TRI-POT DRIVE AXLE HANDLING PRECAUTIONS

PRODUCTION OF 1982 CAVALIER MODELS AFTER JANUARY 1, 1982, EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND AIR CONDITIONING, WILL HAVE THE TRI-POT INNER DRIVE AXLE JOINTS RATHER THAN THE DOUBLE OFFSET DESIGN. REFER TO CHART D ON PAGE 7D-6 OF THE 1982 CITATION-CELEBRITY SHOP MANUAL (ST-365-82) FOR AN EXPLODED VIEW OF THE TRI-POT DESIGN. CARE MUST BE TAKEN WHEN SERVICING A VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A TRI-POT DESIGN DRIVE AXLE. IF THE DRIVE AXLE IS OVEREXTENDED, IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEPARATE THE SPIDER BEARING ASSEMBLY FROM THE TRI-POT HOUSING. DIFFICULT REASSEMBLY COULD BE ENCOUNTERED, AS THIS SEPARATION IS NOT VISIBLE UNLESS THE DRIVE AXLE BOOT SEAL IS REMOVED. NOTICE: TO PREVENT DRIVE AXLE OVEREXTENSION, THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN: 1.ALWAYS USE DRIVE AXLE REMOVAL TOOL J-29794 AND ADAPTER J-33008 WHEN DISENGAGING THE DRIVE AXLE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. DO NOT PULL OUTBOARD ON THE DRIVE AXLE SHAFT AS A MEANS OF DISENGAGEMENT, AS THIS WILL CAUSE SEPARATION AT THE TRI-POT JOINT. 2.WHEN HANDLING A DRIVE AXLE, THE TRI-POT JOINT SHOULD BE SUPPORTED IN THE UP POSITION. IF ALLOWED TO HANG, THE WEIGHT OF THE HOUSING COULD CAUSE IT TO SEPARATE FROM THE SPIDER BEARING ASSEMBLY.

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.