Special Tools

1. Remove the wheel drive shaft. Refer to Wheel Drive Shaft Replacement.




Note: Use caution when using the hand grinder by the tripot housing (1).

2. Use a hand grinder in order to cut through the swage ring (2).
3. Remove the tripot housing (1) from the halfshaft.
4. Wipe the grease off of the housing (1).
5. Thoroughly degrease the tripot housing (1).
6. Allow the tripot housing (1) to dry prior to assembly.



7. Using side cutters, remove the small boot retaining clamp.
8. Remove the following items from the halfshaft bar:

8.1.	The spacer ring (1)

8.2.	The tripot spider assembly (2)

8.3.	The tripot boot (3)

9. Clean the halfshaft bar (4). Use a wire brush in order to remove any rust in the seal mounting area (grooves).
10. Inspect the needle rollers, needle bearings, and trunnion. Inspect the tripot housing for unusual wear, cracks, or other damage. Replace any damaged parts with the appropriate service kit.

1. Place the new small seal clamp (2) onto the small end of the joint seal (1). Compress the joint seal (1) and small seal clamp (2) onto the halfshaft bar.
2. Position the small end of the joint seal (1) into the joint seal groove (3) on the halfshaft bar.

Caution: Refer to Fastener Caution in the Preface section.




3. Secure the small seal clamp (1) with J-35910 Drive Axle Seal Clamp Pliers , or equivalent, a breaker bar, and a torque wrench and tighten to 136 N·m (100 lb ft).
4. Inspect the gap dimension on the clamp ear. Continue tightening until the gap dimension is reached.




Note: Assemble the tripot joint with the convolute retainer in the correct position, as illustrated.

5. Install the convolute retainer tool over the inboard joint seal, being sure to capture the following convolutions:

•	2-5 for the 1500 model.

•	2-4 for the 2500, 3500, and Hummer H2 models.




6. Install the tripot spider assembly (3) onto the halfshaft bar (2).
7. Install the spacer ring (1) in the groove at the end of the halfshaft bar (2).



8. Pack the tripot seal (4) and the tripot housing (1) with the grease supplied in the kit. The amount of grease supplied in this kit has been pre-measured for this application.



9. Assemble the tripot housing and the tripot seal using the following procedure:

9.1.	Pinch the swage ring (2) slightly by hand in order to distort it into an oval shape.

9.2.	Slide the distorted swage ring (2) over the large diameter of the seal.

9.3.	Place the tripot housing over the spider assembly.

9.4.	Install the seal onto the tripot housing.

9.5.	Align the tripot seal (1), with the swage ring (2) in place, over the flat area on the tripot housing (3).




10. For the 1500 models, assemble the bolts and the support plate to the base of the J-36652-98 Axle Swage Tool and secure the base in a vise.
11. For the 2500, 3500, and HUMMER H2 models, assemble the bolts and the support plate to the base of the J-36652-1 Drive Axle Clamp Swage Tool and secure the base in a vise.



12. Position the inboard end (tripot end) of the halfshaft assembly into the base of the J-36652-98 Tool for the 1500 models or J-36652-1 Tool for the 2500, 3500 and Hummer H2 models.
13. Install the top half of the J-36652-98 Tool for the 1500 models or J-36652-1 Tool for the 2500, 3500 and HUMMER H2 models.
14. Align the swage ring (2) and the swage ring clamp.
15. Insert the bolts. Hand tighten the bolts until the bolts are snug.
16. Align the following during this procedure:

•	The tripot boot (3)

•	The tripot housing (1)

•	The swage ring (2)

•	Tighten each bolt 180 degrees at a time. Alternate between the bolts until both sides of the top half of the tool touch the bottom half.

•	Loosen the bolts and remove the halfshaft assembly from the tool.




17. Inspect the inboard stroke position.

•	Use measurement A for the 1500 models.

•	Use measurement B for the 2500, 3500, and Hummer H2 models.




18. Remove the convolute retainer tool from the boot.
19. Install the wheel drive shaft. Refer to Wheel Drive Shaft Replacement.