I’m having a hard time finding a straight forward answer. I have a 94 FZJ80 with a full float rear axle. Do the rear wheel bearings need packed with grease or are they lubed from differential oil. I pulled it apart last night and bearings had minor grease and gear oil was present. I have new bearings and seals but can’t tell if I just had bad seals that washed the bearings with oil or if they just get lubed with gear oil and don’t need packed with grease. I tried searching but I don’t think I’m typing in enough key words to find a match for my question. I suck with computers sorry. Thank you in advance.
Rear axle question (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter chris10
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Pack them with grease as per FSM. Let me know If you need the relevant pages from the FSM.
- Thread starter
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Thank you. Can you send me a picture of the cover of you FSM. I’ve been trying to find one
thatcabledude
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You should pack them with grease and replace your seals, but they will be bathed in the diff oil and the grease washed out again sooner or later.. It’s fine. Apparently some don’t even install the seal into the end of the spindle.
You can find a free FSM above in the "resources" section.
Download it and get to work.
They should be packed with grease. Make sure your grease and gear oil are compatible because they will mix over time.
Get all new seals. The outer spindle seals is very lame and is why they end up flooded with gear oil and that's ok. Just keep your differential oil full and you'll be good.
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My FSM was downloaded from the Toyota Information System website. The first chapter is the Introduction so no front cover.
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FYI, myself and others don't run the seals and just let the gear oil lube the bearings. I've got 40k miles with this setup and no issues including towing/hauling stuff, etc. and don't plan to go back to a grease/seal setup.
@Tools R Us (RIP) is the mud member that first brought the option to my attention and after reading here and elsewhere on the subject I went this route on my 80. I'm sure you can dig around and find mud discussions on this topic if you are curious.
@Tools R Us (RIP) is the mud member that first brought the option to my attention and after reading here and elsewhere on the subject I went this route on my 80. I'm sure you can dig around and find mud discussions on this topic if you are curious.
But you do pack the bearings with grease lightly before assembly, correct ? I’m about to rebuild and regear both front and rear and considering just leaving the seals out and letting the gear oil lube the bearings.
Seems like a good idea to add some sort of bearing "assembly" lube, but not too much as it will just be an additive for the gear oil once you drive it.
If you don’t run the inner seals, it’s a good idea to silicone the flanges on the axles where they bolt to the hub. It sucks to find out the little paper gasket didn’t seal with a nice automatic tire shine. Ask me how I know 
That paper seal was made for grease, not oil I think.
That paper seal was made for grease, not oil I think.
I’d still completely pack the bearings before assembly for sure.
@Railwelder93 That's interesting. Mine haven't leaked in a few years with just a new paper seal, maybe luck?
It was only one side on mine, maybe I had a tear in it or something idk
Back in the autumn when i redid my rear axles I must have nicked the seal. A few thousand miles later i had a brake issue that needed investigation and when i pulled the wheel the gear oil had seeped out of the axle and had contaminated the disc pads and rotor. No way i would be running with no seals as a choice.
You either pack them or set the truck on a sidehill for 10 minutes to allow the year oil to fill the cavity. Otherwise you'll only go about a mile. Ask me how I know.
Personally, I would pack them first.
- Thread starter
- #17
So will the grease and gear oil containers say what they are compatible with? Or do you have to search which gear oil is compatible with which grease? I’m out of town for a funeral or else I would go to the garage and look at them.
Look them up online, but it's good to have the container.
Google oil and grease compatibility charts and you'll get a few results.
Also bobstheoilguy.com
