This procedure involves the removal of the rear brake pads or shoes, which can contain asbestos, which is a known cancer-causing agent. It is important to prevent the cleaning of brake surfaces with compressed air and the breathing in of the dust from brake surfaces, and instead, commercially available brake cleaning fluids should be used. Start the process by elevating the vehicle and supporting it firmly on jackstands, and then remove the wheel in question. Next, remove the brake caliper mounting bolts and remove the caliper (be sure to secure the caliper with stiff wire to the rear springs so as not to hang by the brake line). Proceed to take off the brake disc and parking brake shoes, then the thrust washer bolts through the axle shaft flange. Utilize a puller (slide hammer) to pull the axle shaft, bearing and oil seal assembly, if a puller is not available the brake disc can be bolted to the axle backwards to aid in pulling the axle out. Remove the inner oil seal with a suitable puller or small prybar, clean the inside of the rear axle tube and press off the toothed wheel using two V-blocks. Raise the seal and
Pressure Plate on the axle shaft to place the divided press plate on the bearing, and then place the press yoke over the press plate and remove the bearing along with the snapring with press tool 5212 or the equivalent. For installation, pack the new bearing with grease, preferably using a bearing packer, ensuring grease gets packed from one side until it comes out of the other. Fill the space between the lips of the new oil seal with wheel bearing grease, place the new seal in the axle shaft position and press with a new locking ring bearing. Install the inner oil seal in the axle shaft housing using a seal installation tool and drift, and then insert the axle shaft in the housing, aligning it with the differential. Tighten the thrust washer bolts to 29 ft. lbs. (40 Nm) and, then, install the parking brake shoes, brake disc, caliper and pads with new bolts tightened to 43 ft. lbs. (58 Nm) and checking that the brake disc will rotate freely. Finally, install the wheel, adjust the parking brake and lower the vehicle.