Anyone do a rear wheel bearing without a press sucessfully?

You're clearly retarded.

 

What? Nah. No way. I've rebuilt engines before. You have to pull the engine in every vehicle I've done that in. There is no wiring harness, battery, intake, exhaust, cpu, fuse box, valve cover, oil pan, fuel lines, about a dozen sensors, coolant lines, coolant, radiator, alternator, serpentine belt, spark plugs, ignition wires, a/c compressor, or transmission that needs to be removed before yanking the axle shaft. At least in my experiences, its significantly less work.

 

Hey now, don't hate on Chevys. I have one on jack stands in my drive way. It really brings my front yard together. heeheehee

 

I don't hate Chevys. I have a few of them. Just sayin' that Chevys lube the rear axle bearings with diff oil. Tacomas do not.

 

@96carboard @Muddinfun Fellas, be nice. I appreciate the strong opinions. Please keep it civil. With respect to the wheel bearing lubrication, I know that full floating axles are often designed to share the same reservoir of gear oil as the differential. This is very common in fords and large diesels. Though, I haven't torn into the axle of my Tacoma to find out. I do know that older tacomas and toyota trucks have axle seals on them and can leak gear fluid, so I suspect this maybe the case, or at the very least possible.

 

What about the older models? Did yota switch at some point? I swear I've been under a friends Hilux doing axle work and we drained the entire axle by breaking the seal at the wheel bearing.

 

Yes, there are axle seals in the Tacoma. They keep the rear axle gear oil away from the SEALED ball bearings. When the axle seals fail, the gear oil gets past the bearing seals, washes the bearing grease away, and the bearing fails soon after.

Yes, full floating 3/4 ton and heavier axles use rear axle gear oil to lubricate the tapered roller bearings.

Rear wheel drive Chevy cars, 1/2 ton Chevy trucks and suburbans, and a few 3/4 ton Chevy pickups use rear axle gear oil to lubricate the straight roller bearings that roll directly on the axle.

Also, FWIW, rear wheel drive Ford cars and 1/2 ton Ford trucks also use sealed ball bearings for the rear axle.

 

In hoping my axle seals will leak so my bearings will last longer!

Yep its only 4 bolts! Basically..

 

So what I'm getting out of this is although it's a pita of my rear axle seal has failed( have gear oil in and leaking out of the drum) I should replace the seal, retainer and hub/bearing? Also for the seal itself does any one know if this fits the 2nd gen (09 tacoma) rear axle? Fitment says only 1st gens but pulled up as a replacement for 05-15 model years
http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/toyo...xle-seal-pair-by-trail-gear-303836-1-kit.html

Thanks all.

 

Looks like its for first gens only. Email them, I bet they will have your parts for you.

 

It's not the press that's expensive it's the SST that is $$$ especially if your only going to use it a few times.if you can weld or have a buddy that welds you can make the tool.

 

Check out this post, he made one

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2nd-gen-rear-axle-bearing-diy.246760/

 

You need one of these things. It's a hydraulic press available at Harbor Freight for about $100.00, plus a set of bearing tools which are split jaws that hold the bearing while you press it out, and hold the new bearing while you press it in (but I don't have a pic of that tool).

That's how you do the job right!

Charlie

 

To be honest man, unless you plan on keeping the truck forever and changing bearings as needed over many years, don't bother buying all the tools, your best bet...

Buy all of the parts, bearing assembly (make sure it's for the correct side and setup for ABS), retainer, seal, etc...

Pull the axle shaft, bring the parts to a good local shop who has experience with Toyota axles, pay $100 or whatever to have them remove the old bearing and press on new parts.

Go back home and reinstall. Just be gentle, don't damage the seal on the differential side when putting the shaft back in.

 

Uhmmm, no... Never done a 2nd gen have you?

Press, yes you need. unless you have some like 3' long split jaws and some jig to protect the spines... I don't see it happening.

Be interested to know if you did find another method though

 

Do you have a clue what you're talking about?

 

It kind of a sarcastic comment! Yes you 'could' pull the bearing with some split jaws and a press. But, you would need split jaws long enough to reach from the end of the shaft to the bearing assembly. Lock the jaws onto the assembly, then some how make a jig to attach the the jaws to the press to hold the bearing while you press down, what would now be the screw on the top on the the jaws that is pressing down on the end of the axle shaft. Yes I guess you 'could' do it... I guess

 

FWIW x2. I had to do rear axle seals on both of my 1st gens. Such a pain. On the second go around I contemplated changing the bearings while I was in there due to the oil soaked bearings. I ran across my busy street (pretty funny) to the shop across the street (I was lucky at my last place) to have them press them on and off. He didn’t have the correct press and he called another shop who didn’t as well. He suggested taking to Toyota to do it but also said it wasn’t absolutely necessary to change at that time. I cleaned them up and fired em back in there with new seals.

Point is, in my experience it’s a pain to change those bearings, not always necessary and definitely not supposed to be lubed by gear oil. And if they are lubed by oil then you’re lubing your rear drums as well..

 

Great post. Love it, getting some good laughs. Especially about the bearing being lubed by the diff fluid. I have a 97 and I'm considering doing the rear bearings myself. Will just have to buy a press, have everything else. And yes, there's nothing wrong with Chevys... Their beds make great little trailers.