Hey.

The last time I went in to have my oil changed at the local Big O Tires(locally owned and operated and guys that I trust) I also had them do a brake check to see how they were holding up. The report that came back said that the front rotors were warped(easy fix) but the front system was otherwise good but that the back axle seal on the drivers side had a leak and could be a serious problem if ignored. I didn't have the money or the time to deal with it right then but it does need to be addressed sooner than later. So my question is whether this is the tell tale problem with the 3rd generation axle seals and if I need to pony up the cash and get it fixed right away or whether it is an unrelated yet somewhat serious issue anyways. I'm supposed to go back and get my oil changed here pretty soon so I wanted to figure this thing out before I have to take it back so I can hopefully just get it all done at once.

By the way it's a '96 SR5 4x4.

Here's some pics as well. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

My experience is that it's a problem you should fix sooner rather than later. The longer you wait, the greater the likelihood oil from the rear axle will contaminate your rear brakes. That is when your current problem becomes an even bigger and even more costly problem. Make sure you take it somewhere that knows how to do that work and has a warranty. Believe it or not, it took me several months and 2 Toyota dealers to get mine properly repaired (after I'd taken it to an independent who F-ed it up big-time).

that is exactly correct.

Ignoring it will only lead to bigger costs. Yes this is a well documented problem on the 3rd gen Runners. Be sure the fix includes the new TSB recommended part-ends with a #6

You may want to hit up toytech76 on this forum or Yota Tech. He lives near Sacramento I believe and is mechanically inclined. Possibly a Yota certified tech I think.

I would agree your leak does not look that bad... yet.

I'm leaving on a 4,500mi drive Labor day and my RR wheel is much worse than this. From what I gather, I should see to this right away?

What can I expect for time to do this? Anything I need to know other that what's in the haynes manual?

Thanks for any reply,

OK, so after doing some research about this I'm sure I should replace my right rear axle seal before I take off on my next trip east.

In addition to my haynes manual, I found this writeup:

http://www.yotatech.com/~corey/tech/...m1_oilseal.htm

Also, I read a post here about putting the seals in the freezer for a few minutes to allow for an easier install by contraction.

I have the seal, the o ring, a seal puller, and a perfectly sized hd exhaust union to seat the seal, along with some gear oil and axle grease.

So, can anyone think of anything I'm forgetting, missing, or misguided about? And does anyone have any tips that make this go any smoother other than what I have here.

Thanks...

Thats pretty much it. Two things to note: 1. good idea to cap the brake line after you take it off, it will continue to drip fluid otherwise. 2. When you are seating the new seal, make sure you are 100% square, meaning pounding straight in, not on an angle at all. If you are the slightest bit off you can bend the metal part of the seal and ruin it. It isn't hard, just pay close attention to what you're doing. Have fun.

Have another vehicle available for the inevitable run to the parts store....

Good idea, but I ended up not needing it. All in all, a pretty easy job. Took about 2 hours like the writeup said. Most of the time was cleaning the caked on gear oil off of the backing plate, drum, and from inside the rim. No surprises except one of the backing plate to axle housing nuts stripped on a stud while trying to torque it to the called for 58ft/lbs. Luckily, I didn't completely strip it, removed it and used a couple of lock washers to space it to proper threads.

Pretty happy about my savings, though. Mossy Toyota just down the hill from me quoted $600 for one side! It only cost me about $25 in parts and the two hours labor so this is a happy ending DIY story. I would encourage anyone with some mechanical ability to not be intimidated by this job. Probably 2.5 out of 5 difficulty stars.

my driverside has been leaking for a while now. I'm glad I came across this, it looks pretty simple to fix. The local mechanic wanted around 150 in labor+50 in parts. I just don't have that kind of funds right now.

this probably explains why it's pulled to the right when on the brakes since I got it.

I think the pas. side was fixed by the dealer before I bought it...ill have to check the paperwork.