Dolphinite no longer here Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 I stopped in to my local Toyota dealer for a quote on re-packing the bearings on my rear, one ton, full floating axle and got some interesting information. The quote for the job, including having to replace the bearings and seals if necessary, was around $800. The mechanic that happened to be at the service desk said that the axle I had was the same as a '90 4-Runner, one ton, full floating. Does anybody know if he was right? Also, would the axles from a '90 4-Runner fit an earlier Toyota RV? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Did he see your axle. I don't think he knew what he was talking about. if they need parts for the work they will be the wrong ones. Call them back and tell them they need to look up the parts for the WT chassis. That's how it looks on the computer. No not the same. Bearings and seals very different. No 4 runners with a full floater ever Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 he probably ran the VIN and had no clue about the recall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 I don't know much, but I would be very surprised if second generation (or any generation) 4Runners had full floaters... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 he probably ran the VIN and had no clue about the recall Yes that's exactly it. Your 85 didn't come with that rear axle. They need to look at parts for a 87 and up.WT chassis Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 I stopped in to my local Toyota dealer for a quote on re-packing the bearings on my rear, one ton, full floating axle and got some interesting information. The quote for the job, including having to replace the bearings and seals if necessary, was around $800. The mechanic that happened to be at the service desk said that the axle I had was the same as a '90 4-Runner, one ton, full floating. Does anybody know if he was right? Also, would the axles from a '90 4-Runner fit an earlier Toyota RV? John Some of the Land Cruisers have rear full-floating axles. Not the 4-runners unless someone installed a full-floater conversion kit. $800 sounds tremendously high just to repack and bearings and install $20 worth of seals. Is this guy charging you for his Juris Doctorate or his alimony payments? It's a three hour job, max. $260 per hour ?? If all the bearings actually need to be replaced that will add another $50-$60 in parts and an extra hour labor. Even then - with all new bearings - it would come to $180 per hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinite no longer here Posted April 19, 2013 Author Share Posted April 19, 2013 Well, I don't know about his Juris Doctorate or his alimony payments but he was wearing boat shoes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 The rear pinion seal in your diff and there is only one on your rig Karin is a 1 hour job at the most. For the bearings are you talking about all wheels or just the rear. I've only done full floater bearings so don't know whats involved in a non floater. has to be easier I would think Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHS Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Aren't the bearings in a full floater lubed by the oil in the differential not needing to be "packed"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Aren't the bearings in a full floater lubed by the oil in the differential not needing to be "packed"? No they are not. Packed like front bearings. Seals separate it from the diff oil Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHS Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Learn something every day. I better do some checking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Linda, I just got an $800.00 quote for new differential seals and new wheel bearings from a local shop in Seattle. I don't have a full floating axle. I plan on taking my rig to another place a friend recommended and see what they quote me for the job. They just look this stuff up in the rip you off quote books then charge that instead of an honest hourly rate. But I suppose it has some value to regulate mechanics time from guys who are slower than Christmas. But ultimately I think it drives the prices higher and higher. Some shops go by the Toyota flat-rate book. Toyota states how much time most repairs will take and dealers often go by that. It's a two-edged sword. A flat-rate shop will charge you only the time showed in the book. That gives incentive for a mechanic to work as as fast as possible. If he/she can do a "four hour" repair in one hour - he/she can make four hour's pay. That can be good and bad. Depends on who is doing the work. The good part is - a flat rate shop cannot inflate the bill or time for repair - except with part price markups. I once worked in a flat-rate shop and was terrible at it. I'm too slow and meticulous. I suggest that anyone not doing their own work - to find out what Toyota shows in the flat-rate schedule. A standard semi-floating rear axle assembly has two sealed ball bearings and three oil seals. Each axle bearing has an oil seal behind the bearing. The pinion input where the driveshaft hooks up has a seal also. Replacing this seal takes someone with knowledge. I've seen MANY rear axles get ruined from a seal change. That pinion seal requires removing the pinon flange. Then the old seal is removed and a new one driven in. The problem is - determining how to retighten the nut on the pinion flange. It cannot be done with a torque wrench and if someone over-tightens it - the pinion bearings get quickly ruined. That because Toyota uses a cheap short-cut type of "crush collar" inside. When new and unused - a torque wrench can be used to assemble. But once used - as in the case of a seal replacement - it cannot be tightened with a torque wrench instead sinced there is no longer any "crush" to be done. I've had to rebuild several rear axles because some chump put a new seal in and was clueless as to how to retighten. 1/4 turn too much and the pinion bearings are ruined. Some shops will insist that a NEW crush collar must be installed with a seal change which is also nonsense. For someone that is skilled - the bearing preload and rollling torgue is measured as the nut is tightened and finally locked in place. To do it correctly does not take long. Three seals, two ball bearings and two new lock rings for the axles. Should be $150 max in parts. At Rock Auto - the new parts are $80 total. Three hour job for a fast mechanic. Some send the axles out to a machine shop to have the old bearings pressed off and new bearings and lock rings installed. If done that way - there is an extra charge added to the bill. I do my own here. By the way, Toyota is not the only one to use cheap crush-collars to save assembly time. Most auto makers use them now in light-duty rear axles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 For the bearings are you talking about all wheels or just the rear. I've only done full floater bearings so don't know whats involved in a non floater. has to be easier I would think Linda S Some mechanics find the 1/2 ton semi-floater more difficult to do a bearing change on. The ball bearings are pressed onto the axle and then a steel lock ring is pressed on to keep the axle from falling out. It requires a big press unless a person is handy with a torch, hammer, and big drift pin. I know of several shops that pull the axles out and send to a machine shop for a bearing change. The Toyota setup is almost identical to what is used in a Ford F100 or F150. The full-floater requires no special tools or a press. It is done similar to the front wheels. In fact the front and back use some of the same part # bearings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Here's a link to Aaron's instructions for replacing the bearings on a Datsun non full floater axle. Sounds pretty easy but you have to belong to the Nissan motorhome site to see it. Karin do you still belong there. Aaron is Nissan certified mechanic http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/nissan_motorhomes/message/1350 Bearings are presses into the backing plate not the axle Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Here's a link to Aaron's instructions for replacing the bearings on a Datsun non full floater axle. Sounds pretty easy but you have to belong to the Nissan motorhome site to see it. Karin do you still belong there. Aaron is Nissan certified mechanic http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/nissan_motorhomes/message/1350 Bearings are presses into the backing plate not the axle Linda S Four nuts removed along with the parking brake cable and hyraulic line and the whole assmbly (axle, bearing and plate) pull off as an assembly. OEM Toyota has a steel snap ring. I've come across several held with the pressed on steel ring instead (like Ford uses). That might be a an aftermarket repair procdure when the snap ring groove is damanged by a failed bearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Here's what it looks like. Main issue when it comes to cost (with an honest mechanic) is rust. If the vehicle is from an area that uses road salt the job can take much longer then with a rust-free vehicle. With the 1/2 ton semi-floater, the hydraulics for the brakes have to be disconnected and if there's been road salt -often the brake bleeders won't come out and snap off. A rusty vehicle when torn down for new bearings and seals often winds up needing new wheel cylinders, brake shoes, brake hold down kit, and often more. With a 1 ton full-floater, the brake system does not have to be touched to service the bearings and seals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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