Chevrolet Repair: Rear Pinion bearing, chev truck, spider gears

Question
How do I replace a rear pinion bearing in a 1995 chev truck. Already have removed drive shaft pinion flange and seal.
Thank You for your time.

Answer
HI MIKE, YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A INNER AND OUTER PINION BEARING ?? TO REPLACE YOU WILL NEED TO REMOVE THE REAR DIFF COVER AND PULL THE AXLES OUT ENOUGH TO REMOVE THE CARRIER ASSEMBLY.. HAVE YOU EVER DONE THIS ?? INSIDE THE CARRIER YOU WILL FIND A PINION PIN WITH A SMALL BOLT ON ONE END OF IT. REMOVE THIS SMALL BOLT AND PULL THE PIN OUT,DO NOT ROTATE THE AXLES ONCE THE PIN IS REMOVED OR YOU WILL MOVE THE SPIDER GEARS IN THE CARRIER..ONCE PIN IS REMOVED PUSH THE AXLES IN AND THEN YOU WILL FIND 1 U SHAPE CLIP ON THE END OF EACH AXLE . REMOVE THE CLIPS AND SLIDE THE AXLES OUT ENOUGH SO THEY ARE OUT OF YOUR WAY 5 INCHES SHOULD DO. NEXT PUT THE PINION PIN AND BOLT BACK IN TEMPORARLY.. NEXT REMOVE THE CARRIER CAPS AND MAKE SURE YOU MARK THEM SO YOU KNOW LEFT FROM RIGHT. ONCE THE CARRIER IS OUT USE A BRASS DRIFT TO POUND OUT THE PINION..ONCE THE PINION IS REMOVED YOU WILL SEE THE BEARING ON THE INSIDE. THEN GO TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE AXLE HOUSING AND REMOVE THE SEAL AND OUTER BEARING..NOW YOU WILL NEED TO REMOVE THE BEARING RACES INSIDE AND OUT BY USING A DRIFT AGAIN AND HAMMER. THEN USE THE OLD RACES TO POUND THE NEW RACES BACKING INTO THE HOUSING..WHEN YOU REMOVED THE PINION THERE WILL ALSO BE WHAT IS CALLED A CRUSH SLEEVE,, LOOKS LIKE 1.5 INCHES LONG WITH A SMALL SHOULDER IN IT..THIS WILL ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS FOR BEARING PRELOAD. WOULD GET ALL OF THESE PARTS AT THE CHEVY STORE. SO ONCE THE RACES ARE BACK INTO THE CASE PUT THE BEARINGS BACK IN LIKE YOU REMOVED THEM AND TIGHTEN THE PINION BOLT WITH THE FLANGE AND SEAL ON IT..NOW GET A BIG PRY BAR AND BIG BREAKER BAR AND PREVENT THE PINION FLANGE FROM MOVING AND TIGHTEN THIS NUT UNTILL THERE IS JUST A LITTLE PRE LOAD ON THE PINION WHILE ROTATING IT. THIS WILL BE HARD TO TURN THIS NUT WHEN GETTING IT TIGHT """ THERE IS A SPEC ON THIS PRELOAD AND YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK UP THE PRELOAD SPEC. I CAN DO IT BY FEEL,BUT I HAVE DONE MANY OF THEM [ NOT TO MUCH AND NOT TO LITTLE..] THIS IS THE TRICKY PART..YOU WILL START TO FEEL A LITTLE DRAG ON THE PINION AS YOU ROTATE THE PINION AFTER TIGHTENING IT..SO TIGHTEN BIG NUT AND ROTATE THE PINION UNTILL YOU FEEL IT START TO DRAG..WHAT I TELL PEOPLE TO DO IS ONCE THE CARRIER IS REMOVED THEN TURN THE PINION BEFORE REMOVING THE FLANGE NUT TO FEEL WHAT THE PRELOAD IS SO YOU HAVE A IDEA.  THAT WAY WHEN YOU PUT IT BACK TOGETHER YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD IDEA..ONCE THE PINION IS IN PUT THE CARRIER BACK IN AND TIGHTEN THE CARRIER CAPS TO CORRECT SPEC..YOU WILL NEED TO LOOK THIS SPEC UP..I THINK 75 FT LBS. PUSH THE AXLES IN AND PUT THE CLIPS BACK ON THE AXLES.TIGHTEN THE SMALL BOLT INTO THE PINION PIN WITH LOCK TIGHT.PUT THE COVER BACK ON AND FILL WITH GEAR OIL.. GOOD LUCK AND LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES. HOPE THIS HELPS YOU TOM..