is it bad to run my front diff with no oil if i dont use 4wd?

If its dry which is what I took you to mean you need to pull both driveshafts if they spin.

 

No.

If you have manual hubs, then the cv axles should not spin. If they do spin, well IDK but don't drive it like that without gear oil.

Check the breather to make sure it's not plugged. Then when you install your new seal how are you installing it? Proper seal driver? I don't know how they seat but are you driving it to the proper depth? Check the cv axle where it inserts into the diff and the seal rides. You should be able to find where the previous seals have been riding on the shaft. Make sure theres no grooves or gouges scraps knicks whatever. If there is you might be able to use a sleeve on it -- or get a new axle. You didn't accidentally switch cv shafts around did you?

If you pull the cv axles (if they do in fact turn with the hubs unlocked -- which they shouldn't, that's the point of manual hubs) and seal up the ends of the diff and spindles you can run it in 2wd no problem.

I'm not sure how they work for your application though. On the 2nd gens you need the cv's in to set the preload on the front wheel bearings.

I'll agree with Pugga, if there is fluid, but it's low, you'll likely be okay with no load on the gears.

 

It's the same way on the 1st gens. You can't pull the axles and drive the truck. It's a dual race bearing and without the axle in there there isn't any preload on the bearing. I had a 95.5 11 years ago with manual hubs. With the hubs unlocked the axles didn't turn just like the 91 I mentioned. If yours are spinning in opposite directions maybe your front driveshaft is engaged somehow. This could just be friction but if you get under there with the hubs unlocked, in 2WD, with the truck in gear (but not running of course) you should be able to turn both axleshafts and the front driveshaft. Whatever doesn't turn is your problem...

 

Short of pulling the CV's out, everything is going to spin a little just from centrifugal friction/force of evrything else spinning although I'd bet if you put your truck in the air (all 4's off ground) put it in gear (don't engage the transfer) & even tho' the shafts spin you could stop the spinning with your hands, man. hubs or not...

 

You can remove the axles with lockout hub they are independent of the drive hub but why bother if it has lockout hubs. If it spins it's only because there is enough friction from whatever grease that's in the lockout hubs. If you intend to do this long term it maybe a good ideal to lock them in every so often with the transfer case out of gear just to slosh some oil around inside.

 

okay so i pulled my front drive shaft last night and only one axle spun freely, so i knew something was wrong, took the cover of the manual lock and just messed with it and got it to seat correctly so they both spun freely.

 

So there was an issue with one of the manual hubs and that was causing the half shafts to spin?

 

If it is leaking only from the passanger side, did you push the new seal all the way in till it seated? i have heard that you seat the drivers side press in fully and only press the passenger side flush. PM 04trd he had the same problems. http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/233784-04-trd-front-diff-leak-help.html

 

with the truck in park, can you reach up and spin the cv axles on both sides? If you can spin them, they they are disengaged. I ran my truck like that for a few months. Hubs unlocked with the diff empty.

 

unlock the front hubs and pull the front driveshaft.