I have the housing out of the truck and am trying to change the ring and pinion gear. I cant get the axel out of the housing. There isnt enough room to slide the chrome shaft out of the center of the axel assembly. Any ideas on how to get the center assembly out of the housing?:rolleyes:

since you've got it out... go down to Lowe's and buy one of these...
http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/695623/695623340512md.jpgput all of your IFS parts into it, since that's where they belong anyways.
then hit up any number of manufacturers for one each of these...
http://www.offroadunlimited.com/ProductCart/PC/catalog/60010l.jpg
(actually you'll need one pair of these)http://www.southern-exhausts.co.uk/Les-Leaf.gif

then find one of these...
http://home.foothilloffroad.com/images/FOD60faxle.JPG

bolt it all together, and be rid of your center pin problem. :flipoff2:

I don't understand your question? Do you have the entire front differential assembly out? If so, i believe the housing is bolted together from the side.

I have the front axle housing out of the truck and apart. On one side is the ring gear assembly and the other side has a flange to mate up to the cv flange. The flang is stoppng the axel from coming out of the housing. Not sure if it is pressed on or if there is something else holding it in there. Typically on the rear you take out the chrome looking shaft in the middle of the gear assembly and it slides out. But there is not physical room for the shaft to come out? I am stuck.

There is a keeper ring on each stub shaft holding it in the differential. It can be a bitch to get the shaft out sometimes. You may have to use a pry bar. Or maybe two bars, one opposite from the other, to pry the shaft out evenly.

Thanks man I will try to pry it out tonight. We used a slip type hammer and it didnt budge. Would a gear shop try to remove the keepers or pry them out. Not sure how you would get them out with the center shaft in the way:smokin: .

There is no way to remove the keepers, you have to pry the shaftout. The keeper is like a snap ring but it compresses in the groove on the axle when you pry it out. Also, you need to replace it with a new one when you reassemble the diff. If the old one does not hold the shaft can slide out going down the road.

Last one I pulled-used a 10lb. slide hammer and whanged away for a long time. Eventually it came free and the so-called snap ring was in pieces. Nice engineering.