Your will have to remove the differential lock shifting mechanism. I am old and can't remember much. The bolts that hold the ring gear were sheared on the FX24D that I worked on but they will have to be removed on yours. Not sure it makes any difference before or after the unit removal. I did not remove the pinion so I cannot advise you on that. You can go back to the thread I attached in post 22 to see pictures in different stages.