Rear End Bolts

[pwsigmund]

Getting ready to pull the axles to facilitate replacing the rear brake backing plates on my 02 Yukon. The GM manual says to replace the rear cover bolts. What's with that? Does anyone actually do that?

 

Any issues pulling out those C clip retainers?

 

Thanks

[2COR517]

The diff cover bolt questions come up from time to time. I can't understand why you would need to replace them. C-clips should be easy. Just push in on the end of the axle after you pull the pinion shaft for a little room. Do yourself a huge favor and get a gasket for the diff cover.

[brims]

Ya, the cover bolts aren't torque to yield and aren't under any load. If they aren't rusted to hell, clean up anything that might be on them and stick them back in.

[pwsigmund]

Thanks guys. Hoping to buy a gasket for the rear cover, and axle seals, from my NAPA dealer. Thankfully they had the replacement brake backing plates. I'm a little ashamed to admit I have 125K on the '02 Yukon, and other than engine oil, brakes, and tires, have given it no other periodic maintenance. Finding this forum has been a welcome wake-up call. After the rear brakes and backing plates, I'm going to give changing the the trans filter/fluid a shot and, gasp, the spark plugs. Is the gas filter under there along the rail somewhere like on my '01 pickup? How quickly we get spoiled. All that stuff used to be 20K routine!