Well sort of a how to. What you will need:

Gen 1 V6 Front differential and Left Axle shaft. My donor came from my '89 SWB Raider parts mobile V6 5 speed
LSD carrier from a donor Starion / Conquest - mine was an '88.
Differential shop to do the Ring & Pinion set-up unless you know how. I brought in the parts and paid $100 (cash) <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> YMMV

Tools and a Floor Jack (at least for installing - see below)

1. Remove front 2 piece skid plate (6 bolts)
2. Unbolt front drive shaft at front differential, tuck up next to left torsion spring. Don't pull out of transfercase, you will have a leaking mess.
3. Remove 4 nuts/lockwashers holding Right Axle to RH side of front differential.
4. Remove 4 bolts holding differential crossmember to frame and 2 bolts holding crossmember to differential. I also removed the left shock - 2 bolts and a nut.
5. Drain front differential and remove cover.
6. Gently insert flat blade screw driver between end of Left Axle and spider gear shaft - wiggle to disengage the left axle snap ring. This will save a lot of tugging later.
7. Remove 2 nuts holding front differential supports.
8. OK everything is loose now, so position a floor jack under the differential to balance it, then work the unit free. Pay attention to the left axle. It should freely slide out of the dif. housing. I actually did not use a floor jack. I laid on my back on a creeper and pulled it out. My tricepts hurt <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> I think a floor jack would work better.

You should end up with this view now.


Originally I thought the Left Axle shafts were the same between the V6 and the 2.6l, but they are not. The V6 has 28 splines and the 2.6ll has 25.

V6 - 28 Spline


2.6l - 25 Spline


Here are a couple shots of the V6 8" with the LSD



and 1 of the 2.6L 7.5" Open.


Next came a bit of a frustrating part, that was how to get the Left Axle out of the hub. I messed around with jacks in multiple positions trying to get the LCA up high enough for the outside CV joint to clear enough to pull the shaft out. I was able to do this on the '89, but the '89 does not have the torsion bars cranked like the '88. I could not get it out this way so I grabbed a copy of the FSM and looked through the Front Axle service section. They show pulling the apart the tie rod and ball joints. I didn't have the recommended tools, so made a run to Harbor Freight.

I bought a Pickle Fork for the UCA ball joint as recommended and a Front End Service Kit.

This kit has various pullers that looked similar to those pictured in the FSM.

more to come...