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-   -   Bad rear wheel bearings and axle seals.... (https://www.toyota-4runner.org/classic-t4rs/298661-bad-rear-wheel-bearings-axle-seals.html)

Soulprogression108 07-06-2021 10:49 PM

Bad rear wheel bearings and axle seals....
 
So I haven't seen a write up yet for this for 2nd gen t4r's although I'd bet there is one somewhere. I did find a pretty good youtube video of a guy doing an 80's toyota pickup which I think is pretty much the same process and parts.

Install Toyota Rear Axle Bearing, Oil Seal - WITHOUT a Press! - YouTube

I'd like to post some videos and stuff as I go in the replacement process. Hoping someone can look at my post and tell me if my deduction is correct ;)

Anyway so for sometime (about 2+ years) Since I bought my 94 4x4 22re runner I've been hearing and searching for and mysterious clunk. The truck is old let's face it and with 218k there's a lot of possibilities. Originally I thought it was related to the CV's because the boots were shredded. They still work great though, 4x4 is solid, so I just cleaned repacked and put split boots. I do know there's a loose wheel bearing in the front, but my concern and now focus is on the rear.

Around the time I got a new set of bfg k02s on the truck I noticed that some sort of grease or oil or fluid started leaking through the rim holes on the rear driver side. I also noticed around the time of getting the new tires that the truck was pulling to the right more than it had previously. I think this was a coincidence and not the tire shops fault thought.

At first I figured the leak was brake fluid, but in checking the master cylinder it is completely full. I didn't have time to deal with it so I drove it for a while and then shipped it inter island to my fiance's place. It's been nice finally having a proper driveway/carport and a lot of tools in place to work on the truck.

I finally was able to jack it up and put it on stands. I immediately noticed the driver side rear brake and wheel hub assembly was soaked in something. My friend looked at it and his first reaction was the wheel cylinder was leaking. While down there I checked the u joints which seem tight and not any play. There's a little play in the drive shaft rear diff input, but I don't know if that's normal?

When I pulled the wheel off though I noticed practically the whole assembly was covered in greasy fluid. I popped the drum off and poked around. The brake shoes and surface in the drum look great albeit they are greasy (The P.O. did say it had new brakes done so far looks like he was being honest!) However I'm thinking this grease/oil could be causing the truck to pull to the right. If the left brakes aren't engaging fully the braking balance side to side would be off. (less braking force on the left and so more grab on the right the truck pulls to the right)

I also tested the brakes with the wheel off and the wheel cylinder was operating well and I didn't see any extra fluid come out so I'm about 90% sure that it is not the problem. I even pried back the dust cover a little and under that everything was clean and dry.

I think what has happened is that the rear wheel bearing(s) are shot and either the axle seals were damaged because of this or they also wore out and so the axle oil has washed out all the grease from the bearings into the brake assembly. There was literally grease all over the drum and all inside the brake assembly.

I cleaned the drum and shoes up with brake parts cleaner and wiped off as much grease as I could. I also checked the rear diff fluid and it seemed a little low. The liquid on the wheel smelled to me like oil but I'm still not 100% I'd hate to pull everything and do the bearings and seals and end up having a bad wheel cylinder too and have to do it all again hahaha!!!!

My last test was to put it all back together bolt the wheels on and give them a good shake. Both sides were making some racket (loose and slightly wobbly) and although the right side is not leaking any thing yet when I move it back and forth by hand it makes a very similar sound to the clunk clunk clunk I heard when driving. :naughty:

Note: I've tried spinning the wheels while jacked up in forward and reverse and I could not reproduce the sound (by hand and by motor). This really makes me think wheel bearings because the weight of the truck would put load on them and then you'd hear the noise which would speed as vehicle speed increased.

I'm learning a lot owning this old truck and I try to not stress and let it be fun, but sometimes it's a pita that's for sure hahaha!

I'm gonna work on a video series and will post to youtube with links as I go! I wouldn't even call my self a shad tree mechanic, but personally I've found if I've got the tools or can adapt/modify, and at least some idea of what I'm doing I feel like I can pull any job off.

Hyde802 07-12-2021 11:34 AM

TL : DR

Here is a good write up on replacing rear wheel bearings. I made a tool like this from 1/2 of an old housing and it worked great. Then use a long piece of pipe to put the new bearing on

Toyota Maintenance: Replacing Rear Wheel Bearings and Seals

Dropzone 07-12-2021 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyde802 (Post 3655068)
TL : DR

Here is a good write up on replacing rear wheel bearings. I made a tool like this from 1/2 of an old housing and it worked great. Then use a long piece of pipe to put the new bearing on

Toyota Maintenance: Replacing Rear Wheel Bearings and Seals

i made one too, it hurts

NachesPass4x4 07-12-2021 03:48 PM

I made the tool out of 2x2x.25" tube, some angle iron and a piece of plate. Cheap, easy, indestructible.

I wouldn't want to do this job with out a press, in fact it was rear wheel bearings that I used as the excuse to get one.

Soulprogression108 07-19-2021 07:10 PM

You guys rock! wish I had a regular use for a press and the money to buy one. I spent an hour and a half in the full sun trying the shade tree method to pound out the bearing and collar and couldn't get the suckers to even budge. Felt like I had done crossfit for the first time for the next few days. Ended up taking it to the local machine shop and he pressed out the old and popped in the new for $50 a side. Really stoked just wish I had known they wouldn't have come out old school method. I would have saved the assault on the plywood and my body hahaha.

Everything went back in the same as it comes out. The big difference for the 90's series trucks vs. the video link I posted is that the parking brake system is not a hinge and cotter pin. You need to unbolt two small bolts that hold the line to the brake assembly and then fenagle the end of the cable out of the bracket by sliding back the spring and sliding it out of the hooked end of the bracket. It's a little more complicated, but it's more protected than the previous generation and will last longer.

One MAJOR note for anyone planning to do this job is when disassembling take the four bolts off the axle assembly and the parking brake cable off and then loosen up the hydraulic brake line. When reassembling make sure you set the axle with the four bolts just into the holes and then re connect the hydraulic brake line. If you bolt the four bolts on it's basically impossible to get that line on without damaging the line trying to bend it to fit. I made a huge mess with brake fluid doing it wrong the first time. Bolted up pulled the rubber cap I had on the end of the line to keep it from dripping off then realized it wouldn't fit. Couldn't get the cap back on the end of the line so had to hold my finger over it while unbolting the four bolts holding the axle basically all the way so that it would slide out enough to reconnect the line. Made a mess and I was concerned that brake fluid got down into the new bearing, but hopefully not! Anyway learn from my mistake. Just set the four bolts into the four holes on the axle assembly and reconnect the hydraulic brake line And THEN you can bolt it back together
:music:

I think that's pretty much it. I guess the other thing is just make sure you put enough gear oil in the rear end but not too much! I recommend taking the spare off because it will make it so much easier to get your bottle up high enough. I didn't and fought it used a piece of tubing connected to the gear oil bottle tip. Made quite a mess, but hey it's done ;)

Best part is it sounds great, no more clunkity clunk, and no gear oil and grease spraying out the seal.

Make sure you check your rear axle breather valve. Mine was a little sticky but it was working so I cleaned it up and reinstalled. I don't do much wheeling at the moment so I'll wait till I move to do the breather valve mod.

The full job takes about a day to tear down and reassemble if you have a press. For me it was a morning and and afternoon split up by a day waiting on the axles to be pressed.

Have fun and get ready to get messy!

I wanted to take a bunch of pictures but it was so messy that I didn't get much done and didn't have anyone to shoot for me.

Hyde802 07-20-2021 11:28 AM

Glad you got them all changed!

For gear oil, I get the gallon containers and use a cheap pump instead of dickin around with the little bottles.

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnp...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

Or if you only have the bottles, pop the breather vent off and fill through there, that way you can just stick the tip in and let it drain.

Soulprogression108 07-20-2021 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyde802 (Post 3657322)
Glad you got them all changed!

For gear oil, I get the gallon containers and use a cheap pump instead of dickin around with the little bottles.

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnp...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

Or if you only have the bottles, pop the breather vent off and fill through there, that way you can just stick the tip in and let it drain.


I wanted to get the gallon, but couldn't find in the local stores. That's a genius idea putting it in through the breather valve hole! Wow wish I had thought of that ;) can't believe how gnarly the oil was that came out of the diff. It was probably the original oil, plus grease from the bearing. Black as could be and silver grease streaked through. Having trouble uploading pics so you'll have to use your imagination ;)


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