I extended my rear diff breather on my 5th gen TE from the axle itself to the gas filler area like I did to my 4th gen SR5 4WD. The first picture shows the stock breather in place. The second picture shows the stock breather removed and the tubing barb fitting that replaced it in the rear axle housing.


I put teflon tape on the tube barb fitting and screwed it into the axle housing. Attached 3/8" fuel tubing with a small hose clamp. I tied the tubing to the suspension link (not sure of proper name) using a cable tie (near bolt head and bracket to left of KDSS cylinder) and made a lazy loop to the plastic trim behind the rear tire where I tied it again with a cable tie.

Fishing the tubing up to the gas filler area was a little tricky. First you have to remove the fuel door latch by removing the screw and then the latch itself. From the inside tool compartment, you can reach the back of the latch and squeeze the ears that hold it in place and push it out. Once these are off, remove the circular metal wires that hold the rubber in place at the outer lip and around the filler tube. Then you can run a coat hanger or something down to the bottom of the fender to attach the tubing and pull it up.
I cut the rubber to the lower right of the filler neck and attached the new breather fitting with a hose clamp(below). After reinstalling the latch and circular metal wires, I duct taped around the hose to minimize dirt entry into the tool compartment inside the fender.

In doing this mod, I discovered that the rear locker housing has a breather (just in front of the rear axle) that is extended to the frame crossmember (just behind the rear axle). Why Toyota did this while leaving the rear axle breather on the axle is not clear to me. I am thinking that maybe I need to use a "tee" to tie the rear locker housing breather into the new elevated breather.
Let me know what y'all think. Other than cutting the rubber around the filler neck, everything can be undone if needed.


I put teflon tape on the tube barb fitting and screwed it into the axle housing. Attached 3/8" fuel tubing with a small hose clamp. I tied the tubing to the suspension link (not sure of proper name) using a cable tie (near bolt head and bracket to left of KDSS cylinder) and made a lazy loop to the plastic trim behind the rear tire where I tied it again with a cable tie.

Fishing the tubing up to the gas filler area was a little tricky. First you have to remove the fuel door latch by removing the screw and then the latch itself. From the inside tool compartment, you can reach the back of the latch and squeeze the ears that hold it in place and push it out. Once these are off, remove the circular metal wires that hold the rubber in place at the outer lip and around the filler tube. Then you can run a coat hanger or something down to the bottom of the fender to attach the tubing and pull it up.
I cut the rubber to the lower right of the filler neck and attached the new breather fitting with a hose clamp(below). After reinstalling the latch and circular metal wires, I duct taped around the hose to minimize dirt entry into the tool compartment inside the fender.

In doing this mod, I discovered that the rear locker housing has a breather (just in front of the rear axle) that is extended to the frame crossmember (just behind the rear axle). Why Toyota did this while leaving the rear axle breather on the axle is not clear to me. I am thinking that maybe I need to use a "tee" to tie the rear locker housing breather into the new elevated breather.
Let me know what y'all think. Other than cutting the rubber around the filler neck, everything can be undone if needed.