After the axles are unbolted, how do you get them to come out?  Someone told me to remove one of the bolts holding the rear cover on.  That would allow you to reach through that hole with a punch and pound on the edge of the axle rim.  I can't find what they're talking about.

Any thoughts?  

What rear. There is an axel puller at you local parts store. Looks like a slide hammer and bolts onto the wheel studs  

It's a 9" rear end.  Do you have any idea what rear bolt cover was being referred to?  And do the seals have to be replaced, or should they be ok?  

Jack the rear end up and set the axle tubes on jack stands so that the tires/wheels are off the ground. The front wheels/tires should be chocked so the car will not roll forward or backwards.

After you do this you can remove the tires/wheels. Then remove the differential cover. Lots of gear oil will pour out so keep a pan under it when loosening the bolts.

Once the cover is off you can rotate the differential around until you see the head of a bolt that is on one side of the differential. Remove this bolt and then the large steel pin that this bolt retains. (The pin separates the two axle tips)

Once this big pin is out you can shove the axles inward slightly and then pull the "c-clips" off the axle tips and this will free the axle(s).

If you want to pull the whole rear end off then you'll have to set the frame of the car on the jack stands and remove the driveshaft and u-bolts that hold the rear end to the springs or a-arms (if it has rear independant suspension). You will also have to remove the emergency brake cables and brake lines, shoes, and hardware.

All of these things are heavy and hard to move around. If the u-bolts are too rusty then you will have to cut them off with a torch or a sawzall or pneumatic grinder/cut off tool.

I had to use a massive 3/4" ratchet set to remove the u-bolts on a 1976 Suburban and I'd rather have cut the u-bolts off and replaced them since it requires a whole lot of sweat and patience.

I'd still prefer to pull the axles out first and then drop the rear end minus the axles. This splits the weight in half and gives you some control over the gear oil.

Gear oil does burn so don't get a torch near it.
When you replace the rear end cover, you will need to use a fresh gasket and some RTV.  

Good Luck!  

A 9" rear end is a removable carrier type and has no cover.  The axles are retained by 4 nuts at the end that you access by going through a hole on the flange (after removing the brake drum), rotating the axle to get to each one.  After these are off, the axle is pulled out.  There is no need to do anything in the middle.  

Thanks guys!

Any idea how to remove the axle without a slide hammer?  Someone had mentioned removing a bolt from the rear cover and accessing the rim of the axle (where the four bolts are) to tap it out.  I don't see any rear cover though.

Do the seals have to be replaced?  

Gee ,,, no wonder people get fluxed up. PKB is right there player so listen to him. Usually after removal of the outer bearing retainer the axle and seal and bearing will come out without much fuss,,,just pull. You may have to whack it couple of times but there isnt any C clips retaining it, it just rides in the  third member,,,,soaring is his usual self answering someone elses questions on the moon. You have to have the bearings pressed off to be replaced and the seal should also be replaced at that time. Take it to a shop, they will press it off for you. There is no rear cover as PKB says,,, the rear banjo housing is all one piece and you have to drop the third member to take it all out, which may or may not be necessary depending on what you plan to do.  

So I may just need to use a little persuasion to help the axle to come free...And just replace the seal at the same time I replace the bearings?

How often do the bearings need to be replaced, on average?

Is the rear end that PKB is referring to the 8"?  

Both the 8 inch and the 9 inch come apart the same way. No "C" clips just pull off the bearing retainers and pull out the axle. The bearings need replacement usually when they start making noise,,,,but that could be anywhere from 100K miles to 200K miles ,,,or more. The bearings are pretty resilient in normal wear. They seldom come completely apart. I once drove 60 miles on a bearing making the worst screeching sound and when I pulled it you could hardly see the damage and there was no other damage but to the bearing itself. They are encased ball bearings and they are extremely tough. But ,,, at the same time new bearings will often improve your freeway ride and quiet down some of that noise you thought was road humm.  

After the bolts are out that hold the flange together, a trick I was taught from an old timer is to loosely mount the tire or brake drum (reversed) and use it to slide hammer the axle out. I've been doing it that way for 35 + years and it hasn't failed to pull one yet.
jlg  

That is a great idea.  The few I have worked on came out easily but if I ever have one that doesn't, I now know what to do.  

Great info guys, thanks!