I’m doing the rear axle seal replacement when I was pressing the shaft and bearing out of the backing plate. My grandpa and I noticed that this bearing looked weird. We’ve already done this before on my other 4Runner. Would this have happened from pressing the bearing out or was this caused just from driving. The inner race is one piece it just looks weird, we also noticed that the spacer above it fits perfectly in it. It doesn’t match the bearing from my other 4Runner which is a 2000. It also doesn’t match the bearing on the other side of this car which is a 2001. Is the shaft damaged where the bearing seal ride, like squished. Still learning cars. Thanks.
Rear axle seal replacement
- Thread starter LeMonke
- Start date
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Sparky 97Runner
New member
Interesting. Good to know. I was a little baffled by the pictures at first thinking that all 3rd gen axle bearings were the same. Would it be safe to assume that the OP somehow ended up with a pre 2001 axle on the opposite side? Or would a pre 2001 bearing, retainer, etc work on a 2001-2002 axle?
mtbtim
Elite Member
The 01 & 02 axles have a bevel that mates up with the bevel on the bearing. The 01 & 02 bearings and axles are different than the 96-00 bearings and axles. I would not install a 96-00 bearing on an 01 or 02 axle.
The retainers, ABS tone ring and the snap ring are the same for all the 3rd Gen years.
BTW, if you need to replace the axle and order a Dorman 630-500 specified for 2001/2 4Runner, it comes with the wrong bearing. It comes with the '96-'00 non-extended race one. I (and probably others) notified them, with pictures and details. I'm not sure they care. Other than that, the axle works just fine.
