She's taking a leak! Rear axle seal leak that is....

[fightman80]

Well, for those of you who don't know, I was suspicious that my Rear Axle Seal was leaking, but didn't really want to admit it to myself! I had hoped that my plugged breather but immediate extension modification, had solved the leak.....(kinda hoped the pressure had let some oil out, without damaging the seal) but it didn't.

After a couple of months of once or twice per week driving, I decided to check and see if the seal had leaked again. If not, I had planned to change the brake shoes today. Unfortunately, I found this:

The brakes were covered, and the seal only slightly wet, so I hoped it was just residue from the brakes being saturated before....but after cleaning it all up, I ran my finger on the outer edge of the seal, and voila: gear oil!

I'm pretty disapointed, and thought a trip to the Stealership was in my near future, but a backyard mechanic friend of mine, offered to do the job with me! I'm gonna pick up the parts this week, and then buy the seal pick and Seal driver in order to do the job on Thursday. My buddy told me to buy those 2 tools, and we're gonna follow BigFish's write-up and see how it goes! I'll probably give him the tools as some sort of payment for doing the job. He's been working on cars since he was a kid, and is now 26, but is trying get his mechanics licence, and could use the tools to add to his tool chest. I figure, we'll get to work on the truck, and hopefully celebrate with a bbq'd meal and maybe a couple of "wobbly pops"!

I'll keep you all posted with pics!

 

[96743runner]

Ouch...good luck to you and your buddy fixing it and looking forward to the pics!

Btw, what is your mileage...just out of curiosity?

 

[michael833]

i wish i had a buddy to help me when i replaced the seals! BigFish's write-up was a great help. best of luck to ya!

 

[jeeper1]

Sorry to hear fightman! At least you have a buddy to help with the fix. Let us know how it turns out! Also, a write-up would be awesome! GL!

 

[henshman]

the seal deal at the stealerships

gents (ladies), just curious what to expect if the job were to be done at the dealer...I had a right rear axle seal job done last september, Acura shop (wife's job) did the bigger labor, Toyota did the pressing of the seals(?). Anyway, long story short, the wife goes for an oil change the other day, I am sure you can see where this is going, and I tell her to tell my mechanic to check the seal, right rear. Sure enough, it's wet, drums too.
So, Acura, kinda of shrugged, but gave the wife a loaner for a few days while they "looked" into it. Shame on me for letting Acura try to do it. Now it needs to be done and the only way I can try to help (from Afghanistan) is to have my uncle call a friend at a Toyota dealership. My uncle has a shop but his lift space is a premium, so off to Toyota it goes. The truck has 105k on it.
Just looking for a guess, I saw the full post (nice job) on how to do it, and I thought I saw $1200. Damn, hope that was for 6 axles, 2 seals each...

Thanks.

 

[trailmix]

Changing the seals that have the metal ring with the rubber lip inside is very easy and straight forward. I just did both of mine the day before last and it took me about an hour start to finish and that inlcuded bleeding the brakes and topping of the rear end with fluid. I use a long handled pair of pliers to pop the seal out and i an spindle nut socket for a superduty to seat the new seal in place. Its the perfect size and only takes a few hits to get the seal seated all the way. Any body could do this in their driveway if you have a hour or two and some simple hand tools like a 10mm and 14 mm wrench, some needle nose to unhook the parking break from the drum and some long pliers or a long screw driver and hammer.

 

[fightman80]

Ouch...good luck to you and your buddy fixing it and looking forward to the pics!

Btw, what is your mileage...just out of curiosity?

Thanks! Mileage is approx. 182 000km's, not sure what that is in Miles.....we're metric here....he he he!

 

[JohnsD90]

I get to do this today...but not on a 4runner.

 

[fightman80]

Sorry to hear fightman! At least you have a buddy to help with the fix. Let us know how it turns out! Also, a write-up would be awesome! GL!

Honestly, Bigfish's write-up is by far the best you'll find around for that fix. I'll post up some pics, but not going to bother trying to compete with him! lol!

Here's a link to his write-up:

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

 

[Blanco]

<Mileage is approx. 182 000km's, not sure what that is in Miles>

About 112,000 miles - good luck with the repair mate. I probably look back there at lease once a week waiting to see if I spring a leak!

 

[Ron Helmuth]

Buddies like that you got to keep fightman.

Dealership prices vary-when I had them do it here, was around $550 or so.

An axle or transmission shop should be able to do this for around half that.

I had rear passenger side axle bearing replaced just recently and had them do that side's seal for $265, total all parts and labor. My drivers side rear axle seal had failed 2x previous to the dealer using the new recommend part number covered in BigFish's writeup.

trailmix-guys with skills that good and that quick are hard to find. You could make a pretty penny doing this for all us 3rd gens out here! But I thought a press had to be used to remove the old seal and ABS ring so it was not damaged. That is awesome your resourcefulness getting it done that quickly.

 

[twitchee2]

Make sure you check the bearing as well. That is what caused mine to leak, take the drum off, grab a lug and jiggle it. if it moves at all, its shot. If solid you got lucky and its just the seal. good luck, changing the seal is cake. i suggest a very larger hammer to drive it in on one shot. I used a 25lb dumb bell. it worked great.

 

[maxspeed96ct]

I feel your pain . My rear drivers side seal has been leaking for the past 2-3 weeks I've noticed . I'm at 126k on a 99


I've been puttin it off till I get my other car back together, but I plan on doing the job myself . I just hope my wheel bearing is in good shape . Swapping that looks like a nightmare , don't know who has a press around here either

Good luck fightman. .

 

[awpsome]

What's funny is I'm in the exact situation

My driver side has been leaking for about 2-3 weeks now and I'm waiting for the right time to take out the axel and have it pressed correctly.

Mines us exact same situation as OP it's shifted out a bit

Although I already changed out my axel oil seal when I noticed the problem to see if that was it then I looked more in depth to all the rear axel seal threads and noticed the seal wasn't the problem.

It's just a pain to take it all apart and have it sit while a shop does the axel for me.

I'm a more DIY guy but I guess there are limitations to my tool set haha

 

[bike]

Mine has been leaking for some time as well. I changed it with a seal driver I bought, and did a horrible job putting it in. Needless to say it was leaking just as bad as before. A week after that I changed it again with a new one. Went in as perfect as you could drive one in, and still is leaking. The bearing has a tiny amount of play, although isn't howling, and the seal is still leaking. I'm waiting for acess to a friends press so I can do the job properly.

Also the second time I put in a new seal (went in so nice), I used an empty can of brake clean as the driver. It fit perfectly, and with a block of wood over the end of the can and a dead blow hammer the seal went in dead straight and was way easier than using the seal driver I bought. Just if anyone is feeling too cheap to or needs a driver in a pinch (I forgot mine).

 

[fightman80]

I picked up the 2 seals today, and ordered a new bearing ......just in case I need it..........

 

[henshman]

the quote...from the dealer...

So with 105k on the 98, the RR axle seal goes again, sort of. I am out of the country, and murphy's law can dictate combat, but also maintenance on your vehicles...$645.00. The dealer says the bearings are still good, but the seals, brakes (from all the gear oil) need to be replaced. At least this time, I get the dealer "piece of mind" warranty, in exchange for the big piece of wallet.

So, all you of you with friends thank them, or yourself if you did it yourself...

sorry if the photo is too big, kinda new here.

 

[fightman80]

Well, got her done!

We dismantled the rear axle and replaced the seal within an hour or so, but had some issues with the brake line, as whoever had done the 1st seal job, stripped the threads, and just jammed it back in somehow????

We ran to the autoparts store to get a new brake line, and all was good. After swapping all the brake shoes, and cleaning everything up, all was done and my buddy made off with a new seal driver and puller, in exchange for his services!

Here's a few pics, don't mind the dirty undercarriage:

See the smile on his face! He's happiest when his hands are dirty! lol!

I got pretty lucky, the bearing was in good shape, and only needed the inner seal. So all in all, brakes included, it only cost me about $40.00 for the parts, and then about $60.00 for the tools I bought him. :frog:

 

[henshman]

nice work...

i jinxed myself, dealer called back and said bearings were a nogo too. You are a lucky man to have those friends.

 

[fightman80]

That really sucks man........hope it doesn't cost you too much to get her all buttoned up!