2003 Tacoma Rear Wheel Bearings

[Bryota]

Does anyone have a write-up on replacing rear wheel bearings on a 2003 4x4 TRD Locker with ABS? I hear the wheel speed sensor rings are tough to remove and that the bearings are behind them... Any special tools required? Recommendations?

Thanks
-Bryan

[ccm00tacoma]

Hey Bryan,

I'm about to do the same for my tacoma (as well as replace the inner and outer seals) and found this link in my search. It's only mildly helpful and I certainly won't be pounding the splines of my axle shaft on the pavement....but it does show the locations of the lock rings, so that may be helpful. I will be taking my bearing/axle assembly to a machine shop to be pressed in/out properly. Hope this helps!

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=22686&referrerid=1959

-Adam

[Bryota]

Hi Adam - Thanks for the info.. YIKES!! I won't be pounding mine on the floor either... There is a proper tool for everything. Not to say that I don't improvise from time-to-time, but that just doesn't seem right. As far as the snaprings go, they aren't really my concern. I was concerned with the wheel speed sensing rotors in front of the bearing retainer.... Second thought, they may not need to come out since it appears that their function is to retain on the diff side of the bearing....

You can see the what I mean if you go to the 2001-2004 Tacoma FSM link at the lead-in to this forum section. Look at the rear axle shaft components section and you'll see what I mean...

Bryan

[CYi5]

I believe a press is the proper tool you are talking about for this job, haha.

[bjowett]

The sensor rings usally get cut off, then snap ring, then the silly long tube tool thing that bolts to the bearing carrier/backing plate so the bearing can pressed off. There might be some retainer spacers in there, too. Have fun...

[dyogim]

All of it needs to come off in order to replace the wheel bearing. It's a PITA. While you are replacing the wheel bearing be sure to replace the seals as well.

[4x4mike]

There is a right way and a worng way. The right way requires a press.

I recently did the rear axle bearings on my '99 4runner after having to do the rear axle seals a couple of times.

Here is my bearing experience.
http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=7893.0

Here is Bob's write up for the seals.
http://4runners.org/writeups/rearseal/index.htm

[dyogim]

There is a right way and a worng way. The right way requires a press.

I recently did the rear axle bearings on my '99 4runner after having to do the rear axle seals a couple of times.

Here is my bearing experience.
http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=7893.0

Here is Bob's write up for the seals.
http://4runners.org/writeups/rearseal/index.htm

Bob's write-up is for the inner seal, not the outer seal. I've attached a page from the FSM for a tundra but, it should be practically the same. The oil seal is installed between the backing plate and the wheel hub of the axle shaft. The inner seal is installed in the axle housing tube.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, replace the o-ring to.

[viter]

check out this thread on TTORA - http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114462&highlight=rear+wheel+bearing

I have 2003 TRD taco with ABS and I replaced both on my truck at once after one of the wheel bearings seized up. Also replaced outer seals at the same time. It wasn't that bad. I tried slamming axle on the ground but that didn't work too well, so I went over to a friend who has a 20 ton press in his garage and we pressed off old bearings and pressed on new ones no problem - didn't take much force (not like the one front wheel bearing I did). Also, as far as I remember we did not have to cut anything off or replace the ABS sensor ring with a new one, and that's even so I had chunks of seized up wheel bearing all over that sensor ring and sensor itself.

good luck!

[4x4mike]

Bob's write-up is for the inner seal, not the outer seal. I've attached a page from the FSM for a tundra but, it should be practically the same. The oil seal is installed between the backing plate and the wheel hub of the axle shaft. The inner seal is installed in the axle housing tube.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, replace the o-ring to.

Yeah I know Bob's is for the inner but it mentions the outer. Plus the OP mentioned doing the inners as well. If anything it's a good reference.