2007 Buick Rainier Axle Shaft

You should wipe all grease away from the face of the CV Joint, spread the snap ring ears apart using J 8059 (or equivalent), place a brass drift against the cage, tap gently on the brass drift to tilt the cage, remove the first ball when the cage tilts and all of the balls, pivot the cage and the inner race 90 degrees to the centerline of the outer race, remove the inner race from the cage by rotating the inner race upward and degrease all of the CV joint parts.

You should remove the engine protection shield, the fill plug, the drain plug, and the washer, and drain the fluid from the Differential carrier assembly.

You should mark the propeller shaft as to which end is the transmission end and which end goes to the rear axle, place the universal joint so that the lower ear of the yoke is supported on a 30 mm (1 1/8 in) socket, mark the orientation of the slip yoke to the tube for proper reassembly, remove the cross from the yoke, the remaining universal joint parts from the yoke, and the bearing cups in the slip yoke in the same manner if you are replacing the front universal joint.