Rear axle woes

[beerstash]

The left side on the rear axle has sprung a leak. Dark black fluid is coming out and has sprayed the tire and everything underneath on that side and wheel well. What's gone wrong? Rear axle seal? How much is it going to repair? Thanks in advance

 

[StreetKill831]

Axle seal is bad. What usually happens is the breather on the axle stops allowing air out and the hot gear oil/air has nowhere to go so it pushes out the axle seals and passed the barring into the brake housing and then leaks out.

If you have some basic tools you can band-aid the problem by just buying new seals and replacing them. However it is a good idea to replace the barrings too since they have had oil pushed through them.

Read this:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...e-information-replacement-thread-3rd-gen.html

 

[Nelsonmd]

If the fluid coming out is dark and black, then you desperately need to replace your gear oil. Make sure you do this when you replace the axle seal.

 

[beerstash]

How long can I drive it as is? Don't have time right now but I still have to drive 60 miles round trip to work. Will I be ok or how much damage will be caused?

 

[StreetKill831]

You will be fine. I had the same problem and probably put 20k miles on mine before I finally had the time to do it.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Just check the level of gear oil in your rear diff, make sure you havn't lost much. Keep it topped off and you are fine, though your rear brakes may start sticking.

 

[michael833]

i would advise that you at least take the fives minutes to really wash around the area that has gear oil all over it. especially the drum. take the tire off. give it a wipe. it can get pretty nasty.