Topic: Burned up rear axle bearing.

[95TacoTruck]

I just had a bad gear oil leak on the rear of my 95 Tacoma.  I replaced the seal in the housing but when I took the other seal to the machine shop to have the bearing pressed out and the new seal pressed in the rubber part of the sealed bearing was all bubbly and had gotten hot and melted.  I replaced that too I am just curious if anyone knows what would cause it to get so hot and melt like that.  I am concerned about the other side though it isn't leaking.

[brainlessfool]

only time I've seen bearings get hot is when they go dry.  or if they have too much preload on them. (but axle bearings don't have preload) maybe at the bearing factory they missed out on some of the grease in that one?

[84runner]

ya that is a wierd one. cause that pressed bearing is sealed. just keep an eye on it and maybe inspect the other one

[95TacoTruck [OP]]

Yeah I'm kinda befuddled on that one but I'm gonna watch it closely and see what happens.  Those sealed bearings are freaking expensive at about $65 bucks plus the $25 to have it pressed I don't want to keep replacing those.

[Prismo]

You know you could remove and replace those bearings and retainers yourself. I got tired of the local shops screwing them up. They put them on backwards one time! Cut the retainer with a die grinder & cutting disc on opposite sides until the cuts within about 1/16" from the axle shaft. Take a chisel & place it in one of the grooves. Whack it once or twice with a hammer & it will crack. Slide it off, then the bearing will tap off. To put the new retainer on use a piece of iron pipe with a slightly larger inside diameter than the axle. Knock it back on using the pipe as a slide hammer, put a piece of wood under the axle so you don't booger the studs. You can heat the retainer before you knock it on & it's a little easier. If you had a bent housing it could possibly cause the bearing to heat but I doubt it.

[95TacoTruck [OP]]

LMAO where are you oklaholma??  J/K that sounds pretty okie the guys that do mine are my friends so I trust them I prefer to keep my truck okie rig free i'm not about to start  cutting on anyting with a grinder.  Thanks for the advice though.

[84runner]

Thats not okie thats called trail knowledge

[Prismo]

Hey, It's your money! I would rather spend mine on other things. To each his own.

[Marlin]

What appears as a "all bubbly, gotten hot and melted" will be nothing more than brake fluid that drained down from the wheel cylinder, when the axle was last removed? Did you remove the diff before to regear or lock it up?

The corrosive brake fluid in the outer axle housing will attack the side seal of the wheel bearing

Was there anything wrong with the old bearing?

I have seen many bubbly rear wheel bearings. Removed the cover, inspected, cleaned, and greased the bearing, reinstalled the bubbly cover, installed a new Toyota inner axle seal and called it good.

Years ago, I cut off the end of a axle housing, welded it to a steel plate with a hole bored thur and made my own rear axle jig for my press. I do not like to cut, or torch the retainer ring off. I have replaced many leaking rear axles because when the retainer ring was cut off, they cut too deep and gear oil will find its way out under the ring.

[84runner]

Marlin to the rescue with good old hands on experience. Got to love the man

[brainlessfool]

[95TacoTruck [OP]]

I don't think there was any actual damage to the bearing it worked fine just the plastic part bubbled up.   I just figured since it was out I might as well be on the safe side and change it.  I don't like to blow money but 25 bucks to have it pressed isn't a big deal to me if I can avoid cutting stuff up.  It's not like I'm doing it every week.  

[WHITE_TRASH]

What can I say, most of us are pretty cheap!  If we can do it ourselves we sure as heck will.  Heck last time I had to have one pressed it cost me a cool 12 pack.  Not too bad except I should have just made a fixture and did it myself.  But thats just how I am.
WT