3rd left side axle seal today

[Blueman2]

Pulled the drum to see if the new seal was leaking last night and sure enough, it was.

This morning I pulled it apart and removed the seal. On previous installs, I noticed that there was a very small burr at the leading edge of the bore that the seal presses into. I suspect a previous user had dinged it pulling a seal out. I decided to touch it with the dremel grinder and clean it up. I put a little eyebrow, maybe a sixteenth wide and three eighths long with the finest grindstone I had (220) and just deep enough to feel the burr gone. After cleaning it up, I installed the new seal using my PVC seal driver, it went in much easier than last time and appeared to seat home very nicely. Maybe this will do the trick.

BTW, the PVC seal driver idea worked much better for me than the Harbor Freight cheapie plastic driver tool. I enhanced the PVC idea by adding a reducing sleeve and a short length of pipe. The pipe is just the right size to engage the seal and helps hold the seal on the tool as I get past the ABS sensor. I polished the hell out of the pipe so it would not damage the seal lip. I started with 400 grit wet or dry and some water, then moved to Plexus polish and Plexus cleaner. I could almost see myself in the reflection when I finished.

When I glued in the reducer, I pressed it below the edge of the larger fitting so the seal would sit squarely on the larger fitting.

Thanks to all the posters who have shown me how to do this kind of stuff.

 

[BrianSD_42]

:driving:


Have you read this thread?

BigFishAllDay did a pretty great write-up a few weeks back.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/67299-rear-axle-seals-ultimate-information-replacement-thread-3rd-gen.html
.

 

[Blueman2]

yep, actually did a lot of searching before I even tackled the job. Thanks for the link though.

When I originally found the problem I decided to do bearings both sides since the seals that failed were less than a year old - dealer installed. I thought there might be a reason the seals failed. The axle has about 185K on it. I pulled the axles and took them to the dealer to do the bearing removal/replacement. The dealer tech did not get the bearing retainers and ABS rotors in the right place, it took them three tries on the left side to get it correct and two tries on the right side. Even so, the ABS light is on. I think the right side ABS rotor position is wrong but I'll have them check it out next week.

After I got everything back, I put in new seals and buttoned it all up. When I checked a week later, the right side was dry but the left was leaking oil into the drum. I cleaned it up and put another seal in. That time I noticed it took a lot of effort to install the seal and get it square.

I checked the left side again a couple evenings ago and found oil again. I decided to try the seal myself one more time. If it this one leaks, I'll have the dealer put a new seal in, then keep taking it back till they fix it or figure out what is wrong.

 

[BrianSD_42]

The dealer tech did not get the bearing retainers and ABS rotors in the right place, it took them three tries on the left side to get it correct and two tries on the right side.

I originally had mine done at the dealer and the seals failed within 14 months. I went back and the next time they only charged me parts because I was pi$$ed off. It has been 3 years and no issues.

I found out the second time I went, that my Toyota dealer does not even press them in, they outsource that critical part of the repair to a local shop. I think this may be pretty common.

=> what I am wondering is if in your case, they outsourced it to the same crappy shop each time which would mean the same bad mechanic that did it the first time, also did the 2nd time.

So my advice would be:
A) go to a totally independent Toyota mechanic and ask them who does the pressing
B) make sure it is not the same place the dealer takes it over to.
C) Go to a different Toyota dealer, any dealer is obligated to honor the work of another, I believe

:bat:

 

[Devious81]

I originally had mine done at the dealer and the seals failed within 14 months. I went back and the next time they only charged me parts because I was pi$$ed off. It has been 3 years and no issues.

I found out the second time I went, that my Toyota dealer does not even press them in, they outsource that critical part of the repair to a local shop. I think this may be pretty common.

=> what I am wondering is if in your case, they outsourced it to the same crappy shop each time which would mean the same bad mechanic that did it the first time, also did the 2nd time.

So my advice would be:
A) go to a totally independent Toyota mechanic and ask them who does the pressing
B) make sure it is not the same place the dealer takes it over to.
C) Go to a different Toyota dealer, any dealer is obligated to honor the work of another, I believe

:bat:

As a Toyota tech, you are kind of right. At my shop, we are obligated to warranty the parts for one year from the original purchase, but not the labor if the work was performed at another shop. Say you went to shop "A", and they didn't do the axle seals properly, so you brought it to me. We would warranty the parts with receipt, but you would be paying me to put in new axle seals because I/my shop didn't do them in the first place.

And what's this outsourcing crap? The ONLY things we send out are seats and paint work. I have personally ate an afternoon from not placing the reluctor ring properly on a T4R rear axle, causing an abs light. Just an FYI of how my stealership would do it.

 

[96Blacklimited]

Had or have a similar issue. All started when my Ex-girlfriend i think loosened the nuts on my wheel and while driving to school one morning i heard a wired noise. When i looked in my drive-side mirror i could see that my left rear tire was about to fall off its housing and the nuts were flying out onto the street; the tire was being held up by 1 nut that's almost off its threads. I got the tire on and got it home, but a few day later, my D/S rear axle was leaking bad. did some search and tackled the problem (replace the seal) myself, but that only lasted a few days. My dad then told me that the bearings might have went bad, so i took it to Kittrells (only place that had the machine that can press the bearings on and off) and had them install a new bearing, but it started to leak after a 2 days. When i took it back to Kittrells, the mechanic though i did not replace the wheel seal, but after i told him i did, they (kittrells) re-pressed a new bearing in but also noticed that it was off a few centimeters. Unfortunately, my D/S rear axle still leaks (not really bad, i can smell the gear oil burning on the break pad if i travel long distances) and i think that my shaft might be slightly bent a bit. I want to replace the entire shaft but its hard to find another limiter with 4:30 gears. Funny thing is my diff lockers works fine

96 Limited 4x4 (98xxx) with diff lockers

 

[Blueman2]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I am pretty sure the dealership did the actual work. When I took it back the second time, the tech who did the work came out and had to put some stickers on the work order. I was guessing that he ate the time. Ater I got it back together, I called and told them the ABS light was on and they said they would check it out, just to let them know when I was bringing it in. I have been dealing with the leaking seal and have not taken the truck in yet but will take it next week. I am really hoping this last seal install solves the leak on the left side.