Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
- Mark
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- My tercel:: 1984 Automatic, 1981 sedan
- Location: Victoria, B.C.
Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
I've never had problems with any of my bearings until I drove through a deep section of flooded highway during a rainstorm. The puddle wasn't up to the axles, but the pushing motion of the car would have forced quite a bit up in that area. About 2 weeks later I heard the slight grinding noise from the front driver's side. When I removed the bearing it was full of rusty water and there was rusted pitting on the bearing race. I replaced it and so far, over a year later, the other bearings are still fine. The bearing seals will keep out most dust and light splashing and keep in the grease, but the won't hold back the water pressure when submerged, especially it the seals are old. I cringe when I see videos of off-roaders driving through deep puddles up to the hood. Do they remove and re-pack their bearings every week or something?
- Mark
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
Did that include the hub? I bought mine (bearing only) for about $60 (in Canada even), but I hear you guys have passed us in the race for the most expensive prices in the world.Rokkatansky wrote:The cheapest price I got bearings in Perth Australia is at $118 the others were charging $190, thats ridiculous. I'd change both sides if it was cheaper.
- marlinh
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
Who did you buy those wheel bearings from? Lordco charges over $100 here.
- Mark
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
I think it must have been Lordco (with my account's 40% discount I guess).
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
This is true I had to buy two bearings and was reading on the site that you guys were getting them cheap.
That was not with the hub, just the bearing.
The aussie dollar should technically see us paying less, but no they screw us blind, and when your dollar gets stronger they charge us more because they say it cost more to freight cause of the dollar.
Everything here is so damn expensive....
I get what ever i can second hand and fabricate, it's bullshit!!!
Yet it is good seeing the auto shop people smile at the name Tercel, there getting rare. "Havnt seen one of those in years" they say.
Does anyone know what sits on the rear tailgate? Some cars came out with, (as mine till was taken off) a piece to mount something on it?????
That was not with the hub, just the bearing.
The aussie dollar should technically see us paying less, but no they screw us blind, and when your dollar gets stronger they charge us more because they say it cost more to freight cause of the dollar.

Everything here is so damn expensive....
I get what ever i can second hand and fabricate, it's bullshit!!!
Yet it is good seeing the auto shop people smile at the name Tercel, there getting rare. "Havnt seen one of those in years" they say.
Does anyone know what sits on the rear tailgate? Some cars came out with, (as mine till was taken off) a piece to mount something on it?????
1985 SR5 Custom, Lifted legs 3" rear 1" front, 205/70/15 shoes, Stock 1.5 heart all arteries cleaned.
- dlb
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
not sure what you're talking about here. can you take a pic? the only things i can think of are the license plate holder (the big plastic thing that looks like an ATM or food vending machine), the knob to open the rear hatch, the '4wd' badge, the rear window wiper, and the spray nozzle for the rear window wiper.Rokkatansky wrote:Does anyone know what sits on the rear tailgate? Some cars came out with, (as mine till was taken off) a piece to mount something on it?????
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
I think the right vs left side is the fact that the crown of the road almost always puts more weight on the right side when driving.
I just did both of my rear wheel bearings, the RR was really bad. The left one wasn't moving abnormally, but when I pulled the axle out I found all of the grease from the bearing in the axle housing instead of in the bearing, so I replaced it anyway.
I just did both of my rear wheel bearings, the RR was really bad. The left one wasn't moving abnormally, but when I pulled the axle out I found all of the grease from the bearing in the axle housing instead of in the bearing, so I replaced it anyway.
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
Found out the extra in the rear to the right is a license plate holder, it's now on the left in the ATM section.
1985 SR5 Custom, Lifted legs 3" rear 1" front, 205/70/15 shoes, Stock 1.5 heart all arteries cleaned.
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
I suspect I will be replacing my T4's rear bearings soon, and perhaps the driveshaft center bearing as well. So a few questions:
(1) For the driveshaft center bearing, what is another way to hold the intermediate shaft in place so I can remove the nut on the end of it (and use the nut to torque the new bearing back on), i.e. instead of getting hold of the SST Chilton talks about? (I do have a vise on my workbench.) Possibly put the u-joint in the vise?
(2) To press off the old rear axle bearing and press the new one on, is there a smallish press I can go buy myself to do this, like at Harbor Freight for instance? Or do we really need to have a machine shop do this?
(3) What brands of rear diff oil are most highly thought of? I'm figuring on replacing the old oil while I am in there, and want to check for little metal pieces while it's drained. How about Royal Purple 85W90 for instance?
(1) For the driveshaft center bearing, what is another way to hold the intermediate shaft in place so I can remove the nut on the end of it (and use the nut to torque the new bearing back on), i.e. instead of getting hold of the SST Chilton talks about? (I do have a vise on my workbench.) Possibly put the u-joint in the vise?
(2) To press off the old rear axle bearing and press the new one on, is there a smallish press I can go buy myself to do this, like at Harbor Freight for instance? Or do we really need to have a machine shop do this?
(3) What brands of rear diff oil are most highly thought of? I'm figuring on replacing the old oil while I am in there, and want to check for little metal pieces while it's drained. How about Royal Purple 85W90 for instance?
1986 4WD Tercel, formerly gold, now camo
1995 Ford Aspire SE, MPG development car, shooting for 65 MPG hwy
1990 Ford Festiva, mild motor swap, HP development car
The other Tom M. in STL w/a gold 1986 SR5--from the universe where Spock has a goatee
1995 Ford Aspire SE, MPG development car, shooting for 65 MPG hwy
1990 Ford Festiva, mild motor swap, HP development car
The other Tom M. in STL w/a gold 1986 SR5--from the universe where Spock has a goatee
- dlb
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
there are lots of threads on preferred trans and diff oils. i have stuck with traditional oils myself (for fear of oil leaks due to detergents in synthetic oils breaking down crud that might be the only thing holding leaks back) but forum member 4wdchico has made compelling arguments for only using synthetics branded 'NS', which means no friction modifiers for limited slip differentials. he uses Redline 75w90 NS. if i was going to go the synthetic route, i would do this.
- ARCHINSTL
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
I can't help with the replacement of the support bearing, as I replaced the whole driveshaft back in '10 with a very satisfactory reman, which came with a new bearing. The U-joints on my OE were virtually locked up and noisy. See https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... hilit=seal
►►► BE SURE to look at the photos in the above link and read the link to Petros' post on the seal subject!
No leaks after 3 years!
As to the replacement of rear bearings and retainers, just have a machine shop or garage press them on. It cost me $25 bucks - I'd already ground off the old retainers and removed the bearings. See https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6447
As to oil, I just use the OE recommended dino oil.
Tom M.
►►► BE SURE to look at the photos in the above link and read the link to Petros' post on the seal subject!
No leaks after 3 years!
As to the replacement of rear bearings and retainers, just have a machine shop or garage press them on. It cost me $25 bucks - I'd already ground off the old retainers and removed the bearings. See https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6447
As to oil, I just use the OE recommended dino oil.
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
Thanks David and Tom!
Tom, where did you get the reman axle? I read your other thread and the Petros thread too, very helpful. Also, IIRC that was Butler Toyota in Indy? There are others.
Tom, where did you get the reman axle? I read your other thread and the Petros thread too, very helpful. Also, IIRC that was Butler Toyota in Indy? There are others.
1986 4WD Tercel, formerly gold, now camo
1995 Ford Aspire SE, MPG development car, shooting for 65 MPG hwy
1990 Ford Festiva, mild motor swap, HP development car
The other Tom M. in STL w/a gold 1986 SR5--from the universe where Spock has a goatee
1995 Ford Aspire SE, MPG development car, shooting for 65 MPG hwy
1990 Ford Festiva, mild motor swap, HP development car
The other Tom M. in STL w/a gold 1986 SR5--from the universe where Spock has a goatee
- ARCHINSTL
- Goldie Forever
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- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
- My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
- Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis
Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
Sorry - I thought I'd posted the correct link.TominMO wrote:Tom, where did you get the reman axle? I read your other thread and the Petros thread too, very helpful. Also, IIRC that was Butler Toyota in Indy? There are others.
This is the correct link with info on the prop shaft source: https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6459
It's been in two years and no probs.
As indicated, very happy with the vendor.
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
Thanks again Tom. Meant to say reman driveshaft, not axle. I'll crawl under it tmw to check stuff out. Hopefully the center support bearing will pass a visual inspection. I"ll try to look at the weep holes in the axles too, to see if they are plugged.
1986 4WD Tercel, formerly gold, now camo
1995 Ford Aspire SE, MPG development car, shooting for 65 MPG hwy
1990 Ford Festiva, mild motor swap, HP development car
The other Tom M. in STL w/a gold 1986 SR5--from the universe where Spock has a goatee
1995 Ford Aspire SE, MPG development car, shooting for 65 MPG hwy
1990 Ford Festiva, mild motor swap, HP development car
The other Tom M. in STL w/a gold 1986 SR5--from the universe where Spock has a goatee
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- Top Notch Member
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- Location: St. Louis, MO
Re: Wheel Bearings Gone Bad? ( Video Help )
BTW is it possible to extend the life of the driveshaft u-joints in any way (I know they are non-serviceable), such as by squirting something on the joints themselves to help keep them lubed, or at least keep corrosion out? I ask because I'd rather just replace the center bearing, if needed, rather than the whole driveshaft.
Edit: Today I inspected the driveshaft center bearing. The rubber on it is intact but getting dried out. I sprayed some Armor-All on the rubber seals to rejuvenate them for a while longer. I like to do this about every six months on ball joint rubber too.
Edit: Today I inspected the driveshaft center bearing. The rubber on it is intact but getting dried out. I sprayed some Armor-All on the rubber seals to rejuvenate them for a while longer. I like to do this about every six months on ball joint rubber too.
1986 4WD Tercel, formerly gold, now camo
1995 Ford Aspire SE, MPG development car, shooting for 65 MPG hwy
1990 Ford Festiva, mild motor swap, HP development car
The other Tom M. in STL w/a gold 1986 SR5--from the universe where Spock has a goatee
1995 Ford Aspire SE, MPG development car, shooting for 65 MPG hwy
1990 Ford Festiva, mild motor swap, HP development car
The other Tom M. in STL w/a gold 1986 SR5--from the universe where Spock has a goatee