Rear Drive Axle & Differential
The rear axle assembly contains the following features:
- An integral-type housing hypoid gear design with the centerline of the pinion set below the centerline of the ring gear.
- A hypoid ring and pinion, which consists of an 8.8-inch diameter ring gear and an overhung drive pinion which is supported by two opposed pinion bearings.
- Pinion bearing preload is maintained by a drive pinion collapsible spacer (4662) on the pinion stem and adjusted by the pinion nut.
- The rear axle housing (4010) assembly consists of a cast center section, two steel tube assemblies, a steel differential housing cover (4033) and a Watts linkage assembly.
- The differential housing cover uses a silicone sealant rather than a gasket.
- The differential case (4204) is a one-piece design with two openings to allow for assembly of internal components and lubricant flow.
- The differential pinion shaft (4211) is retained by a differential pinion shaft lock bolt assembled to the differential case.
- The differential case is mounted in the rear axle housing between two opposed tapered roller differential bearings (4221).
- The differential bearing cups (4222) are retained in the rear axle housing by removable bearing caps.
- Differential bearing preload and ring gear backlash are adjusted by the differential bearing shim (4067) located between the differential bearing cup and the rear axle housing.
- The semi-floating axle shafts (4234) are held in the housing by U-washers (4N237) positioned in the slot on the axle shaft splined end.
- These U-washers also fit into a machined recess in the differential side gears (4236) within the differential case.