Hola! My son and I just replaced the pads and rotors on his wife's 99 4runner 4x4 w/ 3.4. The dealer told my daughter-inlaw that she needed new rotors (she didn't) along w/ new pads (getting close). I was given this info long distance and they came down for the weekend. Then I was t0ld that the dealer told her her rear axle shaft was leaking. I pulled the drum, and yes it was leaking. Azone didn't carry the seal but Advance Auto (similar) did when I was asked whether it was the inner or outer seals. Is there inner/outer? can I get aftermarket seals? Is it similar to replacing the front wheel bearing seals on an 89 toy 4x4? I replaced the seals on my truck (89) when I replaced the bearings/races in the rear axle. I've never dealt w/ abs but her 4runner has it. Do I have to worry about something SPRINGING out when I remove the abs sensor at the rear axle? Thank you for any infor.
ps I saw a guy at Azone w/ an 84 toy pickup 4x4 w/ a diesel. He's making his own bio-diesel.

 

I just did my driver outer seal, not sure of any inner seal though. I paid maybe $5 something from the dealer for it. I also have ABS and there's nothign that will spring out on you, typical R&R really. www.4runners.org has a write up on this you can reference. I fixed my seal, was leaking for a while and was nasty, and I don't see anything leaking but I smell rear end fluid still. Not sure why but it seems fine. GL, I did mine alone in a few hours. Should've been about half that but I didn't have some tools and I took many breaks when the sun started pounding me.

 

It is the same as your 89 rear brng/seal, (outer only, aftermarket is fine) put oil on the lip, inspect the shaft for grooving, if found stop just short of seating new seal to use a new contact area. Taking the axles to a shop to have them press the brngs on/off is an easy way to go, expect $40+, well worth it if you don't have a press, picture lots of pounding and mis-hits. the abs sensor is just a simple external magnet pointing at a toothed gear. if the brake shoes are soaked, replace, if not too bad use ample brake cleaner to spray very clean. scuff drum with sand paper if glazed. adjust shoes for light drag with wheel on.

terminator, oil soaked shoes is most likley what you smell. if you are on the cheap, spray well with brake cleaner and sandpaper scuff both the drum and shoes has worked for me.

 

Thanks, I didn't think of that. I did use a can of cleaner spraying it down and I sanded the drum. I think there was some residual gear oil still there which would account for the smell b/c it's only when I drive it and get out. Not after it's been sitting so that makes sense. SPANKS!

terminator, oil soaked shoes is most likley what you smell. if you are on the cheap, spray well with brake cleaner and sandpaper scuff both the drum and shoes has worked for me.[/QUOTE]

 

I have the same problem with my '99 right now. Is it feasible or even possible to just replace the outer seals with any success? Do the bearings 'HAVE' to be pressed off (and replaced) to get to the outer seals?

does anyone have or know where I can get an exploded view of the axle to show the relationships?

THX,
Kip

 

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/r...ebuild-226134/

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...d-3rd-gen.html

Enjoy!

Its not as difficult as it may seem.

 

You must remove the bearing to remove the seal. With the work involved and the fact that most seals fail due to bearing play allowing wear, it is well worth the money to replace them.
Do it once, do it right.
This is a good website with pictures.
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/mainte...wheel_bearing/

 

There's no reason to replace the outer seal but good to do if the bearings are replaced. The inner seal is what fails from age and bearing wear and tear. The outer seal is really just a dust cover. If the oil has leaked out into the brake shoes then the gear lube must have passed thru the bearing and the bearings will fail due to the washout of bearing grease. Those two links should give you enough insight to the problem.

 

My bad, DRCOFFEE is correct. I must have been thinking of something else, I recall a number of times just doing the inner seal only now that I think about it, must have confused it with another make/model. After 23 years, I try. Sorry for incorrect information, thanks for pointing that out.

 

The outer "seal" really isn't an oil seal.

It's more of a dust cover from the bearing and it rarely goes bad. If you have oild leaking from the axle it is the "inner" oil seal. It's not that big a job to replace. Plenty of write ups out there.

Oh, and don't be talked into replacing the rear wheel bearing unless it has been tested for runout. I replaced mine at 285,000 miles only to find out that the bearings were still in perfect condition.

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