Can we repack our bearings??

[03V84R]

Would like to repack the bearings. Had new seals /bearings/ABS wheel installed a year ago and now the sels have leaked and washed out the bearing grease into my drums.
thanks
Jerry

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Your breather vent may be clogged causing your seal problem.


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[03V84R]

breather

Yes, thanks, I will check it tomorrow. Is there a way of replacing the grease that washed out of the bearings?
thanks

Your breather vent may be clogged causing your seal problem.


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[Brian.]

Sealed bearings, so they aren't designed to be repacked. You could Try removing the plastic side, though the ABS ring would make it next to impossible, and do your best to pack some grease in there, but it'd be a short-term fix if it fixed anything at all. Absolutely no way to access the other side of the seal without pressing everything apart, at which point you're 99% of the way to just replacing the thing.

Have you watched Timmy doing this job to see what's going on? My guess is that the seal retainer (piece that the seal rungs against) wasn't flipped to compensate for the redesigned Toyota OEM seal.

YouTube

Even if you're not going to do the work yourself, it's helpful to know so you can point out issues to a mechanic (who doesn't know every detail of every job) any potential issues so you don't end up back in the same place again a year later.

 

[alumarine]

I don't think it's grease you're seeing but gear oil.
What makes you think it's grease?

Have you checked the fluid level in your rear differential?

 

[03V84R]

muck/brakes

I don't think it's grease you're seeing but gear oil.
What makes you think it's grease?

Have you checked the fluid level in your rear differential?

Diff is close to full and clean, its thick pasty and grey, like grease mixed with gear oil.

 

[Riceye]

Is there a way of replacing the grease that washed out of the bearings?

Short answer - yes. As long as the bearing has not been damaged by the washout.

Several years ago I replaced my leaking rear axle seals. As it turns out the problem was the breather, but both bearings were filled with a mix of gear oil and grease. I placed the pulled axle in a vise, carefully popped out the seal from one side and cleaned the bearing innards with an aerosol parts cleaner. After thoroughly drying the bearing I re-greased with a high quality wheel bearing grease, reinserted the seal and reinstalled the axle(s). No further leakage since that time and no bearing failures.

I've used this same procedure on many other sealed bearings through the years including the a/c idler pulley on my t4r.

 

[APhelps]

Sealed bearings, so they aren't designed to be repacked. You could Try removing the plastic side, though the ABS ring would make it next to impossible, and do your best to pack some grease in there, but it'd be a short-term fix if it fixed anything at all. Absolutely no way to access the other side of the seal without pressing everything apart, at which point you're 99% of the way to just replacing the thing.

Have you watched Timmy doing this job to see what's going on? My guess is that the seal retainer (piece that the seal rungs against) wasn't flipped to compensate for the redesigned Toyota OEM seal.

YouTube

Even if you're not going to do the work yourself, it's helpful to know so you can point out issues to a mechanic (who doesn't know every detail of every job) any potential issues so you don't end up back in the same place again a year later.

Flipping the retainer works but flipping it doesn't really actually solve the problem. The important thing to do is make sure the seal is riding correctly on the retainer, regardless of whether it is flipped or not.

 

[03V84R]

Thanks for the inf, thats what I was hoping. My breather is functional. So guess its time to pull the axels and replace the seals. Bummer.
How or what did you use to pull the seal? and from where? outer(wheel side)?
Currently having difficulty removing the ABS sensors so I can remove the axels? any ideas?

thanks again
Jerry

 

[Bad Luck]

Thanks for the inf, thats what I was hoping. My breather is functional. So guess its time to pull the axels and replace the seals. Bummer.
How or what did you use to pull the seal? and from where? outer(wheel side)?
Currently having difficulty removing the ABS sensors so I can remove the axels? any ideas?

thanks again
Jerry

The seal is in your axle housing just inboard of the abs sensor. I used a Lisle seal puller to remove mine. It's not necessary to remove the abs sensor for this job.

 

[APhelps]

Thanks for the inf, thats what I was hoping. My breather is functional. So guess its time to pull the axels and replace the seals. Bummer.
How or what did you use to pull the seal? and from where? outer(wheel side)?
Currently having difficulty removing the ABS sensors so I can remove the axels? any ideas?

thanks again
Jerry

Just use a flat head screwdriver and lightly pry.

As for the rear seals, do not use a seal puller. Use a slide hammer. I left a few little marring marks on my rear axle housing because of a stupid seal puller.

 

[03V84R]

Great info. I thought the ABS sensor had to be removed because it stuck out into the axel tube based on its shape. Good news Im going to order 2 of the new Toyota seals and give this a shot.
Thanks for the help!

cheers
Jerry

 

[Bad Luck]

Great info. I thought the ABS sensor had to be removed because it stuck out into the axel tube based on its shape. Good news Im going to order 2 of the new Toyota seals and give this a shot.
Thanks for the help!

cheers
Jerry

I'd order 3. It's pretty likely that you'll mess the first one up.