REAR WHEEL BEARING RETAINING RING REPLACEMENT

Hello, I had an issue with my brakes recently and it turns out my rear retainer ring on my axle is worn and has a groove in it allowing gear oil to get into my brakes. I can’t seem to find any instructions on how to take it off on a 2nd gen Tacoma. Not a first gen because their abs tone ring is very different and I can’t just replace that on mine. It is part of the hub assembly. So how do I take off the retainer ring without the risk of damaging the tone ring.

 

Look up some wheel bearing replacement videos on Youtube. You'll probably need to replace the whole wheel bearing, aftermarket Timken's aren't too expensive, then just get a new retainer if needed and press it on with the new bearing. Removing the bearing can be somewhat cumbersome and requires a special tube adapter tool for the press to remove the bearing from the shaft, probably best to just bring your shaft assembly into a local auto repair shop and let them press it and then you can reinstall the whole shaft assembly into your axle housing. The tone ring/bearing is all integrated together.

 

So my wheel bearing is fine I think. I only need to replace the retainer ring which does come off by itself. I don’t have a press tho and I’m worried about using the torch method and a marble and spinning the shaft while heating it up. Because I’m pretty sure that tone ring is plastic material on the inside and outside. You can see how he puts the marble side down on the ground and heats up that retaining ring while continuing to spin the axle with a pick or whatever he has and letting the heat do the work. That’s all well and good but I fear that would mess up my tone ring.

 

I can’t see how the retaining ring is causing the issue.
The retaining ring just keep the bearings from back off the axle shaft.
The seal doesn’t ride anywhere close to the retaining ring.
The only way the retaining ring could cause an issue is if the bearing is loose on the axle.

Anyways, you remove the retaining ring like any other external circlip.
Start it off with thin screwdriver or heavy duty pick.

@6 gearT444E has a good post on it.
There should be som helpful info in there.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-rear-axle-bearing-seal-replacement.734924/

 

Maybe he means the seal retainer, possibly terminology mixup?

 

Maybe?
That is plausible.
But then I’d be more confused as to why he is asking “how to get it off?”

I need more info……

 

I’m talking about this guy right here.

 

To get that off you need to remove the clip.
You can just see it in your picture.

 

I don’t think you’re going to remove that without taking the whole bearing assembly apart, at least not without damaging the bearing.

 

I’m aware. It’s not just gonna fall off when I do tho

 

how do you figure? Behind that seal there’s a abs tone ring, and I believe behind that is the bearing

 

I don’t know, it might?
@6 gearT444E is the guy to ask on that one.

 

According to this video. You’ll need a press and a jig.
Or if you get creative, a grinder and cutting wheel, and a long piece of pipe.
That’s not at all the right way. But it the way things get done if they have to be done right now.

https://youtu.be/NcrlDQL8NIg

 

If the gear lube is in your brakes it must’ve leaked past the bearing likely washing the grease out and ruining it. I’d replace it. Just went thru the same thing actually

 

You can get that off with an angle grinder very carefully. Put a 6 inch death wheel on and score into it half way at an angle as you go around. Then do it again 180 . Put a cold chisel in the Crack and whack it and it will pop. But if you think that is bad you should do the bearing too as well as the axle tube seal. Chances are the bearing is whooped and running just out of center causing the groove to get worn in retainer and gear oil will pass by it along with the sealed bearing cause it as well is running out of center.

 

no there isn’t.

 

this is what I’d say as well. More trouble than it’s worth to try to remove just the retainer. Replace everything in kind if the fluid leaked into the bearings it is on borrowed time.

 

Take that assembly to a shop with a new bearing and retainer. Have them press new stuff on. Also there could be a groove in the axle shaft where the seal rides. That would require machining, or a really careful sanding to get it smooth.

 

Forgot to mention, if you can't find a the tool or a shop that has one it can be made fairly quick with a hole saw and drill and welder. You want basically the flange out on the axle tube out 1/4-3/8 plate with shc40 pipe and some flats on the top for the press table/base. Or a rusty axle housing and chop the tube off.

 

Won't be a groove in shaft because the tube seal runs on the retainer .