I need to do my rear axle seals (1988 4Runner V6) and have read numerous threads on this. Process looks pretty straight forward except for when it comes time to re-installing the seal. Specifically greasing the seal/inner housing?

From this thread on Toyota-4runner.org
And from this thread on Yotatech
My question is, what exactly do you grease? And do I use bearing grease? MP grease? Gear oil? I watched video and the guy didn't mention greasing it at all. I just didn't want to add grease to the lip or or outside of the seal and then have that create some kind of a gap where gear oil could work its way out again. I assume though, that when the seal fails it's usually failing at the inner black rubber gasket piece? Or is the metal ring warping and letting gear oil through that way?

 

You grease the outer edge of the bearing to make it easier to get in. If you're lucky, you didn't need it, and if you're unlucky, you bend the bearing and it will never seat correctly.

Also a good idea to grease up the part of the seal that meets the shaft, so that you minimize the risk of tearing the seal when sliding down the axle.

Don't worry about grease/oil creating a problem. The gear oil would dissolve any excess grease you left on the seal part, and the outer edge will hold so little as to not be noticed.

 

I am not doing the bearing myself. I am taking that to a machine shop to press on for me. I'm just concerned with the axle oil seal. And when you say grease up the part that meets the shaft, you are referring to the black rubber gasket piece? Just a little gear oil on it so that it slides in smooth? It must be a pretty tight fit if that's all that's holding the oil back!

 

Check out this video, it may help you understand the process clearly:

 

That's super helpful. I never thought about just banging it off like that. Has anyone done this without a press? The shop is only charging me $40 per side....seems like a decent deal to have it pressed on by someone who does this all the time

 

I've done the banging method twice. I'm taking to a shop next time or using an angle grinder. It's just less hassle. But it works just fine.

The seal - as long as you use something flat and take your time to look after each tiny bang - it's a 5 minute deal and you can easily do it. Not much harder than fitting a coke can into a drink holder....

 

7:33
Don't do that. He is banging the inside race onto the inside race. You always want to drive a bearing in via the outside race so you don't damage the new bearing!

 

Man those wheels look good. I need to paint mine when I am all done with this!

 

So, I pulled the axle off the leaking side and saw this. Pretty sure this is why the axle was leaking. The funny interesting thing though, is that it looks like the wheel bearing has already been replaced. It's the red KOYO that comes in the rebuild kits from Marlin Crawler. I wonder if they tried to fix this? Any idea what would cause the seal to get all deformed like that?

 

Somebody hit it in a way they shouldn't on installation.

 

Aaaand I ordered a bearing kit.

 

That's what I thought. Just wasn't sure if there was anything else that could cause that.

 

So I got my axle back from the machine shop. $54 to press new bearing on, new dust shield, retainer etc. There was a little play in the bearing which I know even new ones can move a little, but nope. I got the new one back and my old bearing was wobbling A LOT!

anyways, now just gotta get it put back on and clean up / replace the brake shoes.

 

Have fun bleed brakes.

 

Ugh...I know. I might splurge for a pressure bleeder. Last time I messed with brakes was replacing calipers/rotors/MC and could never get it bled right. Took it to Midas down the street and they bled them for me for $90.

 

Ok, so now I am going crazy. I borrowed a bearing and race driver kit from autozone and tapped this thing in but I can't get it to sit evenly. If you look at the first picture, you can see the seal is ever-so-slightly recessed, while in the second picture the top right side of the seal is perfectly flush with the housing. Is this normal? Or is it supposed to sit recessed like the left side? I bought two of these so if I have to pull it out I can, but it will ruin it. It might already be ruined?

 

So I pulled the new seal out, set it aside, greased the second new seal I had bought for the driver's side (I never greased that the first one I put in) and as carefully as possible, drove it in. Well it looked the exact same. WTF. Upon closer inspection however, it appears that it was an optical illusion. It seems that it is in fact even all the way around. I put it all back together and limped down the road to a shop to have them do the rear drums for me. Two hours and $220 later I was up and running again and happy to report no more leaking gear oil! Could I have done the brakes myself? Yes. But with my limited time it would probably have taken me two weeks.

 

It's just fine - more than fine - perfect even.
This is not tech that needs crazy tolerances.

Sometimes the seal will form a groove in the shaft it runs on. Some Toyota replacement seals (the engine main front and rear come to mind) are in fact offset so they run on clean metal.
Grease that lip and stick it in there!

 

Thanks. It seems to be working great! Now on to the valve cover gaskets!

 

I have replaced the inner and outer seals on my 1985 RWD truck twice in ca 200k miles. On both occasions I have found diff oil on the brake shoes. When I have pressed the bearing retainer off I have found the internal surface to be damaged and in my opinion allowing diff oil to pass between the axle and the retainer. The half shaft is in great shape, just the retainer is bad, showing material tears and what almost looks like erosion. The second time I did the repair I heated the retainer up in an oil bath and it pressed on easier. The first repair was when the truck was 4 years old the second at 34 years old. Has anyone any insight into the wear patterns on the inside bore of the bearing retainer?