jayclev

So, I had the Toyota place check out the 2000 v6 4wd 4runner with 138K and it has rear axle leaks on both sides. They told me it would cost about $750 to fix it, because they are going to replace the (bearings, too?). But, if they fix it, is it going to be a reoccuring problem? Are all 3rd generation 4runners prone to this problem or are some years better than others? Should I offer to take it as is and offer $10,000? He's asking $11,000. Everything else checks out fine.

Jay

wjwerdna

as i recall from previous posts that you could find by searching, the axle seal itself costs about $20 and you can do the first in about 1-2 hours and second in about 30-45 minutes

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...661#post965661
write-up

from what i see it involves bleeding brakes also... maybe 150-200 for everythign including new rear brakes?

edit: i suppose take the quote and the offer and then do it yourself... dep on your tools, area to work, and what-not...

Firefightertaco

Yeah those seals are real easy to replace, i did one on my buddys 02 4runner and i think the seal was like 10 bucks at carquest and took about and hour for every thing.

I would deffenatly talk him down in price for that reason and tell him how much they quoted u at toyota to fix it.

rimpainter.com

No matter which route you take, don't forget to figure out why it happened - or it may happen again with the new seals. The most likely culprit is the diff breather; check for proper operation (cap should lift easily and the passage should be clear). Considering the cost, you should just replace it and/or do the diff breather mod if you plan to wheel it at all.

jayclev

Thanks for the advice, I should have done a search in the first place - there were tons of threads on the subject. But, I'll probably just have them do it, since buying and modifying a press to remove the wheel bearings doesn't sound like fun and I don't own any tools. I'll check the diff breather, too. Also, I ended up paying $11 grand for it, so I hope nothing else goes bad.

rimpainter.com

You don't need a press to replace the seals. It's actually a pretty easy job. My buddy Scott just did one of his seals for the first time the other day and he was out wheeling again in a couple days. The hardest part is probably replacing and bleeding the brakes. Save some money, buy some tools, and do the job if you have time. The R&R instructions are out there to walk you through it. Check the tech section out.

Bennito

lets be careful here. To replace the inner axle seal (the oil seal) does not require a press. Anecdotally, replacing the inner seal solves 80% of the leaks here on Yotatech (that's based on me and my reading)

However, replacing the outer seal (and bearings, as stated the dealer wants to do) requires a press. Well, I don't know if it requires it - but the tech articles I've read state to press the rear axle shaft back into the bearing/retainer. But, since I haven't performed this task - perhaps the press isn't truly necessary.

personally I replaced the inner seal using a borrowed puller and a large socket. This did not solve my leak. I ended up having a shop replace the bearings and outer seal. This repair has lasted for a few years.

You'll find stories of people with deflected axle shafts causing leaks. I believe the early ABS equipped runners have the most issues with leaks (96/97).

Good luck.