2001 Toyota 4Runner rear axle bearings and seals

Tiny
DONGOSS53
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 TOYOTA 4RUNNER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 100,000 MILES
My Daughter just bought a 01 fourrunner that has some axle grease seeping from the axles, when you take the tires off you can see the differential oil has leaked from the seal. Could you tell me if this is a easy fix or a difficult one, I havent ever done a seal or bearing replacement on a toyoya but I have on chevys several times, does the axles have a c cliip in the housing holding the axle or are their a retaining bolts behind the wheel on a axle flange. On a scale from 1 to 10 how difficult is this job for a old man to do. Any advice would be truly appreciated as my daughter is on a tight budget and the dealer told her it would run around $700. Which is out of her financial reach and she needs her vehicle for work. Thanks Don
Monday, January 19th, 2009 AT 1:40 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
LADYRIDER
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Mine is a 90 4 runner, mannual tranny - It has retaining bolts. Bearings are pressed on. You have inner & outter seals. You have to bleed the breaks, & disconnect the emerg. Break cable. The job takes about 2 hours. You'll have to remove the axel, vacuum plate w/break assembly it all comes out as a unit & take to a shop to press on the bearings.
Yours may be different because of the year, you could find out by checking your local parts house to see if they are the same.
Hope this helps
Ladyrider
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Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 AT 12:35 AM
Tiny
LADYRIDER
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Another thing. I've replaced the rear seals twice, still leaks a little. I've been told that you need to buy Toyota seals, that would stop the leaking. Everything else can be aftermarket. Havent tried Toyota seals, so dont know for sure 1st hand. Just know that my rear seals still leak & its a pain to do it again, so I just live with it. I'd try the Toyota seals to attempt to mitigate the problem.
Ladyrider
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Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 AT 12:41 AM

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