Toyota Steps up!!!

sknaus · #1 (**permalink**) 10-17-2006, 07:07 PM

So I am driving to work this morning when I hear this grinding noise and the truck is shuddering. I hit the brakes and pullover and hear this clanking sound. Uh oh... I get out and start checking around and noticed some crap coming out of the rear passenger drum. I thought to myself that it felt like something broke. I hobbled it over to the dealer and by the time I got it there, it was leaking diff fluid. I told them the situation and they said they would take a look at it and let me know. The 3/36 warranty is up, but the 6/60 is still in effect. There is 43k on the truck with the original brake shoes still on there. They called me up and said that one of the shoes came apart and did a lot of damage. It got in behind the hub and destroyed the seal, bearing, ABS gear, and broke the axle shaft. They then went on to say that the cost to fix everything would be $1200 and change, blah, blah blah... I said, "will Toyota cover any of this under the drivetrain warranty?" He paused and said, well, they might cover some of this, let me call and find out. You would of thought he would of done this before hand, but anyways... I get a call a half hour later and he said he just got off the phone with Toyota in Torrence and they would cover everything at 100%. I cannot believe they did this. I certainly was not expecting it, but am glad to see they stepped up to the plate on this. It is not like the brake shoe was wore out and it got ground down, it just came apart and broke. And did a lot of damage, while it was at it. It is supposed to be all back together tomorrow. The dealer did give me some flack about having the lift and wheels. I did not argue anything with him, but I know he knows that did not have anything to do with the problem.
Thanks Toyota to helping fix a freak problem!

cookiemech · #2 (**permalink**) 10-17-2006, 07:32 PM

I'm amazed. Good for you.

Maybe you should have taken the opportunity to buy a lottery ticket while things were going your way

sknaus · #3 (**permalink**) 10-19-2006, 11:23 AM

Now, as Paul Harvey would say, "The rest of the story".

So I go to pick up my truck yesterday and am talking with the service manager. I told him the it seemed odd that a brake would take out an axle. Then he said, this is what really happened: Apparently the axle seal was leaking and that in turn caused the bearing to go out and break the axle and then that took out the brakes. He said this was caused becasue of my wheels. I told him I have a bout 2k miles on these new wheels and I can prove it. He didn't respond to that. He told me to bring in the truck every 10k to 15k to check the rear bearings. I still have a hard time about the seal leaking. I mainting this truck pretty good and never noticed and diff fluid leaking in the brakes. Also, I do not see how a bad seal would cause that bearing to go out, unless it leaked out all the diff fluid and then I have even bigger problems. I am glad that it is fixed, but am a little concerned with the run around and how they tried to get me to pay for it and told me one thing, and then Toyota covers it and it is actually something different. Maybe I am reading too much into this. Anyways, any ideas on why the bearing could have went out with 44k miles on it. I have also serviced the rear diff twice in this period.

Steve

cookiemech · #4 (**permalink**) 10-19-2006, 07:41 PM

Maybe your wheels have a lot of offset, which could stress the axles at their outer ends just a bit and prematurely wear the seals?

I know that there are concerns about having the correct offset on wheels, and it's not just so that they fit within the wheel wells. Someone more knowledgeable than I could probably comment on this.

mustang67408 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-19-2006, 11:25 PM

When the axle seals leak gear oil from the diff, it "washes" the grease out of the sealed axle bearing. They are not designed to run in gear oil. The bearing can then overheat and cause the axle to break.... seen that before.
The gear oil will also contaminate the brake shoes and cause damage. It doesnt have to leak alot, and sometimes it doesnt look like it, but they leak. The brake dust usually absorbs some of the gear oil from the diff and it stays in the drums and doesnt leak out. It happens.

I agree with everything, except the wheels causing the problem.

Tundras are known for leaking rear axle seals. Its not a common thing, but it happens now and then. 4 Runners and Sequoias do the same thing. I have aftermarket wheels, they have been on there for 49K miles, so far no leak (knock on wood). I have alot of friends with aftermarket wheels, some alot larger than most, none of them leak either.
I think it is just one of those things that happened. I also commend Toyota for stepping up. Sounds like you found a Good dealer, who is willing to work with you.

Make sure you dont overfill the diff, the excess fluid can cause a seal to leak from excessive turbulence and windage. It will also force fluid past the rear axles seals from excessive pressure.

Its like overfilling and engine with oil. The extra oil will actually slow the crankshaft down from excessive windage.

If you over fill a PRIUS engine more than 1/2 qt. It will slow down the crankshaft enough and the engine may not start and set a code. (it doesnt reach it full cranking speed).

Glad your back on the road.

tempetom · #6 (**permalink**) 10-20-2006, 09:57 PM

I had a 76 Blazer that had the axle bearing go out. Maybe it lacked diff fluid that caused it, but I don't know. Anyway, I smelled the burning fluid for awhile and finally checked it out. I was riding on the brake shoes. The problem was I was unemployed and in Mexico at the time. I won't go into all that I did to get back home, but I fixed it myself. One big problem was that when I replaced the rear brake shoes, and put a junkyard drum on, I didn't loosen the emergency brake cable. The tight brakes caused my axle lugs to fail, and the 4 wheel drive chain to break and go through the side of the transfer case. I drove it home with a dry transfer case and made it ok. I bought a junkyard axle off a guy in Mexico for $40. I had all the tools in the truck to fix all but the transfer case which I did at home for around $200.

sknaus · #7 (**permalink**) 10-25-2006, 03:12 PM

Ok, so with these real axles, the bearings are sealed? So there would be an inner and outer axle seal? That makes more sense, that the diff oil would wash out the grease if the bearing is self lubed. I have not even had these wheels on for more that 2500 miles. They are 16x8 with 4 inch backspacing and no offset. Thanks for the replys guys, as I am not too familiar with the rear end and all of this is starting to make sense now. Thanks.

Steve