Does Any California Bay Area Member Need a Rear Axle Seal Repair?

[mtbtim]

[MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I helped [MENTION=148218]JZiggy[/MENTION] with replacing his rear axle seals and bearings on his Non-ABS 4runner (video coming to a theatre near you) and now we'd like to do an axle seal job for somebody with ABS.

So, if you're in the Bay Area and in need of a Rear Axle Seal job, we'd like to do it for you for the low low cost of lunch and some beers. We will of course be videoing the whole thing so you'll have to be ok with that.

Let us know who you are and why you should be the deserving recipient of this work in case we get more than one person who needs it.

 

[infamousRNR]

[MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I helped [MENTION=148218]JZiggy[/MENTION] with replacing his rear axle seals and bearings on his Non-ABS 4runner (video coming to a theatre near you) and now we'd like to do an axle seal job for somebody with ABS

Let us know who you are and why you should be the deserving recipient of this work in case we get more than one person who needs it.

I would like to add that it would be ideal if your axle seal is leaking... I.e. Your rear drum/wheel is "wet" ... that means you ACTUALLY need to replace it.

With that said, if yours is wet, you will potentially need all new brake shoe components.

JZiggy's passenger side had some sort of slow leak as we found more sludge than just brake dust. The drivers side was completely dry... just brake dust on that side.




.

 

[rubymac]

One of them even showed me, and showed me and little brake dust, but I didn't anything wet. I have no idea though. I'm a complete noob, and have only been trying to learn about vehicle mechanics for a little bit. I hope to one day be a bad-ass chick, able to at least do my own basic maintenance!

I still need to get tires a and replace my timing belt, so I might have them give it one more look. But this seems it must be a common thing in 4runners. I'm definitely concerned. Is this a common problem?

 

[shahsmerdis]

Do you guys take north east rust belt vehicles? I'm sure they would be very educational. If only, who ever luck guy or gal good luck!



Thanks guys for your time and hard work.

 

[mtbtim]

Do you guys take north east rust belt vehicles? I'm sure they would be very educational. If only, who ever luck guy or gal good luck!



Thanks guys for your time and hard work.

I don't know, we're spoiled out here on the West Coast and the thought of having to PB Blast everything and be ready to strip or break nuts and bolts doesn't sound like a good time to me. We did help a dude from Colorado with LCA bushings and we had to cut two of the bushings out so I guess we got a small taste of what it's like working on rigs that can have rusted on parts.

I don't know, if a Rust Belt 3rd Gen Brother or Sister was passing through Cali and needed some help, I'd most likely lend them a hand if I wasn't stuck at work.

 

[mtbtim]

One of them even showed me, and showed me and little brake dust, but I didn't anything wet. I have no idea though. I'm a complete noob, and have only been trying to learn about vehicle mechanics for a little bit. I hope to one day be a bad-ass chick, able to at least do my own basic maintenance!

I still need to get tires a and replace my timing belt, so I might have them give it one more look. But this seems it must be a common thing in 4runners. I'm definitely concerned. Is this a common problem?

Miss Ruby, if you're for real and not a spambot, yes, the rear axle seals failing is very much a common problem with 3rd Gen 4runners.

I mentioned spambot because it seems all the spambot fake posters have 4 posts to their name.

 

[shoota]

Yep it's common, just redid mine. Hopefully the new seal does better than the last one.

 

[rubymac]

Miss Ruby, if you're for real and not a spambot, yes, the rear axle seals failing is very much a common problem with 3rd Gen 4runners.

I mentioned spambot because it seems all the spambot fake posters have 4 posts to their name.

I'm not a bot. I just bought a 4runner. I'm still trying to figure out how this whole forum works... (as you can see I accidentally edited my post several times..)

I am also a total car noob with a vagina, trying to learn!

(Also, I was told it was the right/rear WHEEL CYLINDER not the axel seal, which I've been informed are different...)

Not sure if there's a way to private message, as to not clog up this thread.... but if anyone has info they are willing to share, let me know!

 

[Yotad0sRunner]

Deng wish you guys were in So Cal, I'd gladly let you guys do work on my runner!

 

[infamousRNR]

I'm not a bot. I just bought a 4runner. I'm still trying to figure out how this whole forum works... (as you can see I accidentally edited my post several times..)

I am also a total car noob with a vagina, trying to learn!

(Also, I was told it was the right/rear WHEEL CYLINDER not the axel seal, which I've been informed are different...)

Not sure if there's a way to private message, as to not clog up this thread.... but if anyone has info they are willing to share, let me know!

You mention you have a vagina... so you must be a female... but i have had the pleasure of meeting males with vaginas.... not literally.. but figuratively. So no matter what you have, don't sell yourself short. Anyone can take on car repairs. & you are correct... the wheel cylinder going bad is also something that can happen... IF your wheel cylinder went bad that is a MUCH easier repair than the axle seal.... basically you just take off a wheel, then your drum & have immediate access to the wheel cylinder .... the axle seal requires you to drain your differential & then remove the entire right or left side axle... I would say you're lucky if it was just your wheel cylinder.


You should make friends with [MENTION=5345]habanero[/MENTION] ... she's super knowledgeable & has tons of great tips n' tricks from many years of wrenching in her own rig.

At any event. Check out TIM's YouTube channel & start studying. We have lots of "how to" videos.

& don't forget to subscribe!

 

[habanero]

[MENTION=153168]rubymac[/MENTION] -
make sure you get infamousRNR's message- don't sell yourself short! Glad to see you're trying to figure out how to take care of your own truck whether you have a vagina or a penis (!) and I can't believe I just typed that! A forum like this is a great place to start learning, lots of pics and info and helpful people here. He's also being very nice, I'm still learning and hopefully will be for the rest of my life.

For brakey stuff like the wheel cylinder (that's the doo-dad inside the drum that pushes the brake shoes outwards against the drum and helps stop the truck) it would definitely be good to get some help. Someone with some experience to show you how to replace the wheel cylinder and prolly the shoes, how to break open and cap the brake line, and adjusting and bleeding the brakes is kinda important. Get your hands dirty and do the work, just have somebody around with some pointers.

The rear wheel seal sits just inside the axle tube which the axle that is attached to the back of the brake drum slides into. It's a fairly common fail and not hard to deal with. As maintenance I like to check the breather valve that sits at the top of the differential on a stock truck to make sure it's freed up and working. A clogged breather can cause a leaking seal. It's not the only possible cause, but easy enough to check now and then.

Our local 4x club has occasional wrenching days where people can help each other out, do you have an option like that?

The videos mtbtim has mentioned have been really good, at least the ones I've seen. Glad to see another chick on board, we all have to start somewhere no matter what sort of stuff is going on in our pants.

 

[mtbtim]

I'm not a bot. I just bought a 4runner. I'm still trying to figure out how this whole forum works... (as you can see I accidentally edited my post several times..)

I am also a total car noob with a vagina, trying to learn!

(Also, I was told it was the right/rear WHEEL CYLINDER not the axel seal, which I've been informed are different...)

Not sure if there's a way to private message, as to not clog up this thread.... but if anyone has info they are willing to share, let me know!

Ruby, if you want to learn about maintaining and fixing your own rig, I think that's awesome. PM me to your hearts content and I'll help you to the best of my ability.

Here's a link to the YouTube channel [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] (aka Sean) and I started together. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9EMiD9KPy61kJ6hdXcbjxA
There's lots of helpful videos for 3rd Gen owners. Maybe start with the "30,000 Mile Service" video. Knowing how to change all your fluids, inspect your brakes and replace an air filter is important Maintenance 101 info.

Do Not rely on the fact the previous owner took good care of it. I recently rebooted cv axles for another member and he literally only had a 1/2 cup of gear oil in his front differential and he had owned the truck for 2 years and had been recently wheeling it. He admitted he had never checked the differential gear oil. Big mistake.

So, I suggest you start fresh by renewing all your fluids if you haven't already. Renew your engine oil, engine coolant, transmission fluid, transfer case gear oil, and both differential gear oils. Replace your air filter if it needs it. If you have a lot of miles, consider replacing the fuel filter. Check the spark plugs and see how they're looking. If they're worn, replace them and possibly the wires too. I could go on and on so just make sure all your fluids are good for now.

2 things a lot of members replace as preventative maintenance are the Lower Ball Joints and the Radiator. Ball joint failure is fairly common with our rigs and there's been enough reports of the transmission cooler failure in the radiator causing a mixing of the coolant and transmission fluid that will ruin the automatic transmission that inspire people to replace the radiator or bypass the cooler and run an external trans cooler.

I think maybe I gave you too much info so don't stress. Take your time and tackle one thing at a time. You came to the right place for help. This forum is a wealth of knowledge and we'll help you out. As a general rule, do a google search for your questions and you'll most likely find a thread on this forum or another related to what you're trying to figure out. If you still have a question after doing some research, either post a question on an existing related thread or start a new thread.

Happy Wrenching 3rd Gen Sister!

 

[mtbtim]

[MENTION=153168]rubymac[/MENTION] -
The rear wheel seal sits just inside the axle tube which the axle that is attached to the back of the brake drum slides into. It's a fairly common fail and not hard to deal with. As maintenance I like to check the breather valve that sits at the top of the differential on a stock truck to make sure it's freed up and working. A clogged breather can cause a leaking seal. It's not the only possible cause, but easy enough to check now and then.

Well, the rear axle seal repair is actually fairly involved. It's not just a simple case of removing an old seal and popping in a new one. Since Toyota redesigned the axle seals a while back and the lip of the seal now sits more inboard, you need to reposition the seal retainer on the axle. And, if your seals went and you didn't notice until you saw gear oil spewed out on the inside of one of the rear wheels, or you noticed some brake pulling because the brake shoes are coated in gear oil, your wheel bearing grease might have been washed out and a bearing failure is coming.

Usually when somebody has a failed axle seal, it's time to pull the axles and replace the whole enchilada on both sides because it just makes sense. So, you either have a press and buy or make some special tools or you take your axles to a machine shop to take off the retainers, ABS sensor rotor and bearing and press new parts on.

So, is this job doable for a DIY mechanic? Sho nuff. Would I qualify this as an easy job? Maybe if all I'm doing is pulling the axles and giving them to a reliable machine shop to do the pressing. If you're doing everything yourself, it's a fairly involved repair.

 

[habanero]

Okay. Easy enough for me on the 96 though if whole enchilada I do have a good guy who understands Toyota's gaps do the presswork. I don't own a press. I doubt rubymac does either, but nonetheless I stand corrected.

 

[mtbtim]

Okay. Easy enough for me on the 96 though if whole enchilada I do have a good guy who understands Toyota's gaps do the presswork. I don't own a press. I doubt rubymac does either, but nonetheless I stand corrected.

When [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I helped [MENTION=148218]JZiggy[/MENTION] with his rear axle seal job on his non-ABS rig, we realized it was best to flip the retainer around so the seal would ride on the polished surface of the retainer better. In the OEM orientation with the bevel facing the seal, the lip of the seal barely rides on the polished part of the retainer. Over time with a little bit of bearing play, the lip of the seal will sometimes be riding on the non-polished bevel and the seal will prematurely fail. When you flip the retainer around (bevel facing the bearing), the lip of the seal pretty much rides right in the middle of the polished area of the retainer which is much better. We can't take credit for this idea though, [MENTION=78997]Drcoffee[/MENTION] came up with the the retainer flip.

If you don't flip the retainer, your only other choice is to not drive in the seal in all the way so it meets up with the retainer better. With a non-ABS rear end, you can't adjust the retainer position because it has to be pressed flush with the bearing in order to get the c-clip on. So, you either flip the retainer like we did or you don't drive the seal in all the way.

This is not just a problem with non-ABS rigs. The same goes for the ABS rigs. You need to change the position of the inner retainer on the axle. Some just move the retainer inboard more on the axle but then the retainer is coming pretty close to rubbing the inside of the axle housing. Many use [MENTION=78997]Drcoffee[/MENTION] technique and flip the retainer so the seal is riding more in the center of the polished part of the retainer and it's not close to rubbing the inside of the axle housing.

If you did replace one of your axle seals, did you do the grease test to see where the lip of the new seal is riding on the retainer? With [MENTION=148218]JZiggy[/MENTION] rig, we put the new seal in first, installed the axle with the retainer still in the OEM orientation and the grease test showed the seal was barely on the shoulder of the polished part of the retainer. If your bearings are original, then there's definitely some play and the seal will sometimes be riding on the non-polished bevel. Depending on how long ago you replaced the seal, it could already be leaking on you. It probably wound't be a bad idea to pull your drums to see if any gear oil is leaking into your brake area.

Ok, enough Rear Axle Seal 101.

 

[habanero]

I've r&r'd both axles and in both cases it was my bearings that went bad, not my seals. Very well aware of the problem since sometime around 2006 thanks to the shop that pressed my stuff on the 1st axle and screwed it up. Had it redone on their dime after proving their mistake about the seal barely touching the retainer at all. Lived and learned and so did he. A little scary the shop was recommended by the local Toy dealership.....but anyhow....I learned that lesson over a decade ago. Like I said, hope to keep learning all the rest of my life.

The machine shop I have used since who is awesome is well aware of 3rd gen rear axle spacing. On the 2nd axle it was done perfectly. That was a couple of years ago and no leaks here. Actually all the machine work he's done for us has been terrific, primo guy.

You know, though, it is an excellent point to bring up as not everybody knows the 3rd gen's potentially dirty little secret. Dr. Coffee's thoughts and threads on the subject make for some interesting reading. He was just a little later than when I needed him.

 

[mtbtim]

I've r&r'd both axles and in both cases it was my bearings that went bad, not my seals. Very well aware of the problem since sometime around 2006 thanks to the shop that pressed my stuff on the 1st axle and screwed it up. Had it redone on their dime after proving their mistake about the seal barely touching the retainer at all. Lived and learned and so did he. A little scary the shop was recommended by the local Toy dealership.....but anyhow....I learned that lesson over a decade ago. Like I said, hope to keep learning all the rest of my life.

The machine shop I have used since who is awesome is well aware of 3rd gen rear axle spacing. On the 2nd axle it was done perfectly. That was a couple of years ago and no leaks here. Actually all the machine work he's done for us has been terrific, primo guy.

You know, though, it is an excellent point to bring up as not everybody knows the 3rd gen's potentially dirty little secret. Dr. Coffee's thoughts and threads on the subject make for some interesting reading. He was just a little later than when I needed him.

I let my local Toyota dealership do my axle seals when i found out a press was needed and many people shared horror stories with their axles being screwed up by a machine shop. Boy do I regret that decision. I got bent over for $1500 and they did it wrong. The mechanic that did the job didn't even know what a grease test was and the driver side was leaking when I checked it by pulling the ABS sensor. I took it back to the dealer and schooled the mechanic who did the job. It was this experience that pushed me to start doing more of my own mechanic work because I realized I could do just as good of a job if not better than the shops with their certified mechanics I'm paying bookoo bucks to.

If I would have known at the time I could get a press at Harbor Freight for $200, I would have bought the other necessary tools and done the job myself. Part of the reason why I want to do this repair for someone is to sort of redeem myself for letting myself get bent over at the dealership.

 

[Tyler James Inc]

I'm just here cause someone said vagina [emoji322][emoji1373]
That's cool you threw this offer out- hopefully someone in need will come through, and you guys can make another good video. Nice guys you are [emoji1360]
And to Miss Ruby- cool you're wanting to get down on learning about your rig. I don't think you could find a more friendly forum!

 

[phattyduck]

Ah! I have all of the parts (all OEM) in a box in the garage waiting to do this. Seals, retainers, ABS rings, new bearings, etc. Currently leaking into the ABS section of the housing, but not out to the brakes yet.

If you don't find anybody actually local, I have 3 free weekends in February to come up from SoCal... I was going to do it at a buddy's house, but neither of us have personal experience with this and I'd like to know it'll be 100% right after all the work is done.

-Charlie

 

[Mark_BC]

Thanks Tim, looking forward to this one. I think I'll take your advice and get a press and do it myself, I am learning to trust shops less and less.