Oil Pump

I have a 97 chevy Z71 with the 5.7 350 motor i need to replace the oil pump..i have done this but not on a 4wd before can i just remove the pan...or do i need to remove any big things such as the front differential ?? any help is appreciated ... thanks Jason

hasnt anyone replaced a 4wd chevy oil pump ??

Don't know how different it may or may not be but here's what it took to get the oil pan off my '88: removed the top half of the fan shroud and motor mount bolts then raised the engine until the transmission was tight against the tunnel, supported the engine with shims between the motor mounts and towers (make sure you're not pinching any wires or hoses), then the pan will drop just enough to barely get it past the flex plate. Without a front differential, the pan would probably drop enough without lifting the engine. Not sure if enough changed to '97 to matter but I don't think it did. BTW, I chose to jack the engine from underneath (don't have a hoist right now) by removing the starter and oil filter plate (have to anyway to get pan out) then used the flat plates under the starter and oil filter as lift points.