Axel Seals Leaking, Did you replace wheel bearings?
- Thread starter SJC4Runner
- Start date
JZiggy
Senior Member
Great info about axle seals here, guys. I am contemplating just doing the seals on my truck as well. I went through the hassle with a 1st gen 4Runner once and the original bearings were totally fine. Granted, in that design (if I recall) you had to press the bearing out to get to the inner seal anyway.
Has anyone had good luck with Marlin Crawler's inner axle seals? (I know they do not work with ABS vehicles) Any reason to try this rather than OEM?
Has anyone had good luck with Marlin Crawler's inner axle seals? (I know they do not work with ABS vehicles) Any reason to try this rather than OEM?
Sean K.
New member
Youch. I can't believe the cost of living in Canada. Pay rates must be substantially better than in the US.
stivine6
New member
Tell me about it. Everything in Canada is generally more expensive. My car insurance is $400/month including my 4runner and protege. The housing market is insane, average detached and semi-detached homes here in Toronto are at least 800k. A 1 bedroom condo is now minimum 300k
Sean K.
New member
Are home/condo buyers just leveraged up to their eyeballs or are pay rates extremely high in the area? I don't understand housing bubbles.....homes are a durable consumer good....you don't want them to be "investments".
Jhelms
New member
If you are doing all the work to disconnect the brake lines, drain diff fluid, pull shafts and clean up / replace the shoes... why not change the bearings? IMO foolish not to as the bearings do not cost that much. Do it right and you are in for the long haul.
For the AZ people, I offer press work or the full job:
- $150 for press work if you bring me your axle shafts and new bearings
- $650 for the full job out the door which includes nachi bearings, oem seals, oem shoes & fluids (valvoline gear and brake fluid). I also maintenance or replace stock breather depending on the condition.
Just offering side work to help pay for new tools, shop toys and family needs.
For the AZ people, I offer press work or the full job:
- $150 for press work if you bring me your axle shafts and new bearings
- $650 for the full job out the door which includes nachi bearings, oem seals, oem shoes & fluids (valvoline gear and brake fluid). I also maintenance or replace stock breather depending on the condition.
Just offering side work to help pay for new tools, shop toys and family needs.
Sean K.
New member
Why would you drain the diff fluid to change the seals? ***EDIT*** Guess it all depends on how you've been using the truck and the maintenance schedule you're on....obviously, if you've been driving in dusty environment or through deep water once the seal's gone bad....you're diff fluid is likely to be contaminated. I caught mine before it really even started dripping down the drums.... My point was: when you jack up one side at a time, the gear oil isn't going to leak out. I didn't spill a drop out of the housing when I changed seals. ***
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Jhelms
New member
Indeed, if you do one side at a time. I just lift the arse end, support with 4 jack stands (2 frame 2 axle). With the way most maintain their cars... I replace the fluid as a standard. That way everything is good to go and the owner has no worries for a long time. It's only 2.6qts so not super expensive.
blaze17
New member
I had a seal start leaking immediately after a kid working at the tire shop beat the bajeezus out of the drum with a huge hammer to get it off. :redbrick: The tire shop insisted that a bearing had to be pressed out to replace the seal. :ybrick: I then had the seal replaced at a dealership with no bearing removal necessary. Been good so far about 10k miles.
SJC4Runner
Member
Thought I would give an update. I few months ago I had replaced one seal and the rear brakes on one side. I had checked the bearing and it was basically within tolerances, so I put some more axle bearing grease in the bearing and did my best to clean out the diff fluid that had leaked into it.
Upon installing the new seal I had pushed the seal in too far to make good contact, so I had to get another one to put in. This time I made sure it wasn't driven fully down and gave it another 1-2mm. I am not exactly sure where the seal is sitting as my grease wasn't colored. I gave up on that and just stuck it back together. I drove it for a week, but then I started getting weird brake vibrations. I pulled out the ABS sensor and thought I saw diff oil, but when I pulled it apart a month and 1/2 later(this thanksgiving weekend) it was clean. I suspect my flashlight was reflecting some of the abs rings ridges. On the bottom of the axle shaft there was a few drips of oil, but I think it was only from the axle being pulled out as the bearing didn't have any diff oil on it. I stuck it back together again without doing anything.
I also did the same thing on the other side that weekend too. I didn't check the bearing this time, but it seemed to be like the other side, rotating freely with little play and no sounds. I also pushed more axle grease in it.
I had a pretty annoying time getting the brakes to bleed, which I commented on in another thread. I am going to check the axles again at Christmas break and the run out on the bearing for the other side. I suspect it's in good shape because of the amount of original axle bearing grease inside it, unlike the first side which had been washed out by the diff oil.
Anyway to anyone doing this, I would get some extra retainer rings in case you need to cut it off so that you can leave more of gap between it and the ABS ring and/or reverse the bevel. If my seals leak again I will be doing that. Stupid Toyota and their stupid ass redesigned seal.
Upon installing the new seal I had pushed the seal in too far to make good contact, so I had to get another one to put in. This time I made sure it wasn't driven fully down and gave it another 1-2mm. I am not exactly sure where the seal is sitting as my grease wasn't colored. I gave up on that and just stuck it back together. I drove it for a week, but then I started getting weird brake vibrations. I pulled out the ABS sensor and thought I saw diff oil, but when I pulled it apart a month and 1/2 later(this thanksgiving weekend) it was clean. I suspect my flashlight was reflecting some of the abs rings ridges. On the bottom of the axle shaft there was a few drips of oil, but I think it was only from the axle being pulled out as the bearing didn't have any diff oil on it. I stuck it back together again without doing anything.
I also did the same thing on the other side that weekend too. I didn't check the bearing this time, but it seemed to be like the other side, rotating freely with little play and no sounds. I also pushed more axle grease in it.
I had a pretty annoying time getting the brakes to bleed, which I commented on in another thread. I am going to check the axles again at Christmas break and the run out on the bearing for the other side. I suspect it's in good shape because of the amount of original axle bearing grease inside it, unlike the first side which had been washed out by the diff oil.
Anyway to anyone doing this, I would get some extra retainer rings in case you need to cut it off so that you can leave more of gap between it and the ABS ring and/or reverse the bevel. If my seals leak again I will be doing that. Stupid Toyota and their stupid ass redesigned seal.
SJC4Runner
Member
I don't see how the kid beating on a brake drum would cause the seal to leak. It was probably already leaking. I could see there being damage to the axle bearing, but not the seal.
diverscale
Member
You need to re-position the retainer that goes against the seal. I used 2 pry bars (one on each side of the retainer) against some stuff and the abs ring and it got up into position pretty easily. Took 5 minutes, the retainer isn't pressed very tight against the axle shaft. You can also use my trick in the axle seal main thread if you have access to a bearing separator.
SJC4Runner
Member
Thanks I might try that if they are leaking at Christmas.
