Rear axle bearing change

[bloc]

Back again with something I hope will help some people eventually.



I'll try not to make this too wordy, but there is a little background. I spent months tracking down a driveline noise and with the help of some board members and especially @CharlieS narrowed it down to a passenger side rear axle/wheel bearing.

Troubleshooting thread here: New driveline noise after lift - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/new-driveline-noise-after-lift.1228472/

Bearing postmortem thread and pics here: Rear axle bearing postmortem - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/rear-axle-bearing-postmortem.1245734/

This thread is intended as documentation of my experience changing the bearing.

This is not a particularly difficult job, but requires some specialized tools that may make it out of reach for most users. Still, it can be done at home, and depending on what you already have, you can save significant money over paying someone to do the job.

What I used:

$200 - Harbor Freight 20-ton press. the 12-ton will not get the job done, the platform is too narrow to slide the adapter tool through, and frankly I don't think it has the balls.
Any press 20-ton or close will work, but the platform is the trick. You'll need at least 4" of space between the beams of the platform to get the adapter tool through. This can be addressed with the correct hardware, but that configuration is up to you.

$160 - "Bestauto" toyota axle bearing puller tool 09521-25011-0 on Amazon. There is another version of this tool that has another adapter for pulling the ABS tone ring on a Tundra/Taco/4Runner/FJC axle shaft, but that isn't needed in our case.

$70 - OTC 1123 (or larger) bearing splitter

$Free, maybe - Various sleeves and adapters for spacing/rigging parts on the press platform. Over 20+ years of working on cars I've kept things like old bearing races and hunks of steel, this has paid off for press work. Having the above tools but not having these things to do the rigging will stop you in your tracks.

$10 - (2) 1/2x10" galvanized carriage bolts, nuts, washers. If you can find 5/8x18 all-thread for the OTC puller this is better, but the carriage bolts are much easier to find and worked for my purposes.

(I'll edit this as I build the thread and maybe find more needed stuff.


Getting into this job, I assume you have some basic mechanical skill. You'll first need to remove your rear brake caliper, bracket, disk, the parking brake shoes and hardware, and make room to do work. You will need to disconnect the rear caliper hydraulic line to get it clear of a bracket mounted on the backing plate, but you can reattach it quickly and lose minimal fluid, and make subsequent bleeding quick and painless.

Here is where I'm assuming you'll be able to get without my help. Without rust this is maybe 15 minutes of work.

You'll need to disconnect the brake hydraulic line to free it from a bracket, then reconnect. Also get the caliper out of the way, but keep it from falling and putting too much force on the line. Disconnect the ABS sensor wire harness.

You can also just see the top two of the four 17mm nuts that hold the hub and brake backing plate assembly to the axle housing.

Four large nuts removed, the hub and axle shaft slide right out. NOTE: I jacked this side of the rear axle up a few inches and supported with a jack stand. This tilted it to the other side, so I didn't need to drain the gear oil from the axle housing and save a couple of steps and some time.

More to come.

 

[bloc]

Here you can see how the bearing is affixed to the axle shaft. The two races internal to the hub bearing are a press fit, then a conical washer, then a large press-fit sleeve that gives extra holding force, and provides the sealing surface for the oil seal in the end of the axle housing. Then a snapring that really doesn't do much.. it even floats in the groove, but I guess if you somehow slipped the sleeve it might prevent it walking.

Gunk and metal chunks on the inside of the inboard bearing grease shield

Here you can see the spot the ABS sensor sits in. This can be in place until you remove the assembly. Reading online some people with rust have issues getting the sensor out without breaking it.. might be easier with the assembly on the bench. I had no issues.

You'll need to remove the snapring, and this is BY FAR the best tool for non-holed snap rings.

 

[bloc]

Here come the big tools.

Pictured is the above bestauto tool, and where it doesn't quite fit into the HF press. I had 4" of room, the tool was over 5". With a better press it might fit through. Or, with a tall enough press you could hang it below the platform with very large bolts, but this particular one wasn't. It's just plate steel, so I modified it to fit.

Metal cutting disk in a 4.5" angle grinder, took a few minutes.

This is with the tool attached to the brake backing plate, ready to be put through the platform.

Looks a bit thin for the forces involved but I didn't have any issues, adapter wasn't bent after the job.

 

[bloc]

So at this point the snapring is removed, and you are using the press to push the axle shaft through the retaining sleeve and the inboard bearing race. This requires a lot of force. I'm pretty sure it would have stalled my 12-ton predecessor to this press.. and it flexed the whole thing, but it did eventually pop and move.

I also blocked under the hub face to catch it in case it came out with some force, and to protect the wheel studs. You can see how this press is just large enough for the job. Might be pretty tight for a tundra with their ~1.5" longer shafts.

Initially I put a thin piece of plywood between the mandrel and axle, but it NOPE'd out. Too much force.

A load cell would be interesting here. It was a lot of force.

 

[bloc]

So once it starts moving you'll walk the shaft out through the sleeve and inboard bearing race. Notice the outboard bearing race still on the shaft.

This is where the OTC bearing splitter comes in. And due to the size of the hub vs the splitter, my best option was to "hang" it from the platform. With a tall enough press you could use a large piece of pipe on top of the platform to catch the edges of the splitter, or with a large splitter.. but that's not what I had.

Enter the carriage bolts, and the time to drill 1/2" holes into the blocks from my old 12-ton press.

This single race requires much less force than the sleeve.

If you don't want to spend the money on the splitter it is also possible to use a grinder and cut/grind the race thin, then use a cold chisel to crack it. The steel is so hard it will tend to shatter if you get the groove and forces right. Thing is you risk nicking the axle shaft if you do this. I'd get the splitter.. you'll eventually use it for other stuff anyway.

Bit of a detour but now is a good time to push the mounting studs out of the bearing and backing plate. Some people press these out but that was slow and the forces involved were not high.

I used a brass drift to protect the threads, some blocks, and a 18mm deep socket to receive the stud.

 

[bloc]

When you push the shaft and outboard race out of the bearing it'll push the outer dust/grease seal out with it. Make sure you fish this out before pressing the shaft into the new bearing.

Note that the metal ring is partly to protect the seal from mechanical damage, but it is also to catch any gear oil leaks from this area, and funnel them out to the hub face, where it slings out one of the holes and doesn't contaminate your parking brake shoes. Smart.

Clean up those surfaces, they'll get a fresh seal.

This is the new OEM bearing, it comes with grease in the appropriate spots, and with a plastic retainer on the back that keeps everything in place. If you remove that retainer it is possible for the inboard race to fall out. leave it there. Pics of that eventually.

Now you slide the bearing into the backing plate, and need to press or drive in the studs to hold it together.

I liked the idea of the press for this more than a hammer.

 

[bloc]

This is what you'll end up with, ready to go on the axle shaft.

DON'T GO BANANAS and press it right in. Most likely if you are taking on this job you know it is CRITICAL not to press against the outer race of the bearing, which puts the press forces through the races/balls. Keep reading.

This is how I dealt with it. Dug into my bucket of old races and bearings and such, and found stuff that slid over the OD of the axle shaft, but would catch the back of the inboard inner race, and transmit that load to the press platform. I didn't remember to get measurements, but if someone really needs them I can go measure. IIRC they are inner races for the diff carrier bearing from a toyota 8" v6 diff, plus a random large ball roller bearing I had lying around for some reason.

Press this all on until you feel a noticeable rise in pressure, which is the bearing races hitting the shoulder. I also rotated the backing plate/bearing back and forth to help the outer seal climb over the shoulder of the axle shaft effectively avoiding rolling/pinching it. Maybe overkill, not sure.

NOTE: I did this without the retaining sleeve or conical washer in place, to reduce the force required. Only pressing two bearing races on now. Then we'll go back with the retaining sleeve and washer.

parts:

 

[bloc]

So now you'll need to do a similar job and press the retaining sleeve and conical washer on.


Conical washer first. This should be oriented as in the picture.. if it were an arrow it would point toward the center of the vehicle.

Sleeve, also showing the plastic cover I mentioned keeps the bearing together when not installed. I think at this point it can be removed because the inboard race is retained, but there is a large ID that allows install of the rest, so why not leave it?

Also note that the sleeve has a chamfer on one side, this should be oriented toward the center of the vehicle and allows the oil seal to avoid damage during install. Chamfer is pointed down in this picture, but I greased the ID and surface that would slide over the shaft first.

Juggle all this stuff into the press yet again. This required a lot of force.. seems you have to mostly compress the conical washer to get the snapring groove uncovered.

snapring

 

[bloc]

Here is the bearing assembled, ready for plastic retainer to be removed. Also shows the hole for the ABS sensor stud. You'll need to get one also, or move it over from the old bearing.

Also, you can see there is no paint on the new bearing. The OD of the old one is painted along with the axle housing.

Old stud. I double-nutted this and moved it over. If you have rust, dont bother, get a new one. Mine was pretty tight with no rust.

Then when you go to bolt it back onto the axle shaft you'll need a new o-ring and axle seal. basic stuff, use a seal driver for the seal.

Note that there is a reduced diameter ring in the end of the axle housing that supports the weight of the shaft when it is partly pulled out, to keep it from tearing up the seal. Also smart.

 

[bloc]

As is often said, assembly is the reverse of removal. Again, i'm assuming if you are doing this at all you can handle disassembling the brakes and bolting the shaft back in.

The 4 large bearing nuts go to 44ft-lb
parking brake cable anchor nuts to 63.
Brake caliper bracket 70, caliper slide pins 65

And get access to the FSM!

Last bit.. I bolted it together then wiped down the OD of the bearing with solvent and painted it in place to help prevent some rust. Also I cleaned the end of the axle housing and greased it.. didn't get pictures.


Floor is open for any questions. Good luck with it!

 

[Markuson]

W.O.W.

Nicely done!

 

[bloc]

W.O.W.

Nicely done!

Thank you sir!

 

[grinchy]

thanks for the step thru. very nice!

 

[Artie]

High quality post right here. It’s this type of content that makes this forum worth paying the voluntary membership for me. This doesn’t balance out all the other expenditures I’ve stumbled upon on here for gear, upgrades, and what not but I’ll take those as well.

 

[CharlieS]

Awesome tech content. Thank you for taking the time to photograph, type up and post this.

 

[linuxgod]

 

[scooterp7]

Well done. Answers a lot of questions I had about the process and the tools/parts involved.

 

[bloc]

I completed the other side recently, nothing crazy to report. It had a similar looking brown goo on the ABS tone ring but no metal shavings in it on that side. Bearing looked pretty good when I took it apart. Otherwise it worked much like the above photos.

It did seem to take more force to get the initial press work done.. I wouldn't say the HF 20-ton was struggling but it had me puckered up a bit with how many pumps I was putting into the jack assembly without any movement.. which suggested the press itself was flexing. But eventually it did start moving and I got the job done.

I'm contemplating keeping the press tools to loan to local people if needed. The stuff is too heavy to pack and ship.. but if you are close enough to central texas I'm happy to hand the special stuff over for a while.

 

[montegofd3s]

Started having some vibrations and a little noise recently so I took your advice and bought some chassis ears. Those are a really neat tool. The rears don't sound great, especially the passenger side. I will be replacing them in the upcoming week or two, but can't complain after 237k miles.

 

[fjc-man]

Well done and a nice tutorial. I replaced the rear bearings on my 07 FJ Cruiser at 239,000. If you hadn’t said it was a 200, I’d a thought it was a FJ. For those that don’t like fighting with the parking brake parts with the hub obstructing the whole job, you might consider doing what I did. I pulled the axle / bearing assemblies with the ebrake cables still attached to the backing plates. Disconnecting the cables from the handbrake and fishing them out along the frame is a little work, but I didn’t have to touch the shoes, springs, clips, etc. the whole press operation you described can be done with that stuff staying right where it is. If any of it needed attention, it’s a whole lot easier once the axle has been pressed out of the bearing. Just something to consider if you tackle this job.