Bleeding Toyota Brakes

cumminsdzl

cumminsdzl

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Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Wake Forest
So i pulled the rear axle off of my truck last night so the diff can be welded. Obviously i had to disconnect the rear brake lines. I have read the topics on bleeding brakes, but i am a complete newby when it comes to actually doing it.

Now that the rear brakes have air in the system, do i still need to bleed the fronts also? Any secrets to making the job easier?

I guess i really need a step by step on how to do it. Thanks for the help, and if this belongs in the newbie section feel free to move it.

Kyle
 
Did you at least cap the lines when you disconnected them?

Anyhoo, not sure if the '82 trucks have a proportioning valve, but if they do, it'll be up under the bed, with a rod coming off it that attaches to the rear axle. bleed that first. then, just go from farthest away to closest to the master cylinder.

press on the pedal, loosen the bleeder, and when (or slightly before) the pedal hits the floor, shut the bleeder. Repeat.
 
Remember to check the fluid after you bleed each section. If not, you may end up doing it all over.
 
if you are by your self, or you have a lot of air in your lines. Take the cap off of your brake fluid res. that is on top of your master cylinder, fill with brake fluid, Then losen ALL of the bleeders and let it sit tell fluid comes out of all the bleeders make sure you keep the res. full!!!! then tighten all the bleeders and you should only have to do like rich said one or two times.
 
rear brakes

You should only have to bleed the rears. All the statements above appy, plus you must have the shoes adjusted out properly or you will have a low pedal, giving the impression there is still air in the lines.
 
I use a jar filled with brake fluid and a hose that will reach to the bottom of the jar from your bleeder valve. slip the hose over the loose bleeder screw and make sure the hose is to the bottom of the jar. then you pump the brakes a few times it will pump the air out and draw the fluid back up the line when you let go of the pedal. this is a one man brake bleeding trick. but if you have help do as everyone said. have someone pump the pedal and hold it down then loosen the bleeder and tighten it back up then have them pump again. keep an eye on the fluid level in the reservior and do as mentioned by all the others.

for future reference next time go get you some caps from your local auto parts store so the next time you pull it apart you can plug them and lose as little brake fluid as possible and get as little air in the lines as possible. my bleeders have debris caps on them from the factory I use those since they fit the lines so well.
 
cumminsdzl said:
So i pulled the rear axle off of my truck last night so the diff can be welded. Obviously i had to disconnect the rear brake lines. I have read the topics on bleeding brakes, but i am a complete newby when it comes to actually doing it.

Kyle
Click to expand...

one other question for you Kyle
Did you by chance leave the axles sitting in the tubes while you had the third memeber out of it or did you pull them all the way out?

the seals are susceptible to damage and leakage if you let the weight of the drums and stuff sit on the axle seals.
I asked that because the first time I pulled mine I did that and ruined the axle seals which let fluid run inside my drums which ruined my brake shoes and stuff. and let the new third run low on gear oil.
 
Actually i havent pulled the third yet. The complete axle is just sittng on the shop floor. But thanks for the hint.

Sorry to change subjects, but what retains the axle shaft? Is there a clip or what? i was going to figure it out as i went.
 
4 bolts. c-clips are for Jeeps. c-clips suck balls.

I've heard about the axle seals thing soo many times, and yet to see it... here's why: when you pull the axle out, the seal it's sitting on keeps gear oil in the tubes, and prevents it from leaking onto the ground (not into the brakes). there's another seal between the end of the shaft (where the lugs are) and the bearing retainer.. THAT's what holds the gear oil (and wheel bearing grease from the sealed wheel bearing) from getting into your drum brakes. That seal gets no weight put on it when you let the shafts hang halfway out.

That said, it's just as easy to pull the axles all the way out, and stand them on end, unless you're in a situation where you want to keep dirt and such off the shafts.

I've removed and replaced my third member more than half a dozen times in 3 years, and always left the shafts halfway in the diff..no leaks.

If a customer wants me to put jack stands under the shafts, I will, but I suspect the leaks are more from age, and the sealing surface being distured by the R&R, rather than the weight.
 
umm Rich,

never had a Cruiser axle apart, but many truck 8" axles, I suspect there are differances other than the rear cover being bolt on for the Cruiser.

On the trucks, the inner seal rides on the retaining collar that holds the axle bearing on the axle shaft. This seal will get damaged on the truck axles if the axles were hung out as mentioned.

The bearing itself is a sealed unit ( seals on both sides of bearing retains the grease inside bearing as shipped ) outer seal (between bearing and axle flange) is a dust shied for the most part.

On the truck axles, if the bearing itself has worn the inner seal will leak lube into the bearing, thru it and out into the brakes. same happens if the inner seal is damaged in anyway.

I have several axle shafts laying around if anyone would like a picture breakdown of the truck axle assembly. gimme a few days if you do, some diassembly required.

Kevin
 
Ummm Kevin, my axleshafts & outers are pure '79-'85 minitruck.. :) the third member is cruiser though, because weenie 8" ring gears suck :flipoff2:

When you unbolt the end of the axle and pull it out, the wheel bearing, retaining collar, the associated seals, et al are sitting free in the air, I still don't see how anything except that gasket on the end of the axle *tube* could get damaged.

I'm confused?
 
The inner seal on the mini trucks stays in the axle tube end. thus hangin the axles out ON the seal will damage it. This seal rides the outer diameter of the bearing retaining collar. ( note the small taper on the collar edge )

the rear axle gear lube does not lube the axle bearing, it is supposedly sealed for life (yeah right).

have no clue how your axle is set up, just know there are differences between the 2 axles. the inner seal could be one differance. :)

Kevin
 
Ummmmmm....I think it is safe to say, just pull the thing's out!!!! There is a good chance the seal will get damaged, It's not like it takes an hour to just pull them out.
BETTER SAFE THEN SORRY!!!!!!!!
 
I think I'm following you now.. so the inner seal, even though it's on the axle tube, will allow the gear oil to go through the bearing (which most assuredly will wipe the bearing), if the inner seal gets damaged.

As far as how my axle is setup.. picture a minitruck axle with the center cut out. Now picture a cruiser axle with the ends cut off. Press the minitruck axle inside the cruiser axle, and weld everything up. (The OD of a minitruck axle and the ID of the FJ axle are nearly the same) So yeah, most of my axle tube is now .5" thick :D
 
Well guys, thanks for all the help. Pulled everthing apart last night, and man was it easy. I guess i never understood what it meant when people said the third is removeable. Also, didn't realize that i didnt have to pull the entire axle out of the truck, but i guess this is a learning experience. Once again thanks for the help.
 
Well since you got it out of the truck, clean it up, paint it up and make it purty!
 
seals

:smokin: all this crud about axles hanging on seals.... I pull out hundreds of toyota axles a year and everytime i did i replaced the seal like a normal human. If you are gonna go through the trouble to remove your diff, make sure everything else is in order. Seals are cheaper than bearings and brake shoes, and you could even damage them while just removing them from the truck.
 
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