Anyone do a rear wheel bearing without a press sucessfully?

Just did the front end of my truck and got the cap installed today. It feels great, looks great... time to get it back on the jack stands and do something else to it.

I'm planning on doing the rear wheel bearings... maybe a rear disk brake setup too. The front wheel bearings were really easy, but my understanding is that the back requires a press to remove everything and to put the bearings back on.

My question is: has anyone done this without a press, successfully?

Please share all your horror stories and success stories, and why you failed or succeeded.

 

I'm sure somewhere Billy Bob the redneck did it with a 5lb sledge, a splittin' wedge, a piece of 2" sewer pipe and 8 cinder blocks, but I guarantee you, he f*cked some stuff up. You can pull the axles yourself, but you need to have someone experienced with TOYOTA rear wheel bearings do the press work.

 

I've done them with an air hammer

 

Buy a press and Toyota SST or bring to machine shop. Cheaper to bring it machine shop. Your never gonna get the collar off and back on with home tools without fubarin' the axle shaft!

 

How?

 

S-K-E-T-C-H-WHY?! ITS SKETCHY! YA! IT'S SKETCHY!

 

I wouldn't recommend it. Only way to be sure they go on without any hidden damage is to do it properly with a press. Trying to smack them on with a hammer and drift or some other redneck method would likely work, but you might shorten the life of the bearing using shitty practices.

I suppose it would also depend on how you define "success". Seating the bearing? Easy. Having the bearing last 150,000+miles? Easy if done the right way.

 

You MIGHT be able to get it all off, with hammers, etc, I precision cut everything off one time even the retainer, but even with a shop press and every jig I could think of could not get the retainer pressed back on.

This is the parts you need...

(first time I got estimate from dealership so I knew what to order, lol!)

 

At one point I had a pretty sweet axle collection.

https://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/2352505-post1.html#/topics/158051?page=1

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2nd-gen-rear-axle-bearing-diy.246760/

 

Yes sir you can make an SST Buy one or make one or bring to machine shop, otherwise... Well, I wouldn't do it... the slamming on the ground thing, I tried it, no go! once the concrete started to chip, wasn't going to risk damaging the end of the shaft pushing even more. That's when I took a Dremel and cut the metal so thin (before touching the shaft) I could peel off. Then found myself with the predicament of pressing back on...

My whole point is... (and I think yours) You have to have the right tools or it's a no-go brother.

 

If I am understanding everyone correctly, just to make sure I got this, I don't want to mess this up.... I gotta get more tools? Nice. You guys are the best.

 

When u need a press you need a press. When u need a flat head screwdriver a butter knife might work. When u need a press u need a press. When u need a hammer a chunk of steel may work. When you need a press YOU NEED a press.

 

Is there some reason you think you need to change the rear axle bearings? If they're not falling off, leave them alone. They don't tend to go bad as easily as the fronts, since they are continuously lubricated with differential oil. This job is right up there with changing the main engine bearings for the fun of it.

 

Yeah, I ended up putting more lift on my truck than expected. To much for the rear shocks. The rear axle ended up a few degrees off center for about ~100 miles of driving. Now there is a pleasant whining noise coming from the rear driver side. Faint, but there. Suspension fixed, check the brakes - all good. Probably need to replace the wheel bearing.

 

That seems like a valid reason. Just try to make absolutely certain that its the bearing before you dive into it. The job is a pain in the a$$ and it would be really frustrating to do the job and have it not fix the problem.

 

Amen. Don't dive into this unless ya have to. I agree sounds like you do. On all seriousness though if you are going to do it you need the right tools. One of those times you just can't get by without the specific tool(s) and equipment.

And yes as a self appointed rig something and make it work expert it pains me to say that.

 

Oh, don't forget: A press isn't going to break the bank. Cost less than the bearing you're going to install with it.

 

If your Tacoma rear wheel bearings are being lubricated by differential oil, you have a serious problem.

 

You may want to look at how its all put together.

 

I'm very well aware of how it's all put together. This is Tacomaworld, not Chevyworld.