GMC '02, SAFARI, ALL WHEEL DRIVE, 83,000 MILES. WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP, I FEEL A CHUGGING IN THE REAR AXLE AREA. TURNS ESPECIALLY CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN FROM A STOPPED POSITION. I HAD GOOP PUT INTO THE REAR AXLE TWICE, AND IT APPEARED TO LESSEN THE CHUGGING AND HESITATION SOME...BUT RETURNS. OPEN STRAIGHT AWAY DRIVING IS FINE. COULD IT BE THE GEARS, PLATES, DIFFERENTIAL ? HELP ???

Put the rear up on jack stands and remove the wheels and brake drums. Then unbolt the rear differential cover and drain the gear oil. Then, you remove the pinion securing bolt. DO NOT ROTATE THE WHEELS AS THIS CAN CAUSE THE PINION GEARS TO FALL OUT. Push the rear axle shaft inward toward the vehicle and remove the "C" clip that secures the axle to the pinion gears. Then pull the axle shaft outward and out of the axle housing. Inspect the axle shaft for scuffing and excessive wear on the place where the wheel bearings rest. If there is excessive wear, you can use a "repair bearing", which is modified to install so it runs on an unworn part of the axle shaft. Otherwise a regular replacement bearing is fine. You need a slide hammer removal tool to extract the old bearing from the axle housing, and a bearing install tool to insert the new one without damage. Once the new bearing is in, reinsert the axle shaft, secure with the "C" clip, and pull outward to latch the "C" clip into its recess. Install the pinion bolt. Reinstall the differential cover with appropriate gasket or sealer. Fill differential with approved gear oil in the recommended amount. Ensure that if the rear is a positraction rear end there may be an additive required to the gear oil for proper operation.

if its an all wheel drive model it may be a cv axle in front-end

Push ******* the side whole hatch to rep-latch it and try again.

Ticking in motor after engine heats up- do you keep your oil changed every 3,000 miles? Broken down and dirty oil will cause this. Squeek over bumps could be bad strut or it could be related to the harsh grinding noise going around turns. That is indicative of a bad CV joint or wheel bearing.
Raise car on side noise is coming from. Grab wheel with both hands and pull/push on wheel then wiggle back and forth. Feel excessive play? Grab drive axle also doing same thing feel for play or notice if rubber boot on drive axle torn or separated from axle. Usually you will feel play or notice a kind of clunking. I would say replace CV joint and wheel bearing at the same time as one will usually affect the other and both will be bad if one has went out. Not an easy fix and requires special tools. Take to a qualified mechanic, it will save you a big headache.

The GMC Safari comes in Rear-Wheel Drive and All-Wheel Drive.

I’m happy to help further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/jeremy_69f3cc28d95bf514

Have the vehicle run on a lift with someone in the vehicle while someone else is under it listen for the racket diagnosting it this way should be a breeze, inspect the U Joints...the axle wheel bearings and the fluid in the rear if low refill.

if you are NOT losing brake fluid, it is the rear axle seal; if you ARE losing brake fluid, it is a wheel cylinder

If you have all wheel drive it is probably a cv axle

Yes you do have to pull the axle and make sure you put everything back in the same place you removed it from. The ring and pinion shouldn't have to be bothered. You will have to remove the rear end cover to remove the axle. Its very easy to do. There is a pin inside the rear end that has to be removed to pull the axle. Pay attention to how you take it out and put it back the same way. It sounds as if you can do this with no problem.

If you feel it in the front end it is a very good possibility the it is the wheel bearings....if in the rear....the rear wheel bearings are questionable....OR you could tell me where you are feeling the vibration from.... ;)