....with the engine still in the truck. Drop the k-member, front diff, and oil pan? Come in from the front engine cover?

 

I know with my 2wd:

I dropped the K member, moved the steering out of the way by taking the two bolts HUGE bolts off and pushing it aside. I dont know about with the front diff, but you are gonna have to drop the pan anyway to get to the bolt that goes from the tube to the pump as it is down on the other side of the tube. You will see what i mean, just go from the bottom.

 

please tell me why you are changing it?

 

Low oil pressure. Wanna come help???

 

How much of a PITA is it to get the front diff out of the way?

 

No idea, I haven't looked at it yet. I'm hoping that it's not too much work....

 

I don't see why you couldn't change the oring from the front cover on the trucks... done it many times on a C5 Corvette... and the work space is much tighter on that car. As long as you have the tools to remove the harmonic balancer and then reinstall it, including the crank bolt, you should have no problem getting it done from the front.

Bill

 

I did mine dropping the pan also, thats the only way that i will do it again.

 

It will be SOOOO much easier to dig into it like a cam swap. You will also need to drop the skid plate to make it easier to access the couple of PITA pan bolts. Basically jsut unbolt the pan and let it sit on the crossmember and that will give oyu neough room to loosen the retaining bolt for the pickup tube so you can get to the o-ring. Ask me how I know pulling the front diff is fun.


How I feel about that area of the truck

 

Do I need to unbolt the oil pump from the block to give me enough room to separate the pickup tube from the oil pump if I go in from the front?

You guys who go in from underneath - are you all 2wd?