan under the transfer case.
 
- Remove the drain plug from the transfer case  assembly.
 
- Remove the breather plug from the transfer case assembly.
 
- Remove the transfer case cover bolts.
 
- Using a brass drift
and a hammer, remove the  transfer case cover from the case.
 
- Remove the 3 transfer case mount bolts.
 
- Remove the mount from the extension housing.
 
- Remove the 4 alignment pins from the transfer case.
 
- Using a soft faced hammer, remove the extension  housing dust deflector.
 
- Remove the oil seal from the extension housing.
 
- Remove the 4 extension housing retaining  bolts.
 
- Remove the extension housing from the transfer case.
 
- Using  J 46003 
  and
a torque wrench, measure the  preload of the backlash between the drive pinion and
the ring gear.
 
Preload
Ring gear and drive pinion preload at starting should
be 0.32-0.57 N·m  (2.8-5.0 lb in). Total preload
at starting should be 0.53-0.94 N·m  (4.7-8.3 lb in).
- Using a dial indicator, check the backlash of  the ring
gear.
 
Important: Backlash should be checked in 3 different
positions on the ring gear.
Backlash
Backlash should be 0.10-0.15 mm (0.0039-0.0059 in).
- Coat the teeth of the ring gear with Gear Marking  Compound GM P/N 1052351
(Canadian P/N 10953497).
 
- Rotate the ring gear.
 
- Inspect the ring gear contact pattern.
 
- Remove the left transfer case oil seal.
 
- Remove the right transfer case oil seal.
 
- Remove the bearing cap bolts and bearing cap from the ring gear assembly.
 
- Remove the output shaft spacer from the ring gear mounting case.
 
- Remove the ring gear mounting case washer.
 
- Remove the ring gear mounting case from the transfer
 case.
 
- Using a punch and a hammer, unstake the drive  pinion
nut.
 
- Using   J 46003 
   and   J 46001 
 
remove the drive  pinion retaining nut.
 
- Using a press, remove the drive pinion, spacer  and washer from the transfer
case.
 
- Using a press, remove the drive pinion bearing  from
the drive pinion.
 
- Using a brass bar and a hammer, remove the drive pinion bearing race from
 the transfer case.
 
- Using a press, remove the left and right ring gear mounting case bearings.
 
- Using a brass bar and hammer, remove the left  outer
race from the transfer case.
 
- Using a brass bar and hammer, remove the right outer race from the transfer
 case.
 
- Using a dial indicator, check the runout of the  ring
gear.
 
Runout
Runout should not exceed 0.06 mm (0.0024 in).
- Place alignment marks (1) on the ring  gear and the mounting case.
 
- Remove the 10 ring gear bolts.
 
- Using a soft faced hammer, tap on the ring gear  to separate
it from the ring gear mounting case.
 
- Using a dial indicator, check the runout of the  ring
gear mounting case.
 
Runout
Runout should not exceed 0.14 mm (0.0055 in).
- Using a brass bar and hammer, remove the drive  pinion
bearing race from the transfer case.