I've owned my '88 4Runner for a grand total of 1 week and am becoming very familiar with this site. When I bought it, the previous owner told me that the front wheel bearings needed replacement. It made a fairly loud roar on the drive home so I knew it would need to be addressed. Yesterday, I got my hands greasy tearing it apart to replace the bearings. When I pulled off the locking hub, I found that the single bolt that goes in the axle shaft was not attached. It was actually "loose" inside the locking hub's cap. I found that the bolt had been jammed in there in such a way that the head had ground a ring in the cap of the hub. Here's a blurry pick, but I think you get the idea:



I'm wondering if the bolt backed itself out and was riding against the hub. I have a replacement bolt already, so no worries. Should I be worried about the hub itself? I'll be cleaning it thoroughly to keep the metal shavings out of my new bearings.


On a related note, I chuckle everytime I "un-rig" a previous "repair" only to find that the original configuration actually works properly. For example, the rear window was wired into a toggle switch on the dash because it mysteriously stopped working. I put a roof bolt in the hole for the top switch, re-connected the motor wiring, and voila! The window works. Just funny.

 

Hub dial will be fine. Just put the bolt/washer back in the end of the axle shaft and snug it up. Typically snug enough to spin the axle is enough.

 

Are you working on your hubs in the laundry room o.0?

 

lol... no, that's the tag from my last pair of Mechanic gloves My work bench isn't exactly clean, though

 

Suuuuure.
Anyways, i agree with the wabbit, the dial is fine lol.