Rear Differential Front Oil Seal Leak (1 Viewer)

[maxamillion2345]

Bahhh! Just pull the 4 dl bolts. Count threads on the pinion nut/pinion. Pull the pinion nut. Place a drain pan under pinion. Pull out flange. Inspect flange sealing surface. Scotchbrite it. Pull old seal. Tap in new seal. IF possible, tap it in a little father than the old one was seated. Lube up new seal lip with some oil. Smear a little rtv on splines of flange. Stab the thing back in there making sure you didnt wreck the lip seal. Tighten your nut to where it was. Stake it if it stakes. I’d probably use a little blue loctite on it as well. DL bolts-loctite. Check oil lvl. Go see if it leaks.

Don’t overthink this. Easy fix - provided your flange doesn’t wobble (pinion bearings bad) and the sealing surface isn’t too bad. Take some pictures of the flange sealing surface for us if you have concerns

Seals do wear out.

 

[maxamillion2345]

If you’re sure its gear oil then I’d bet money its the pinion seal and not the acuator or housing to 3rd, based on what you’re describing and showing us.

Give it a good soaking with degreaser and then pressure wash it all off and start fresh if you’re not sure. Might be nice to do this anyway so you’re not bumping against gear oil while you’re under there working on it.

 

[BILT4ME]

Looks to me like maybe you should let that leak for a week or two to get the bottom side of that truck coated and more preserved. It will rust out faster without the leak........

 

[shack]

Finally got that 30mm nut off with the assistance of my new Milwaukee Impact. Cant wait to use it elsewhere. I pulled what I was able to get from the seal which isn't much. Is this the rest of it that I have drawn a black circle around?

I also included some pictures of my flange as well. Pretty gunked up. I am going to try to clean it best I can.

 

[I Lean]

Yep, the black circle is the seal. I wouldn't worry about the rusty flange, that's just a dust shield--the seal surface is the shiny part with the wear mark on it.

 

[shack]

Yep, the black circle is the seal. I wouldn't worry about the rusty flange, that's just a dust shield--the seal surface is the shiny part with the wear mark on it.

Thanks. So I am safe to drive a screwdriver right through that seal and try to pry it out? Its hardened in there.

 

[maxamillion2345]

It looks like the seal is already out?

 

[shack]

In those pictures, no. Its out now though.

I had to hammer a screwdriver through the seal, pry it up and then ripped the rest out with vice grips.

 

[shack]

With this new nut Toyota gave me its much larger than the one I removed. If I use it I cant use the washer.

Is it okay to use this larger deeper nut without the washer from the existing nut?

 

[shack]

Found the answer to my question here. Pinion nut too large?

 

[maxamillion2345]

Flange nut, no washer needed, its built in.

As a side note, I’d put a dab of red loctite on it.

 

[shack]

Flange nut, no washer needed, its built in.

As a side note, I’d put a dab of red loctite on it.

Didn’t have any red. Put blue on it though!

 

[Jgrauman]

Didn’t have any red. Put blue on it though!

Did you have any play in the flange? I have my pinion seal on the bench, need to get around to this as well. Only a few drops a week right now.

 

[shack]

No play at all.

I was well beyond the few drops a week stage as I had gear oil spraying up on my tailgate at high speed.

It took me 2 seals to get it right. First one I hammered in crooked then put a gouge in the seal edge. Second seal I put some grease on the perimeter to help while hammering it in.

I read threads of guys using PVC pipe to help seat the seal but I used my hub socket. It fit right around the rubber part of the seal. I hit on it a few times then finished its final position with some small wood chunks which I hit at as well.

Fingers crossed things stay put!

 

[Pin_Head]

Reuse the old nut. Tighten it just past where it was originally staked and stake it again. That way you know the preload will be really close. Otherwise, you are guessing.

 

[shack]

Reuse the old nut. Tighten it just past where it was originally staked and stake it again. That way you know the preload will be really close. Otherwise, you are guessing.

I didn’t reuse because while trying to “unsteak” the OG nut I ruined the threads. So instead of screwing the OG back on with a wrecked thread pattern I opted to use the new nut that Toyota gave me.

I dunno, the new nut is taller and has an integrated washer which made it even harder to visually line up.

 

[Pin_Head]

Keep an eye on it then and feel the temperature of the pinion housing after running it for 25 miles to see if it gets too hot. If you can’t keep your hand on it, it is too tight.

 

[uscmas412]

I'm in the process of replacing the oil seal, got everything removed down to the oil slinger but have a few questions:

1). FSM says to drive in oil seal to a depth of 1.0 mm. There is a lip inside the differential carrier that looks like it would prevent the seal from being driven too far. True?

2). There is minor wear on the portion of the companion flange that mates to the oil seal. Is this an issue?

3). I used a three-jaw puller to remove the companion flange. How do I reinstall it? The FSM just states to install on the drive flange. Will a block of wood and a hammer work?

 

[maxamillion2345]

IF you can, drive the seal into a slightly different depth than it came out -- help move it off those grooves. That's pretty typical fyi.