Front Axle Seal Question

Stockwell45

Stockwell45

New member
Ever since I removed my front diff to replace my oil pan, I'm leaking gear oil where the CV meets the housing. Obviously the oil seal is bad. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, I'd just order a new seal and install it. The problem is on Friday I am leaving on a 10,000 mile road trip for 5 months that I cannot afford to delay.

My question is, if I order a new oil seal from some dealership and pick it up when I pass by, is it something I can install out in the field without too much difficulty? Seems like most people are able to pry the old ones out with just a screwdriver.

Also, this leak is bad enough that I doubt much oil will be staying in my diff for long. Cruising on the highway, when the front diff is not engaged, it's not a problem if it runs nearly dry of oil right? I could see how the outer bearings by the CV's would need a little oil to stay lubricated but what about the rest of the system?
 
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I saw someone remove this seal on pirate, maybe I8mud for a Taco. I would imagine the 4runner would be similar. Try and google it. I think a few fellow members here have replaced theirs.

How was the oil pan removal? I am going to tackle mine next Spring/Summer (leak on the driver's side).
 
its really easy, the hardest part s removing the cv. i believe the part numbers for the seals are different for the driver and passengers side. I got mine out with the screwdriver method. be careful on the installation because there is no stop on the seal. this means you can push it too far in and then it will leak. so try and make it even with the outside of the diff tube or clamshell if i remember right.

good luck.
 
LittleCaesar said:
I saw someone remove this seal on pirate, maybe I8mud for a Taco. I would imagine the 4runner would be similar. Try and google it. I think a few fellow members here have replaced theirs.

How was the oil pan removal? I am going to tackle mine next Spring/Summer (leak on the driver's side).
Click to expand...

Well I know exactly how it is removed and installed, but I just want to know if it's possible to pry it out with a screw driver out in the woods somewhere, not in a shop full of tools. Not really ideal, but one of the few options I have at this point.

Oil pan was really easy to take out, just remove all the bolts and 2 nuts holding it on and pop it off with a flathead screwdriver. The hard part is taking out that front diff to get to the oil pan, that thing is such a pain.
 
you need some oil, because the carrier is all ways turning. you want to make sure that you get the correct sides seal and make sure you don't push it in too far. i wouldnt want to do it in a parking lot but as long as you can remove the cv axle its not much more work. anyone who is replacing there cv should put a new one on if they havnt already.....


make sure your cv axle shaft is clean and not damaged were it meets the seal or it will just rip the new seal apart too
 
Remember to lube the seal before you put the axle back in too. If it's dry, the axle may destroy the seal before any lube gets in there.

I would think that would be a part you could get fairly quick and as long as you have the time, swap it out before you leave on Friday.
 
snow junky said:
you need some oil, because the carrier is all ways turning. you want to make sure that you get the correct sides seal and make sure you don't push it in too far. i wouldnt want to do it in a parking lot but as long as you can remove the cv axle its not much more work. anyone who is replacing there cv should put a new one on if they havnt already.....


make sure your cv axle shaft is clean and not damaged were it meets the seal or it will just rip the new seal apart too
Click to expand...


The carrier does not spin all the time. It only spins while in 4 wheel drive.

In 2wd, the spider gears spin all the time.

If the OP has enough oil to leak out, he has enough oil to to keep the bearings lubed up. This will be safe enough to use until he gets back. I wouldn't want to use 4wd though. Is the OP going where $WD is needed IE: Snow or off road?
 
Singtoe said:
The carrier does not spin all the time. It only spins while in 4 wheel drive.

In 2wd, the spider gears spin all the time.

If the OP has enough oil to leak out, he has enough oil to to keep the bearings lubed up. This will be safe enough to use until he gets back. I wouldn't want to use 4wd though. Is the OP going where $WD is needed IE: Snow or off road?
Click to expand...

That's what I figured. It's been like that for a while, if anything were to seize up it would have done it by now. Definitely have not been using 4wd.

Nearest dealership to me is 1.5 hours, I was able to have a friend heading that direction pick me up a seal. To answer my original question, it is super easy to throw in a new seal in a parking lot, on the trail or whatever. I only used tools that I carry with me all the time to do the job. I found the best way to remove the seal is with some channel lock pliers.

I'll be heading to Colorado, Wyoming all the way up to North Dakota first, so a well working 4wd system is pretty important. Thanks for everyone's input.
 
Bumping this as I have noticed the seal on the driver side is leaking. I pulled the skid and there was a nice coating over it, now leaving it without the skid on I have a nice little puddle on my driveway.

I have never changed a CV so I wanted to ask is this the best direction for changing one?

Toyota Maintenance: CV Axle Replacement on 3rd Generation 4Runners and Tacomas

Looks like more work than I thought was involved as I have read lot's of you guys change them on the trial.

Also I changed my diff fluid out to lucus oil synthetic, both diffs and transfer earlier this year before I went on a trip. The diff was not leaking before that so I'm wondering should I have stuck to conventional or is it just a mater of old age?
 
Did you get to this repair already Steve? Yes, that link provides good info and it's not as hard as it may seem..... Your situation sounds similar to mine... I just replaced my CV axles since I've got over 170k on them. At first, I noticed a leak that appeared from the boot of my driver side CV axle... figuring that the boot was probably starting to rot, I figured I'd just replace my CV axles with remans from Napa $56/ea... (not worth my time or clean hands to reboot for that price) While taking out the old CVs, I noticed there was no hole in my driver side boot.... I looked and looked.... NOTHING.... come to find out, oil was leaking out of the breather for the front diff that runs up the driver side wheel welll and running down the hose and onto the boot.... so I have new CVs that I probably didn't need right now... lol But, the similarity is, I didn't have my diff overfilled but did recently put some Lucas Oil treatment in with the gear oil when I changed it.... I wonder if you are having a similar experience? Don't know why the Lucas would be causing it to spill out the breather?!?! Oh well, new CVs... and now my seals are leaking and HERE I am, time to pull em and put in new seals too I guess.. lol and try to find out if the Lucas is causing something weird here....
 
Both sides of mine seep a bit, on one side it's bad enough to have covered the skid quite a bit. I did the front output seal on the transfer case not long ago, and I'm sure this will be quite a bit simpler than that. Local Toyota dealer isn't great for finding the parts I need, so I'll bring in one of the old ones when I get them out
 
Everyone seems to have mentioned how easy it is once you get the CV out. One thing I don't see is people mentioning / reminding you is that you need to be able to replace some of that diff fluid that WILL drain out when you remove the axle. Bring some extra diff fluid and the correct tools to get the job done. I think the front diff uses a 10mm Allen, if you have an allen socket in that size use it. Oh another tip, you will not be able to get a bottle up there to just pour /squeeze it into the fill. A hand pump will be your best friend.

Just my 2 cents.. Good luck and travel safely!

EDIT... Feeling like an idiot and not reading the OP date..
 
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awthorn said:
Everyone seems to have mentioned how easy it is once you get the CV out. One thing I don't see is people mentioning / reminding you is that you need to be able to replace some of that diff fluid that WILL drain out when you remove the axle. Bring some extra diff fluid and the correct tools to get the job done. I think the front diff uses a 10mm Allen, if you have an allen socket in that size use it. Oh another tip, you will not be able to get a bottle up there to just pour /squeeze it into the fill. A hand pump will be your best friend.

Just my 2 cents.. Good luck and travel safely!

EDIT... Feeling like an idiot and not reading the OP date..
Click to expand...

Yup, gotta pump some 75W-90 in there when you're done. I'll probably drain mine first rather than have it come out everywhere when I take the axles out
 
JMunn55 said:
Both sides of mine seep a bit, on one side it's bad enough to have covered the skid quite a bit. I did the front output seal on the transfer case not long ago, and I'm sure this will be quite a bit simpler than that. Local Toyota dealer isn't great for finding the parts I need, so I'll bring in one of the old ones when I get them out
Click to expand...

Pay attention to where the seals are set in the dif- maybe take pics. As J-money$$$ mentioned there is no stop- you're just supposed to put it in the right place.

I stuck the seal in the freezer and let it get good and cold- that gave me a few seconds to stick it right in place.

A little useful info:
CV shaft torque 174 ft lb
4 Lower ball joint bolts 59 ft lb and loctite
The fill plug is under all that dirt about midway or so up the front side of the dif- 10mm allen.


Seal in the diff at the axle:
Right side of the front diff where the axle goes in
IMG_9497.jpg~original

seal removed
IMG_9503.jpg~original

new Toyota seal installed.
IMG_9504.jpg~original


Be careful reinstalling the cv shaft. You don't want to knock into and have to do the seal again.
 
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When I did mine, I actually had to back my seal out a bit so it was NOT flush with the opening. When it was flush, it wasn't sealing properly was was leaking a bit. It was like the CV wouldn't go in far enough. So I actually backed my seal out about 1/8th inch.

If you install yours and it's still leaking, you can always put grease on the inside of the seal, insert your CV, the remove the CV and see how far the grease line is on the shaft. This will give you an idea of how well it will seal.
 
Yep. You only get a little time. It works great when the weather (and therefore housing) is warm. Sort of the same principle that's used to get a ring gear onto a flywheel, but without the heating part.
 
I didn't have any issues with temp or need to do the freezer method. I just used a seal driver from harbor freight.
 
Seeing as it's -20 degrees here I might not have any problems anyway. Gonna order then on Monday, as well as the rear driveshaft seal
 
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