Grease on rear brake shoes

[Kaiser2boy]

While checking the brakes I noticed some grease has worked its way onto the rear brakes. It is not gear oil , its grease.
Has anyone pulled the rear axle out of their truck. I am wondering if I can pull the axle and not have the spider gear fall into the diff. And if that can be done how hard is it to reinstall the axle back into the gear.
I intend to replace the grease seals on the hubs and the brakes because I dont think you can ever really get all the grease off them.

[Bob Thompson]

Yes, you can pull your axles without fear of any thing falling apart internally. Presuming your differential is properly assembled and if it weren't you would know. I highly recommend picking up a copy of Gordon's service manual that covers this subject. You'll sleep better knowing you have a suitable source of procedures. It's only $15.00 plus post.
If you get adventurous and remove the differential Count the gaskets.

[Kaiser2boy]

Thanks, Just looking at the exploded view it looks like it should slide back in with maybe a little jiggeling around. My worry is that as I extract it when it clears the spider gear it will drop down.
If that is the case it may be a real pain trying to get the spline lined up without being able to see whats going on in there.

[Matthew Ziegler]

rear axle

I had both rear axles out of my truck to do wheelbearings and hub seals, there was no difficulty putting them back together. I recommend modern neoprene seals. If there's even the slightest groove, pick up a cr redisleeve. It's a precision ground piece of thinwall tubing that gives you a new surface for the seal to ride on. take measurements of the seal surfaces with a vernier or mike and your local bearing supply house should be able to help you out.

[Desoto61]

Thanks, Just looking at the exploded view it looks like it should slide back in with maybe a little jiggeling around. My worry is that as I extract it when it clears the spider gear it will drop down.
If that is the case it may be a real pain trying to get the spline lined up without being able to see whats going on in there.

If this is the Chrysler axle, unless something is really badly worn these are full floating axles, so they are designed such that that can't really happen. With the way the differential carrier is designed it would be almost impossible to access the spider gears inside the housing if they could.

[Gordon Maney]

Thanks, Just looking at the exploded view it looks like it should slide back in with maybe a little jiggling around. My worry is that as I extract it when it clears the spider gear it will drop down.
If that is the case it may be a real pain trying to get the spline lined up without being able to see whats going on in there.

It shouldn't happen, but if a differential gear dropped down, as you put it, you would have a problem requiring removal and disassembly of the differential. I don't guess that will happen.

[Kaiser2boy]

So after reading all this I guess I just have to slowly pull the axle and hope not to hear any sickening klunk inside the diff.
OK thank you all.

[Bob Thompson]

So after reading all this I guess I just have to slowly pull the axle and hope not to hear any sickening klunk inside the diff.
OK thank you all.

That won't happen, the spider gears are captive while the differential is in place. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear before.

While you have your axles out take a close look at the splines. Look for cracking and evidence of metal fatigue. Also look for evidence of high tempurature discoloration.