[toyo22r]

As mentioned in a previous thread, both front bearings have excessive play in them which the dealer denied for warranty repair due too "larger tires and lift". So i was forced to replace myself. I thought I would document the work along the way as I haven't found a complete DIY thread with pix.

Parts Required:
43570-60010 - bearing
90312-96001 - Hub seal
90316-A0001 - Spindle seal
90301-92003 - O-ring

New bearings and hub seals.

Whats not shown is the o-ring that goes behind the bearing assy. and the oil seal that is pressed in the spindle itself.

Start by removing the "grease cap". Why is it called this? There is no grease inside! :lol: I read some threads where people were having trouble removing this. I got each one off in under 5mins. The trick is placing a screwdriver like this and hammering away, all the way around the cap. Then pry off once its loose.

Then using a 35mm socket and someway to immobilize the hub, pop the drive axle nut loose.

I then removed the caliper and speed sensor. This was my first clue something was amiss. When i removed the sensor the tip of it was covered in a sticky muddy goo.

Speed sensor

Next, pull the rotor off and remove the four bolts holding the bearing assembly to the spindle. You wont be able to fully remove them but loosen as for as they go (they end up butting up to the hub). I gave the axle stub a whack (rubber mallet) to make sure it was free to slide in the hub. Then beat the pi$$ out of the bearing along the 4 bolted flange. I had to use a chisel along the edge to get it to start to break free. This was the most laborious step so far. Once off this is what i found.

No wonder the bearing failed! There were pieces of the spindle seal laying in the bottom. The o-ring was broke too, but not 100% sure that didn't happen when removing the bearing assy.

To be continued.... o-rings on order.

 

[reddyIII]

Hi. How did you diagnose your bearings to have excessive play? I want to check mine now..thanks!

 

[SKINUM]

Hi. How did you diagnose your bearings to have excessive play? I want to check mine now..thanks!

Jack the vehicle up and grab your tire at 12 and 6 o'clock positions. If you can move the wheel back and forth the bearings are shot.

My passenger side needed replacement.......... did the swap last night.

 

[FJ FunJunkie]

Awesome post, I'll be doing this next weekend so good to see a step by step!

 

[jayman]

I remember when 4x4's had easily serviced bearings. Seal was under $3, you'd take the rotor/hub off, clean everything out, repack the bearings, put everything back together, and be on your way

This isn't just a Toyota issue. Every new vehicle has "sealed" bearings, when they get water/dirt in them - or wear out - you have to throw away a lot of parts

I am looking forward to more installments from toyo22r: keep up the good work!

 

[toyo22r]

I won't have the o-rings for a few days yet, so I want to get as far as possible without them. The main culprit that failed allowing water, mud etc. into the bearings was the seals in the spindle. In order to replace these you must remove the spindle. Very easy. I started at the bottom ball joint, removing the two 19mm bolts. I placed the floor jack under the lower control arm to support the spring tension. Next remove the castle nut on the upper ball joint but do not take all the way off. Hit the spindle on this flat spot shown in the pic really hard a few times and the ball joint pops right now.. its not under much tension but the nut keeps things from flopping around.

Here is the spindle seal.. it gets driven out from the front with a punch. Installation is just the reverse. Tap sound the circumference until its fully seated.

Now at this point the spindle is ready to go back on and all that is left to do is the bearing assy. After looking at the old one, there is not an easy way to press the bearing of the hub at home w/o some fixturing and a press. However it does appear once the hub is free, pressing the new bearing on can be done in any number of creative ways, big vise, bottle jack, etc. I have a press at work I may use. So to get the old bearing off i used an angle grinder and die grinder and cut cut cut. I probably went a little overboard as what I found is the metal races are tempered hardened steel. Example in the inner race still attached to the hub... Grind a slit in the bearing race and use a chisel. Couple good hits and it cracks all the way through releasing its death grip on the hub. Here is whats left afterwords.

More to follow.....

 

[DEWFPO]

That bearing is the definition of 'Toast'!

Thanks for posting this.

DEWFPO

 

[jayman]

Maybe this question has already been asked: did you do a lot of water crossing?

The gravel access road to my hobby farm flooded during our general flooding conditions here in Manitoba. I stopped driving through once the water was up to the top of the hubs

I now wish I had stopped crossing when the water was up to the rim, not even touching the hubs

 

[toyo22r]

No not too many water crossings normally. I am pretty convinced this is what did them in... What looks like water and mud is actually very fine silt, left from a mining operation. This crap got into everything.. wasted my idlers the next day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtJlukUGpKA

 

[toytaco]

I hate mud!! but holy [email protected] thats nuts. I broke my block on my tacoma the last time i drove into mud of that consistency. Great video btw.

 

[jayman]

What looks like water and mud is actually very fine silt, left from a mining operation.

Now you have me worried

Where I have my hobby farm, the actual property is high and dry. The gravel sideroad goes through a swamp and a small ravine. During the peak of our Manitoba floods here, the low part of that gravel road had around 4 ft of water, so for about a month stretch I didn't even bother going to the hobby farm

When the water was rising, I did drive through stuff that looked like hot chocolate, due to all the sand/silt stirred up by the flood waters. I thought the FJ was rated at having a fording rating of around 2 feet. Once the water was consistently to the top of the hubs, I thought "better play it safe" and stopped crossing

I don't mind repacking bearings, and have done so on older vehicles. With older 4wd's, I'd probably repack the bearings as a precautionary measure after such water crossing. However, it really isn't possible to do that with modern vehicles, is it? They're "sealed" for life

 

[Dragon]

They're allegedly sealed. Nothing seems to be worse on the FJ's than watery grit / silt. I've had both front bearings replaced.

Thanks for this write up. Very concise and easy to follow. :cheers:

 

[reddyIII]

Jack the vehicle up and grab your tire at 12 and 6 o'clock positions. If you can move the wheel back and forth the bearings are shot.

My passenger side needed replacement.......... did the swap last night.

Thanks for the tip! I checked both sides and they are fine. Cheers! :cheers:

 

[outinthewoods]

great post Paul.

 

[bandi]

The first time I pulled an CV Axle on my FJ, I saw
that my Inner seal (spindle side) was completely
disintegrated, understandably by the crap I had
been into, but just one of those things that I must
keep an eye after wheeling in mud !...

 

[bartt]

Nice writeup and pics - thanks.
I noticed that the replacement parts linked in the other thread are Timken or SKC bearings.. I wonder if anyone would care to state their opinion of Toyota vs Timken for bearings for this application.?

Perhaps it would be a good idea to just get some replacement parts to have on the shelf, since it looks like we're all going to be tearing into this at some point. So, we all need to get these and some idler bearings just in case.

 

[jd65]

As a reminder as to one of the reasons you bought your FJ in the first place:

FJ Cruiser | Limits + Capacities | Water Fording

*TWENTY-SEVEN POINT FIVE INCHES DEEP*

One thing in the video I do not like, and do not do, is to STOP in 2+ feet of water. I believe THAT has more of a negative impact than larger tires and a 3" lift - of which I have both.

I did my LEFT wheel bearing last October, the RIGHT one in June of this year.

And, the LEFT one again yesterday.

It appears the H2O is entering the "sealed" bearing via the outside. So, this time around I put a bead of silicone on the "grease-cap".

For your perusal:

Advance Auto Parts: Hub Assembly by National - Part 515040

Happy Trails!

 

[jd65]

Toyota.com : Vehicles : FJ Cruiser : Bulletin


Go to: Section 1
Click "Limits and Capacities"
Then click "Water Fording" - upper right corner

 

[XDodgeFJ2]

I have replaced mine last year also, my failure was quite a bit more intense, with only the rotor/calipers holding the wheel on. The axle bolts were grossly tight, took a cheater pipe to get the nots loose. That was the most likely candidate for the failure, along with a very over thorough washing of the seal area(live and learn, I could get away with it on my nissan4x pick up of old, but not apparently the FJ...)as there was lots of dried mud there. A shop installed the first hub/bearing, and I did the second(after having Musson Patout Toyota in New Iberia,La tell me I needed new cv's and more,all without even removing wheels or the cv boots...a real mechanic checked and gave em A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH) I noticed later when I completed the opposite side that the inner spindle seal was left out on the shop installed side.The shop is too far from to worry about going back,and the mechanics helper said,they are sealed bearings so you don't need em...I learned alot about the front end and have installed new shocks,upper control arms(total chaos)etc,etc, but damnit one side still needs the spindle seal.That is my " first" on the next "fj to do list"...all for a nine dollar+- part. I've been staying out of the mud but had no choice on the last outing, so it'll happen as soon as I return to the "beach".

 

[XDodgeFJ2]

yes it is "nuts" not "nots":jester: