Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Toyota Service Manager Blowing Smoke?

I took my 2002 Tacoma 4WD into the dealer the other day to have the f.wheel bearings cleaned and repacked with new grease/seals. It has 28,000 miles on it and the owners manual (Passport manual) recommends it. I use to do it myself on other Toyotas I've owned in the past but the dealer can do it much faster and they offer very good rates. Why hassle with the mess? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />



Anyways the service manager calls me later and tells me my Tacoma is ready to be picked up. So when I arrive to pick it up he tells me "No charges since we did not service your f. wheel bearings - its not needed on this model." What? He then went on to explain that on the 2002 4WD models, the factory uses a lifetime grease and seals so no maintenance is required unless a hub fails. What?!!? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />



Has anyone heard of this? I suspect the factory uses a synthetic grease and some new type of material in its seals maybe? I really need to purchase a factory service manual to verify this but was wondering if anyone has come across the same? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />



MtnHtr

I haven't seen it myself but I could understand it. We have come a long way with chems and lubes - look at the 100k antifreeze and synthetics available for the engine/transfer case.

Seems to me he would be telling the truth as like you said no charge - not doing it doesn't get him anything - now if he said it was new and should be done every 4k then I would question it.

He's right. Its a sealed bearing. No maintenance neccessary or even possible without destroying the integrity of the seals. On this type of bearing (very common now), we usually budget to replace it if the hub has to be removed for other repairs.

badger

He is correct. I could not believe there was no seal to repack when I went to do the 30,000 mile sevice on my 1996 Tacoma. There wasn't, so I didn't, and never had a problem. I traded it in on a new Tundra three weeks ago. The Tacoma has 128,000 miles on it.

That is great news! More $$ for guns'n stuff! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I sure don't miss repacking wheel brgs and won't mind one less trip to the dealership either! I love this truck more and more!

The service manager did say my wife's 2WD Tacoma would need a f.wheel brg pack though before every 30,000mi.

Thanks,

MtnHtr

Geez, I must be a little behind in my maintenance. When I had my Tacoma aligned last month at 170,000 or so, they said that it was "about time" to pack the bearings. This is my farm/hunting truck, so it sees quite a few washboards. Every 30 would be an optimistic frequency, IMO. Dutch.

Dutch,

IIRC you are driving a 2WD model? The service manager was refering to the 4WD Tacomas only. Every 30,000 still applies to the 2WD Tacomas for wheel brg packs.

MtnHtr

MH,
I believe him as my T100 4WD has 220K on it with no service of front bearlings. I'll be looking for a the new larger Tacoma when available.....

You're right, it's the 2wd. Every 30,000 seems much more frequent than necessary, in my experience. I know one guy that took his well over 200,000 without a single bearing pack, but he does nothing but highway. FWIW, Dutch.

MH, IIRC I went thru the same thing with my 2000 tacoma. I took it in for a scheduled service adn one othe things was the bearing pack so the tech writer wrote it up. When I came back to pickup the truck they told me that they did not do it becasue it was not needed on
the 4x4 . tom

Most can push the factory recommended 30,000mi repack in my experience. However if you do alot of wading like I use to do then you might want to consider it. Watched a VW bug float away at four in the morning at this spot while going duck hunting long ago, luckily the hunters were okay as they could swim. The water was alot higher and faster at that time.


MtnHtr

TOYOTAS SIMPLY ARE THE BEST!!!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Flinch