Ok this is an 86 4runner and its my parts vehicle but it runs and the only thing that's wrong with it is something in the rearbrakes/bearings. I just found this picture on the internet and circled the thing that i need to remove. How does it come out? And once I take that out will i get to the wheel bearings (that might not be the problem so i still have to remove it anyways because it's something in there thats bent then)?

 

that part you've circled is just part of the axle / hub casting.
unbolt the brake backing plate from the axle and it should all come free

 

there is four nuts on the other side of the drum assembly. undo those along with the brake lines and that whole axle shaft will slide out. This will have the bearings pressed on in the backing plate. (i think that is what it is called)

to replace those it would help to have a press!!!!

 

I've undone those bolts and disconnected all the brake lines and the backing plate slides forward and backward about a centimeter but the axle/hub casting wont slide out. What exactly should I be pulling from to get it out? and is a press used to get the old ones out too or just to press new ones in? Thanks and sorry for all the questions im somewhat of a newb on yotas

 

After removing the 4 backing plate bolts, brake and e-brake lines. The axle shaft should slide out easily. Both of mine did so when I did my gears..

 

well, it should slide out. a slide hammer may be necessary, and you should be pulling on the hub, not the backing plate.
also, make sure you've drained the gear oil.

 

Hmm that's weird it only moves about 1cm r so, I did mine on my old 82 and the whole assembly came out smoothly, the bearings are in the end of the axle housing,

 

probably a dumb question, but you undid the parking brake cable too right?

I don't see anything in particular that should keep the axle stuck in the housing, unless the axle is stuck in the differential.

 

try using the drum as a slide hammer. put it on the flange backwards and put to lugs on very loosely then try and hammer it out...

 

yeah undo those 4 bolts and the brake line and the ebrake cable. if the backing plate slides back and forth on the axle your wheel bearing is definately toast. tap on the back of the axle flange with a mallot to see if you can break it free. at this point nothing else is holding it in so it will come out one way or the other.

if you do not have a press you will not be able to do the wheel bearing. bring it to a machine shop/parts store (napa if your town has one) and buy a new wheel bearing and have them press off the old one and press on the new one. if your wheel bearing spun the inner race you may need to get a new axle in which case i would just look for a used axle that already has a wheel bearing and backing plate one it.

 

There is a way to do the bearings without a press

 

ok yes you could use the wonderful oven trick (or in my case i use a concrete torch) but to do it correctly you need a press. not to mention heating bearings up to slide them on only works for installing new ones good luck getting the old race off if its stuck on.

 

good old socket and hammer trick? thats how i do mine on most of my vehicles.. but havent ever done one on my yota

 

must be one deeep socket to fit all the way over the entire axle

 

Yes, I've undone the brake cable...there's nothing connected but it still wont come out. Another weird thing that I have noticed is that when it is in neutral it doesn't spin freely..it spins the other wheel (i know that's normal) but it spins the drive shaft too and feels like it's pushing something (its pretty hard to turn). I've driven it before though and it stays in neutral just fine and doesn't seem to have any transmission problems.

 

Its hard to turn because you are working against the gearing. Try turning it by using the driveshaft

If all else fails, remove the 3rd member and take a peek inside..

Heres how you do the bearings without a press:

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/mainte...wheel_bearing/

 

try having someone turn the pinion back and forth while you pull on the axle. flipping the brake drum and using it as a slide hammar while some one moves the pinion is a good idea. make sure brake lines are all disconected. maybe loosen all the diff bolts and wiggle it a lil before pulling the axle. mine came out easily.

 

Thanks for the link! I still can't get it off though...even in that link they make it sound so easy lol. I really dont want to start tearing things apart but it looks like i have to now I was also wondering: If someone has installed lockers in the rear would that make removing the axle shaft difficult? Because for all i know it might have lockers in the back...

 

anyone know if its plausible that lockers can prevent it from coming out?

 

Maybe some jacka55 welded up the dif, the welds broke but the shafts are welded in there.

When I tore apart a spare front dif, thats exactly what I found. In order to get teh good ring gear out i had to cut the 3rd apart just to get the differential out because both shafts were stupidly welded to the case.

If the axles arent just pulling straight out like they should, with complete and rediculous ease then theres something really fubar