Grease/oil noted on wheel and tire. Rear axel seal and wheel bearing replacement?

[Red95]

Hello, I have a 1995 Land Cruiser w/triple locker. The other day I noticed I had grease or oil on the rim and tire of my Passanger-side Rear (see attached picture). Is this a sure sign that I am leaking differential fluid and need to replace the rear axle seal and wheel bearing? I'm going to take the wheel off today to take a look but just wanted to know if this is a common sign.

 

[Red95]

Hello, I have a 1995 Land Cruiser w/triple locker. The other day I noticed I had grease or oil on the rim and tire of my Passanger-side Rear (see attached picture). Is this a sure sign that I am leaking differential fluid and need to replace the rear axle seal and wheel bearing? I'm going to take the wheel off today to take a look but just wanted to know if this is a common sign.

 

[ajax1]

Looks like outer rear hub seal is needed

 

[Rusty Marlin]

The inner axel seal is optional, the bearings are happy running in gear oil.
The outer gasket may need replacment.

 

[Broski]

Mr T didn’t think it was optional.
I prefer to run the seal.
That being said some don’t

 

[Red95]

Mr T didn’t think it was optional.
I prefer to run the seal.
That being said some don’t

pretty new here. but I know I've seen the Mr. T reference before...care to fill in a newb? haha

also...you are saying that you would replace the inner and outer seals?

 

[duece71]

pretty new here. but I know I've seen the Mr. T reference before...care to fill in a newb? haha

also...you are saying that you would replace the inner and outer seals?

Mr. Toyoda. Toyoda is more difficult to pronounce in Japanese so he changed it to Toyota with a T.

 

[Broski]

pretty new here. but I know I've seen the Mr. T reference before...care to fill in a newb? haha

also...you are saying that you would replace the inner and outer seals?

Mr Toyota or Toyota Engineers

Yes the inner is a standard axle seal and the paper one is the one on the drive flange.

When your in there is the time clean and inspect the wheel bearings replace as necessary.

Also I would do both sides at the same time

 

[Rusty Marlin]

M. T = Mr. Toyoda (actual spelling) changed to Toyota because there are 8 (lucky number) brush strokes in Toyota vs not as lucky a number of brush strokes in Toyoda.

I'm running the rear seal in mine too. But when I took it apart the old seal was long gone and the bearings were swimming in gear oil.
After I rebuilt it, per FSM, I researched it and when its time to change the wheel bearings again, I'll leave out the inner seal.

 

[Red95]

M. T = Mr. Toyoda (actual spelling) changed to Toyota because there are 8 (lucky number) brush strokes in Toyota vs not as lucky a number of brush strokes in Toyoda.

I'm running the rear seal in mine too. But when I took it apart the old seal was long gone and the bearings were swimming in gear oil.
After I rebuilt it, per FSM, I researched it and when its time to change the wheel bearings again, I'll leave out the inner seal.

Thanks for the reply.
This is interesting. What did you find in your research? do the wheel bearings do just fine with gear oil as lubricant? or do the inner seals just wear out so often that it's not worth the time and effort to replace them each time?

 

[mudgudgeon]

Thanks for the reply.
This is interesting. What did you find in your research? do the wheel bearings do just fine with gear oil as lubricant? or do the inner seals just wear out so often that it's not worth the time and effort to replace them each time?

Replace the inner seal with genuine toyota parts. These seals will last longer than any aftermarket ones.
They aren't expensive.

The inner axle seal/ no inner axle seal thing has been discussed many times. A search would find it.

Some manufacturers don't install an inner seal, so wheel bearings are lubricated with diff oil

 

[AgentOrange]

Thanks for the reply.
This is interesting. What did you find in your research? do the wheel bearings do just fine with gear oil as lubricant? or do the inner seals just wear out so often that it's not worth the time and effort to replace them each time?

I wouldn't say the inners wear out fast at all. They will last MANY miles and years if installed correctly. That said, I don't run them either. The bearings don't care either way. I know my bearings are properly lubed as I change diff fluids often, but you're supposed to check the grease in there occasionally anyways. Only thing is if the hub seal is not perfect, it WILL leak oil everywhere like you've experienced when it fails without an inner axle seal. Bearing grease with an inner axle seal installed runs out much slower and seems to give you a bit more warning that it's time to do something about it.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Its very common for large trucks to run the rear bearings in gear lube. There are zero negative effects.

 

[Broski]

For peace of mind just run the seal like it was designed.
With grease on the bearings.
JMHO

 

[Godwin]

I'm running two 80 series rears with gear oil only and have at least 100k on one of the axles. If you set it up correctly you'll have not problem with running gear oil only.

 

[Broski]

I'm running two 80 series rears with gear oil only and have at least 100k on one of the axles. If you set it up correctly you'll have not problem with running gear oil only.

So what's the correct way, and what's the advantage in moving away from the OEM design ?

I like the Kiss plan keep it simple stupid.

In looking at the rear axle the fill hole is below the half way mark which means the gear oil is only getting to the bearings when the rig is at a angle and then only the low side.

The bearing are running dry when you first install them or how do you prelube them ?

If the gear oil is filling the hubs when the axle is on a angle then the third is now below the fill mark.

If water gets in there it's going wash away gear oil easier then grease.

IDK maybe I'm over thinking this but the seals and grease are staying in mine

 

[mudgudgeon]

So what's the correct way

Bearing grease with an inner axle seal installed runs out much slower and seems to give you a bit more warning that it's time to do something about it.

This is why I've kept the axle seal.
A bad hub seal with leaking gear oil makes a hell of a mess fast

 

[Red95]

UPDATE: Took the wheel off to see what was going on. Nothing coming from the back. Only leaking from the front part where the cone washers and nuts are. Went to check the torque...and only one of the nuts was above 20 ft/lb. All the others were pretty loose. Went ahead and torqued everything to 25 ft/lb. Looking at the receipts from the guy I bought it from, he did have a "rebuilt rear diff" and "R&R rear diff assembly" back in August of last year. I'm assuming the wheel bearings were part of this service. I'm going to run it and see if it leaks anymore...if it keeps leaking, I'll open it up and service it.

 

[ChaseTruck]

... gear oil is only getting to the bearings when the rig is at a angle and then only the low side.

The bearing are running dry when you first install them or how do you prelube them ?

The '14b way' : once your finished working on the axle, lift up one side, let gear oil into the hub on the other side, level, add gear oil to the pumpkin, lift other side, let the oil run into the opposite hub, level, top off the pumpkin again, and call it good.

That said, when the '93 started to puke gear oil on the rear brake rotor, I installed a new seal. Bearings were fine, so I didn't bother. Turned out my home-brew SST to torque the bearings at the end was a one-time use item that broke just as the torque wrench clicked.

 

[Broski]

UPDATE: Took the wheel off to see what was going on. Nothing coming from the back. Only leaking from the front part where the cone washers and nuts are. Went to check the torque...and only one of the nuts was above 20 ft/lb. All the others were pretty loose. Went ahead and torqued everything to 25 ft/lb. Looking at the receipts from the guy I bought it from, he did have a "rebuilt rear diff" and "R&R rear diff assembly" back in August of last year. I'm assuming the wheel bearings were part of this service. I'm going to run it and see if it leaks anymore...if it keeps leaking, I'll open it up and service it.

A lot of us check those on a regular basis, including the front ones especially if you go off road.