Rear diff fluid leaking out of rims

Hello all! This is my first post here. I don't really know what I am doing (yet) and am excited to get my hands dirty and start learning.

A couple weeks ago I took my 98' out on its first offroad trip. Went well, but about halfway through I noticed a little bit of gear oil pooling on the inside of my rims. It started with the driver side wheel and then progressed to the passenger side. Got off the mountain and checked the breather - turns out the previous owner had painted over it with rust preventer and it had rusted shut. looks like the little bit of dust from the road clogged it the rest of the way. Replaced the breather and the fluid stopped leaking out of the rims for the next week or so. I then took the truck up another mountain (this time only paved roads) and it started to leak again out of the driver side (not the passenger side, or at least not a noticeable amount). Now I have it home, I don't see any more leaks (nothing pooling, but I haven't cleaned it off yet) but I don't want to take it out until I get this sorted.

One note on the replacement breather - the part that NAPA gave me (it was close enough to close that the guy just left it outside for me to pick up) was pretty cruddy. I took it out of the package and the top cap immediately popped off. I had to modify it (with a hammer hehe) so that the retention dimples would actually stick where they needed to.

I have the parts ordered to run the breather up to the gas tank just in case that fixes it, but should I be replacing anything else? Rear brake shoes come to mind, but if I need to replace the seals and bearings too I'd rather do that at the same time.

 

The bearings are a pain in the ass to replace.
You have to press them on and off the axle shaft.
Not exactly DIYer friendly. It can be done at in the driveway, but it's a super pain in the ass.

I'd replace the breather, change the rear diff fluid, and keep an eye out for another leak.
You might get luck and not have it happen again. Most of the time, luck will not be on your side.
If it leaks again, I'd then reassess the situation.

I opted to just change the seals out on my truck.
The seal was changed at like 79k miles. I now have over 180k. (over 110k since it was changed)
As for the brake shoes, I soaked them with carb cleaner. scrubbed them with a nylon brush and reused them.
I got lucky.......

The better advice is to tell you to change the bearings and brake shoes.
But money is hard to come by too......

 

Welcome to TW…

 

Freakin Loathing this future job.

 

Me too.

I don't own a press.

The good news? You can get the whole axle assembly with: Axle, backing plate, bearing and hub for $300.00 on FleaBay.
Or about $450 at the local parts store.

The bad news? It's Dorman.

Hummm.........

Also, this only applies to the

$60 2005-2015 Toyota Tacoma With 4L Right Petrol intake air snorkel kit high performance system compatible kit Replacement black Rotational Molding (2005-2015)

2005-2015 trucks. I haven't looked for a 1st Gen.

 

I recently did 1st gen bearings. It's not bad. Taco man Tim (or whatever his name is) has a great video online of the process.

You do need a 20 ton press and the $80 tool though.

besides wrangling the whole assembly around a few times it not a bad job. The truck I was working on had the seal spacer thing in the wrong place. No idea how that happened but I replaced the bearings anyways and pressed the spacer to the correct depth as directed. It's been fine since.

 

My biggest issue is location.

All my work is done in a driveway. Or borrowed garage.
I'd need to haul the press to where I'd be "borrowing" the garage.
And then, hope nothing goes wrong. Like need to make a trip to get a tool or part.
I'd pretty much have to walk or wait until someone could take me to get what ever I need.

Plus, I'm kind of trying NOT to ask for favors or help at this time in my life. (Personal choice and reasons)

I'd likely go with the Dorman unit. Then rebuild my own at a later time when it's more convenient.
With the Dorman, it's parts swapping. And I'd have my truck back up and running "faster".

With the press, it's more time consuming.