Locking Differential Thrust Block rotated 90 degrees during rear beari

[fuz]

2003 Avalanche Z71

157k miles

 

Right rear wheel got hot enough to almost start smoking, left rear wheel too hot to touch. Could be moisture in the brake lines after having all brake lines replaced last summer but decided to replace the rear wheel bearings anyway first (how hard can it be...).

Removed C clips with no problem but getting the bearings out required heating up the axle tubes a bit and beating myself half to death with the slide hammer puller but got the bearings out and new ones in with new seals easily enough after that.

Problem now is when I crawled back under to insert the Differential Pinion Gear Shaft I find that somehow the Locking Differential Thrust Block has rotated 90 degrees. The holes for the shaft are no longer next to the side gears and instead are looking at me. At this point I have done just about all I can think of to rotate the thrust block, but I can't see how it rotated in the first place. It is movable but squarish. The only thing I can think of is that somehow if I back off the Latching Bracket I might be able to rotate it.

 

Any insight?

[Doug_Scott]

Generally what happens if you are not careful is that you rotate one axle and do not ensure that the other axle rotates with the one you are turning, and that will cause the differential portion inside the carrier to rotate. To get it back inline, try holding one axle, and turn the other one while watching the differential. You should see it trying to rotate. This may take a couple of helpers due to the human body limitation of only having the one pair of hands.

 

I realize it is too late now, but, I used to put the pin back in once the "C" clips were removed. this would prevent the differential from rotating while I was doing stuff to axles.

[Skeels]

Old post, but I’m also having this issue and cannot seem to get the thrust block to rotate back in place. Spinning one side did not help. Did it resolve your issue or did you have to try another method?