How to remove rear axcel shaft to replace seal

Please consider bearing replacement as typically some looseness there causes play and seal leakage...

You may have one of two designs.

Normal is a flange plate with 4 screws., release this plate and you can see the bearing (barely) and the axle pulls out, sometimes with a slide hammer, because of rust and debris buildup..

The 2nd type is a c-lock. to release this type, you open up the rear inspection plate, at the center. Catch the fluid. and replace the gasket, usually. Inside the CARRIER are 4 spyder gears. two of these gears are on a common idler shaft. You take out a bolt that retains this idler shaft, and remove it. Then you can PUSH the axle inwards, and reveal the c-clip. it is the idler shaft that keeps the axles outward and the c-clips in their place.
This design often requires axle replacement as it is one of the bearing surfaces that fails...inspece carefully for bearing damage.

First make sure that it is not brake fluid leaking out of the wheel cylinder. also check axle play there will be a little play but very little check in and out play as well as side to side play. in and out play may be from the idler shaft that not only holds the spider gears inplace but also puts pressure agains the axles against the c clips to keep them from falling out. so you may have a worn idler shaft or damaged c clips. side to side play is cause from the outside bearing the axle rides on this bearing. to remove the axle jack up and put the truck on jack stands. then remove the tire and the brake drum from the side you are working on or remove both sides. now you will need a drain pan climb under the truck and in the middle of the rearend there is a cover that should have ten bolts. using a half inch socket loosien the top bolt about a eighth of an inch out and then remove the rest of the bolts. using a screw driver pry the cover loose with your drain pan under the rear diff. the top screw should allow the pan to opwn enough on the bottom for the fluid to drain out without making a mess. once drained remove the top bolt. making sure the wheels are blocked put the truck in netural and turn the driveshaft until you can see a bolt running thru the idle shaft. the idle shaft runs thru the middle and the bolt runs from the right side thru the idle shaft to the left side. spin this bolt to the top and remove. now spin the driveshaft until the shaft is pointing down toward the bottom of the cover but up enough it will slide out. you should be able to reach around and push it with your finger and push it out and then grab it and pull it out. do not spin anything after you remove the idler shaft or you will move the spider gears around and can have problems getting them lined up again. now take a hammer and tap the axle on the side that the tire goes on and this will push the axle in enough to remove the c clip then slide the axle out of the housing. using a chisel or screw driver you can tap around the seal to remove if you are removing the bearing you will need a slide hammer. take the slide hammer and slide the jaws into the bearing and then screw the jaws until they are tight. slide the hammer down the shaft will pull the bearing and the seal out at the same time. tap a new bearing and seal in and slide the axle back into the housing carefully lining the splines back up will require pushing down on the asle some. once the asle is in all the way put the c clip back on and pull the axle back out some to hold the c clip in. now do the other side or slide your idler shaft back in and replace the bolt put a new gasket on the cover and you are ready to put gear oil back in. there is a bolt on the left side of the front of the housing you will need to fill it on level ground until the fluid is at the top of the bottom of the hole the bolt goes in or slightly running out. this bolt takes a half inch drive extension no socked it is square.