Maritimer's Money--Axle Seals

[Maritimer]

Argggggghhhhhh!

My Runner should thank its lucky stars I love it to death.

Oily residue on driver's side rear rim when rotating tires. Axle seals, and bearing while we're at it, and the pads on that brake are ****ed.

--Last week body mounts and ball joints and sway bar links.

--Exhaust from manifolds back in January.

--Plugs, wires, engine tuning, O2 sensor in February.

--Tires last summer.

--Shocks and springs last summer and rear brakes and parking brake last summer.

--Caliper and rotors up front last winter.

--Filler pipe, fuel filter, control arm bushings, rear wiper arm, changed ALL fluids, K&N air filter, transmission mount, countless hours of blood sweat, wire wheeling and black paint/truck bed liner to clean up underneath.

I'm going to have an all new truck if I keep this up.

Still like it more than any 2011-12 model rental I've had in the same period--Escape, Cruze, Focus, Silverado 2500, Sorento, Impala.


LOVE

 

[tbst]

Better to spend $ and have a reliable vehicle.

How much are they charging up there for the axle seals and bearings?

 

[Jungoes]

wow that's some serious love there man, I can see it now on the jerry springer show:
" Men who love their 4runners more than their wife"

:lookout: I share your commitment brother....

 

[LittleCaesar]

Don't forget the belt dressing on the drive belts last year as well.

My list is about 3x as long.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Argggggghhhhhh!

My Runner should thank its lucky stars I love it to death.

Oily residue on driver's side rear rim when rotating tires. Axle seals, and bearing while we're at it, and the pads on that brake are ****ed.

--Last week body mounts and ball joints and sway bar links.

--Exhaust from manifolds back in January.

--Plugs, wires, engine tuning, O2 sensor in February.

--Tires last summer.

--Shocks and springs last summer and rear brakes and parking brake last summer.

--Caliper and rotors up front last winter.

--Filler pipe, fuel filter, control arm bushings, rear wiper arm, changed ALL fluids, K&N air filter, transmission mount, countless hours of blood sweat, wire wheeling and black paint/truck bed liner to clean up underneath.

I'm going to have an all new truck if I keep this up.

Still like it more than any 2011-12 model rental I've had in the same period--Escape, Cruze, Focus, Silverado 2500, Sorento, Impala.


LOVE

This is almost exactly my list, except remove body mounts, tranny mounts and wiper arm, add rear axle housing and rear hatch handle.

Welcome to the rust belt. This is all pretty typical. Not saying it isn't alot of work, but it isn't out of the ordinary. Just look around for how many other 12+ year old vehicles are on the road still. Not alot of them.

 

[Blanco]

That looks more like my to-do list : )

Just kidding - I'm about halfway there. The rust is what kills us up here in the north, just as I get to maintaining/repairing something I snap a bolt off or find something else that's rusted. My frame's not too bad though but I'd kill for a southern truck sometimes.

Maritimer - I need to get underneath and paint my axle soon (I have a POR-15kit ready for it) but would love to see and hear about how and where you cleaned up your underside/frame - welds are getting a bit rusty as well. Hate looking at the rust even if most of it is just surface stuff.

 

[Maritimer]

Better to spend $ and have a reliable vehicle.

How much are they charging up there for the axle seals and bearings?

I think for the seals, bearings, labor and brake pads, and then tax, it will be about $700? It's not done yet, plus I think another part, but not too expensive, got broken during the axle extraction or whatever they call it. The shop I use is an independent, and they took the axle to Toyota for whatever that part of the job was.

 

[Maritimer]

Maritimer - I need to get underneath and paint my axle soon (I have a POR-15kit ready for it) but would love to see and hear about how and where you cleaned up your underside/frame - welds are getting a bit rusty as well. Hate looking at the rust even if most of it is just surface stuff.

I used a wire wheel on an angle grinder and attacked what was accessible with the spare tire dropped and the wheels taken off. I also removed the skid plate and the gas tank skid plate and did those separate. I think nelsonmd did a more thorough job and used the POR-15, whereas I used brush on Rustoleum. It was more for aesthetics after I removed the running boards, and as minor preventative rear end area maintenance. There's still rust, but it's not going to turn into rot.

 

[Maritimer]

Just look around for how many other 12+ year old vehicles are on the road still. Not alot of them.

That's why it's love. Dropping the $$$ is a little shocking at times, but I view it more as an investment. I'll keep dumping money because I love 3rd generations, and the foundation is fairly solid.