2008 tacoma rear axle seal replacement?

Went to back out of my driveway and all was fine, as i put the truck in drive it didnt creep forward and when i tapped the gas it wouldn’t move either. It felt like the drive line was bound up so i hopped out and check my front cv axles, front and rear diff fluid, t case fluid, and trans fluid and everything was good.

i lifted the rear up and the driver rear tire was locked up but the passenger side was spinning freely. Ended up pulling the tire and drum off and the drum was very tight and i had to back off the adjuster a good amount to get the drum off.

after removing the drum i can see there is some differential fluid that leaked into to the driver side rear brakes and its all gunked up in there but now that the drum is off the axle will rotate.

i was having a hard time finding a video or write up on my year tacoma for replacing the axle seal and while im in there the bearing also. Can anyone drop me a link or give me some insight please?

 

Remove the brakes.

Remove the 4 flange bolts.

Slide out axle and bearing.

Remove old seal.

Take axle bearing assembly to machine shop to press off and on new bearing.

Install new seal.

Insert new bearing and axle.

Install flange bolts and new brakes because the old ones are oil impregnated and wont do any stopping.

The truck will be on jack stands for 2 days waiting for the machine shop to do their thing.

This is why the dealership gets $3k to do the job. Their hoist is blocked off from other work for 24 hours. Most dealers send their bearings work to off site machine shops.

It really is a decent job as long as you can have your truck on stands for a couple days.

It's so simple I always do both sides at the same time.

 

I just did this job on my 2006. Kodittens summary is accurate, but you can do this job with a 20T harbor freight press and a special tool you can buy off Amazon for 140$. With that much diff fluid on your brakes, your wheel bearing is contaminated and needs to be replaced. I did both sides of my truck just because i had the truck already on jackstands. There is an excellent tutorial on Youtube for this job- search for "Kflo Tacoma rear wheel bearing" and you should find it.

one last thing- do not reuse any parts that the shop manual says to replace like the retainer ring or the snap ring just replace them all so you dont have to worry.

 

You sure your wheel cylinder isn't leaking brake fluid?? I had a similar issue and it looked like that and caused me to lock up. Check your brake fluid reservoir if that's low. Brake fluid will also strip/bubble paint.

That's an easier fix (I'm a rookie so I could be totally wrong, but I'd suggest verifying this first)

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-rear-axle-bearing-seal-replacement.734924/#post-26169056

 

That's obscene

 

I know!

I just swapped out bearings on an '09 Tundra last month for a buddy. I knew this was an accurate estimate because he told me the dealer wanted $3k for just 1 side!

I like say that I saved him from getting into a 3rd gen Tundra as he was about to trade the 09 for a '25.

I know they padded the estimate because they are sitting on a ton of new Tundras.

 

Pulled the axle and the parking brake bolt heads snapped so that was a small hold
Up but otherwise this was an easy pull. I have a local mechanic shoo that will do the bearing for me. Im also getting the tone ring, outer axle seal, new retaining clip for the bearing and inner axle seal which im dreading.

Am i missing any parts?

Inner axle seal
Outer axle seal
Press in bearing
Tone ring
Brakes shoes

To do the inner axle seals i have to pull the diff and pull the other axle out so i might as well do both sides at this point and it should all slap together right? No messing with the differential i hope.

 

honestly i didn’t check that but i will say the fluid did smell like diff fluid.

 

Has your brake fluid been low? If not, it’s likely gear oil. Looks too thick for brake fluid imho

 

post pics of your disassembled parts. I could be wrong, but i think the tone ring is for an earlier model. My truck didnt have a tone ring, the abs functioned off of a magnetic ring built into the bearing. as far as my memory serves the parts should be as follows-
1) axle retainer snap ring (should be replaced)
2) seal retainer (the wheel seal rides on this ring and it should be replaced)
3) seal retainer spacer
4) bearing
5) Backplate (all the brake stuff goes on this)
6) bearing/backplate studs
7) axle
8) axle oil deflector plate
9) axle oil deflector gasket
10) wheel studs

 

This the 1st of 2 videos on changing the rear axle bearings:
https://youtu.be/fRkedFQkrqs?si=Arne4jAOOso6DBnD

2nd of 2 videos:
https://youtu.be/paes641GxAE?si=wTPvAgZ-VZSg4dy5

 

I havnt noticed my brake fluid being low, the last time i might have checked was my last oil change and i dont recall any problems related to the brake system.

 

Thanks i will go through this video and over the write up that was posted also.

 

UPDATE:

i ordered my parts from at yotashop.com

Kit-1123A and Kit-1123B they both contain all the parts needed to replace the bearing on each axle. Each side cost me $191.58 and i spent $446.27 with tax and shipping for anyone wondering.

toyota quoted me right around $900 for one bearing on one side… so MASSIVE THANKS TO YOTASHOP!!

i got a local shop to assemble the new parts on the axles for $240.

I go to put my passenger side axle first and i look down the tube and i see what looks like a rubber o-ring hanging inside. I havent seen anything about an internal o-ring for this kind of job. Somebody tell me im wrong… but now it looks like i need to drop the driveshaft and pull the differential…

 

I wonder if thats the spring collar from the old wheel seal. if the old wheel seal deteriorates enough the little spring collar around the lip will fall off and swim around in the diff fluid (it might ride along the axle if it didnt break apart). check your old wheel seals and account for both lip spring collars.

 

You sir are correct. Was hard to tell when looking down the axle shaft but after pulling the diff and looking inside the housing i see it’s the old spring seal spring.

I just want to mention its 29 degrees and we have wind up to 28mph right now and im doing this in the street

 

Off…….

I feel you man.
I’d get me a wooden dowel rod and tap a magnetic pick up tool to it and go fishing.

No way in hell I’m dropping a 3rd member in the cold and on a street.


Keep us updated. It times like these I wish I had a garage. I’d let other people borrow it.

I don’t like the cold.

 

That sucks you're doing this in the cold and on the street! Hopefully no damage to the 3rd member and you can go redo your seals and bearings ASAP and get back in your truck. You have all my best wishes for a speedy return to function on this project

 

Today it’s 35 degrees with 12mph wind so slightly less miserable today. I was going to wait until i could get a new diff gasket from toyota but they are saying it wont be here till next week so i think im just going to pray that gasket maker will be enough. If all goes well im hoping i can atleast get both axles back in today and worry about the brakes tomorrow.