Fluid coming out of rear brake drum, brake fluid or diff fluid?

Where is the abs magnet?

 

That scratch noise on wheel rotation may be the outer dust flange on the brake backing plate. When you slide the brake drum back over the brake assembly the drum sets in under that flange. The flange is easily bungered metal and if it is it can cause a rubbing noise on drum/wheel revolution. I've had that happen before. Drum rotates, dust flange does not. Make sure the flange is not contacting the drum on revolutions. It is easily twisted back into shape with screwdriver blade or pliers to stop the rub noise if needed.

Re splines, when you push the axle back into the housing you can feel when it meets the differential gearing, likewise when it slips into place. You may have to rotate the wheel hub slightly to engage the splines, easily done. If splines are not engaged the hub would be sticking out several inches.

 

Ah! That makes sense. Because it wasn't doing it the whole rotation, only once every rotation. So I just assumed a bearing was broken and grinding inside my hub. Very cool, after everybodys advice Im starting to feel like a professional. Haha. I won't be doing it this weekend due to weather and my truck barely fits in my garage. I think I'm going to add fluid to it and just wait until Texas makes her mind up and says it's spring. Thanks again for the help. When it's all said and done I'll be sure and say how it went.

 

Any update? Get it all fixed?

 

I am having the same issue. 2 years ago at 150,000 miles I replaced the seals and bearings. Now at 164,000 miles again, the drivers side has a ton of differential oil in it and all over the place. So yes I can replace the seal again, but my question is, how does the differential oil get past the sealed bearing? I cant imagine the baring is bad, but again how would the oil get past the sealed bearing?

John

 

I believe it is because the OD of the bearing is a slip fit in the housing so it will not be oil tight.

 

I've never had to do a axle seal on the tacoma's yet, but in the old days,, most of the time if the seal was leaking it was because the bearing went out and wiped out the seal.

 

My understanding is that a 'sealed bearing' is not actually water or oil proof (despite the misleading name). The seal is there to prevent dust, dirt and debris from entering, but cannot effectively stop fluids. Because of this when the inner axle seal fails some oil may be escaping around the bearing as previously mentioned, but more likely, a fair amount is passing through the bearing itself and removing grease with it, so if the bearing isn't bad now, its days are numbered. So, if an inner seal is leaking it can be because the bearing is bad and ruined the seal, or the seal itself somehow failed (part failure, improper install, gouged surface...) and the bearing is now compromised. IMO, even though its easy to replace just the inner seal, its best to replace both because if one fails, the other wont be far behind.

You can usually check for bearing play by removing the drum and trying to push/pull the wheel hub up/down and if there is any play here, then the bearing is bad.

 

Old thread so I haven't read all the posts but if it hasn't been said.....

Try replacing your diff breather. It's only $10.

My left seal started leaking a few months ago. I had seals & bearings replaced on both sides. Leak fixed. A month later I regeared, still no leaks. A few weeks ago the right side started leaking. I checked the diff breather (and when the left side first started leaking) & it seemed to be good. Right side seals were replaced under warranty. They said nothing looked out of the ordinary, even checked the axle for runout.

Right side still leaked. Replaced the diff breather even though my old seemed to be good. Leak stopped immediately. So I guess the breathers don't necessarily have to be clogged to be bad. Diff couldn't vent enough pressure to overcome the one way valve in the breather.