rear axle seal leaking! how long do I have?

[LittleCaesar]

You will want OEM shoes if you have the extra $$$. Having used other ones with less than optimal performance, OEM is really the only way to go.

Extend the breather, but more importantly buy a new one. $20 or less at the dealer.

 

[afg10000]

I paid about $1200 for this on the wife's '01. I wish I could have saved some cash and pulled the axles myself and taken them to the machine shop but I had no place to leave the truck on jack stands for a few days. Also, for this job I don't mind paying someone else so if it started leaking again, they'd have to rip it all apart. Did put a new breather on there for good measure. Don't know what year you have but the are some different part #'s between the earlier models and the latter ones. Somewhere in BFAD's thread I posted the #'s for the '01-'02 trucks if that's any help.

 

[JayRolla]

Few years back i did this, changed just the seal. $5 fix, still no leaks. My wheel bearings "feel" solid still.

 

[Arnezie]

Yeah when I get it back from him I'm definitely going to do the breather MOD. And I ordered Toyota shoes and Toyota seal however the O-ring I'm going to have to get from the local auto parts store can't seem to find it online with free shipping I'm not paying for shipping

 

[nevada]

Am I correct that if the bearings are good all that needs does is the seal? And new brake shoes of course.

if you catch it soon enough, you can get away with just changing the seal. super easy, and cheap.

however if it goes too long and washes out the bearing, or if the bearing is bad, and it took out the seal, its much more expensive and involved.

DrCoffee, you have investigated this more than almost anyone.
The axel seal sits inboard of the bearing, right?
Is it true that, if gear oil has made it's way out past the outer dust seal, as far as the brake area of the rear axel, that the gear oil has by definition passed through and therefore contaminated the grease inside the rear wheel bearings?
Not having seen the assembly in person, in front of me, I still don't have a good mental picture of the whole thing based on the FSM drawings.

yes. though I have changed JUST the seal many times over the years with good results. it depends on how quickly you catch the leak.

Few years back i did this, changed just the seal. $5 fix, still no leaks. My wheel bearings "feel" solid still.

yep, have done this a bunch.

 

[JohnMc]

As mentioned already, oil leaking past the seal *can* (but not necessarily) wash out the grease from the bearing. Then the oil doesn't hang around in the bearing long enough and it goes dry, then the bearing can go bad.

And unless the bearing is already bad, or you have a lot of miles on the car, you might just check the axle housing breather. Mine had started leaking a little on the passenger side (at around 180K miles). The breather cap was stuck solid. Freed that up, cleaned the oil out of the drum, and it never happened again. I have 203K miles on it now. When it warms up the air in the axle expands, if it can't get out of that housing it's going past the seals and it will take some oil with it.

 

[Drcoffee]

DrCoffee, you have investigated this more than almost anyone.
The axel seal sits inboard of the bearing, right?
Is it true that, if gear oil has made it's way out past the outer dust seal, as far as the brake area of the rear axel, that the gear oil has by definition passed through and therefore contaminated the grease inside the rear wheel bearings?
Not having seen the assembly in person, in front of me, I still don't have a good mental picture of the whole thing based on the FSM drawings.

Hard to say. My bearings have 40,000 miles on them after having gear oil flow thru 3x. And they are just fine. I guess it depends on how long the seal has leaked. But the gear oil has to pass thru the bearing to reach the tire. Lube is lube. I dont think gear oil is any less lubricting than bearing grease. Bear grease will stay put, but it would take a lot of gear oil to flush out enough bearing grease to leave the bearing dry. If that makes sense.

 

[willbgood]

Well I just had my Indy mechanic look at it and he says the bearing should be ok still. He will know for sure when he gets it apart and that he can't do until Friday but the one seal and new shoes on both sides he's charging me $250 for labor with my supplied parts. I'm working 16hr days during the week and it's hunting season on weekends so I'm happy to pay to have it done. Just hope bearings are good

I like your prioritization weekend hunting is well worth the cost of this repair!

 

[111db]

If you attempt this on your own, pay specific attention to where the bearing retainer is pressed on to the axle... the distance from the face of the axle flange is critical. If you don't get it in the right spot where it mates with the seal, oil will leak past it as if the seal was bad. I found out the hard way and had to tear it all apart again to move the retainer (not to mention buy a new set of brake shoes). You can't just pound the retainer down to where it doesn't go any further... that's too far. Here is the critical measurement:

 

[pluton]

Hard to say. My bearings have 40,000 miles on them after having gear oil flow thru 3x. And they are just fine. I guess it depends on how long the seal has leaked. But the gear oil has to pass thru the bearing to reach the tire. Lube is lube. I dont think gear oil is any less lubricting than bearing grease. Bear grease will stay put, but it would take a lot of gear oil to flush out enough bearing grease to leave the bearing dry. If that makes sense.

Yeah, makes sense: All grease is is oil suspended in soap. It's the oil that does the lubricating, the soap just keeps it one place.

 

[D Farms]

so this special service tool is basically a tube with a flange at one end that bolts to the brake and at the other end it has lips that stick out so the axle can be pressed out correct?

I also found this here you can buy the tool if you cannot fabricate it yourself. http://www.toolsource.com/rear-axle-shaft-puller-toyota-p-108128.html

I have an elocked axle in my garage that I want to replace all the serviceable components on here pretty soon, and this is on the list.

 

[Arnezie]

I like your prioritization weekend hunting is well worth the cost of this repair!

Give up a weekend of hunting or pay someone $250 to do a job and not have to mess with it myself ??? Yes I'll go hunting

 

[WallyWest]

So, what are the early warning signs of a leaky seal? I want to keep an eye on mine so I can hopefully catch it early and get away with the cheap repair instead of the seal + brakes + bearings crap.

As for preventative measures I plan on replacing the breather, maybe extending it too, and changing the rear diff oil. Anything else I should do? Is there a point, mileage wise, where you would just replace the seals on general principles?

 

[willbgood]

So, what are the early warning signs of a leaky seal? I want to keep an eye on mine so I can hopefully catch it early and get away with the cheap repair instead of the seal + brakes + bearings crap.

As for preventative measures I plan on replacing the breather, maybe extending it too, and changing the rear diff oil. Anything else I should do? Is there a point, mileage wise, where you would just replace the seals on general principles?

Oil?

 

[111db]

The bottom of the backing plate will look wet. Its easy to see if you get underneath to look. Its nothing to stress about - just check it occasionally.

 

[Arnezie]

The bottom of the backing plate will look wet. Its easy to see if you get underneath to look. Its nothing to stress about - just check it occasionally.

Just this. I crawled underneath to see how badly rusted my Rear differential was because I wanted to change the fluid this week and noticed the drivers side backing plate wet with greasy messiness

 

[Arnezie]

Well my indy called me this afternoon , drivers side was defiantly leaking bad. He replaced the seal gave the bearings a clean bill of health however when he went to put the new shoes on the passenger side he found that the passenger side was also leaking just enough to saturate the inside of the drum. :cry2: so since that was 1630hrs and no Yota dealer closer than 1 hour it won't be done until Monday:happens:

 

[Arnezie]

What a pain in the arse. My Indy got it last Friday did the drivers side then when he went to do the passenger side shoes noticed that side was also leaking. I told him replace it too. Well he couldn't get another seal until Monday. Picked up Monday and terrible brakes went home looked and it's leaking on both sides pretty bad. Stopped by his shop Wednesday and he's supposed to re do it today [emoji35] should have skipped hunting and did it myself

 

[azcat90]

Parts

IF someone other than the dealer is fixing it make sure they use a Toyota axle seal - the aftermarket seals are garbage. I believe Toyota redesigned them from factory version. Pep Boys did mine on my 2000 Ltd (wasn't my choice - I was out of town) and they put garbage seals on there. Lasted 3 months.

 

[amalik]

Doesn't sound like you chose a Toyota-specific mechanic; or rather a mechanic who has competently done the job in the first place. Even though it seems you already paid him for the job so you are having him re-do it, I would have a hard time trusting the job considering the first time failed :/