[1978steven]

You can do it without pulling the diff, and honestly im not sure if it makes it any easier of a job just by pulling the diff. Those snap rings that hold the axles in are very tough.

Here's how I did mine:
Pull the cv's, next you'll have to beat the axle shafts outward to get the snap rings to release and remove them from the housing. At each end of the shafts are machined groves that a spring tensioned snap rings holds them in place in the carrier and are very difficult to get them release tension. The drivers side for me was slightly easier to get out then the passenger side but both are a pain the butt to get released. On the passenger side you might end up having to take the tube off the center section as I did. The whole job is a royal pain....
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