Tools & consumables
- Basic: jack(s), jack stands, wheel chocks, drain pan, shop rags, PPE (safety glasses, gloves).
- Hand tools: metric/SAE sockets and ratchets, breaker bar, torque wrench (0–300 ft·lb range), small torque wrench or inch-lb torque wrench (0–50 in·lb) for measuring pinion turning torque, pry bars, hammer, punch, snap-ring pliers.
- Specialty: bearing puller / 3-jaw puller or slide hammer with adapter, hydraulic or arbor press (or heavy bench vise), bearing race driver set and pinion yoke driver, seal driver, depth mic or dial caliper + pinion depth gauge or simple straight edge & feeler gauge method, dial indicator with magnetic base (for backlash), case spreader (if required), gear marking compound.
- Consumables / parts: new pinion bearings (inner & outer), pinion races, pinion seal, new crush sleeve OR pinion shims (depending on year), new pinion nut (always replace), RTV or gasket if applicable, ring & pinion gear marking compound, proper gear oil (spec-mandated differential fluid).
- Clean solvent, assembly lube, anti-seize or Loctite (where specified).

Safety precautions
- Work on a flat level surface, chock front wheels, lift axle/housing and support securely on jack stands; never rely on a jack.
- Wear eye protection and gloves. Keep fingers clear when pressing/pulling bearings.
- Drain gear oil before opening differential to avoid spills and slipping.
- Use correct support under differential housing when pressing components to prevent collapse or injury.

General notes before starting
- Toyota 4Runners use two different pinion preload systems depending on year: a crush sleeve (one-time crush to set preload) or an adjustable shim system. Confirm which your vehicle uses (factory service manual, parts supplier). Procedure differs mainly in how pinion preload and depth are set.
- Do not reuse the crush sleeve; pinion nut is usually single-use. Always replace seals and bearings and races as a matched job.
- Obtain exact torque specs, pinion preload spec (turning torque), and pinion depth/shim specs from the factory service manual for your model/year. The procedure below outlines technique and tool use; follow OEM numbers.

Step-by-step procedure

1) Preparation & disassembly
1.1. Park, chock front wheels, lift rear and support axle/differential securely on jack stands under the axle housing. Remove wheels if needed for access.
1.2. Drain differential fluid into a pan by removing the drain or cover bolts. Clean cover and housing mating surfaces.
1.3. Remove axle shafts or half-shafts and retainers as required to clear the carrier (refer to model). Some 4Runners require removal of axle shafts or backing plates; others allow carrier removal with shafts in place—check FSM.
1.4. Mark the carrier orientation and ring gear to housing if you will reuse the carrier (preferred). Remove carrier bearing caps (keep caps in order and orientation). Remove the carrier assembly from the housing.

2) Remove pinion/yoke assembly
2.1. Mark the driveshaft/yoke orientation if you remove it. Remove the pinion nut and slide off the yoke. If the yoke is stuck, use a soft-jaw puller or slide hammer with yoke adapter. Avoid striking the yoke with a hammer on the flange face—damage to seal/shaft can occur.
2.2. Remove the pinion assembly from the housing. The inner race and seal/bearing may come out with the pinion or remain in the bore.

3) Remove bearings and races
3.1. Use a 3-jaw puller or slide hammer to pull the bearings off the pinion shaft. When pulling, attach to inner race or a suitable adapter; do not pull on rollers.
3.2. Remove the old pinion seal (seal puller or screwdriver). Remove inner & outer races from the housing using a race driver or carefully with a chisel/punch (avoid scoring bore). Best practice: use a race driver sized to the race outer diameter and drive straight out.
3.3. Clean the pinion shaft, check threads and shaft for wear, scoring, or pitting. Discard bearings and races.

4) Inspect & prepare components
4.1. Inspect ring gear teeth for chipping, burnishing, or excessive wear. If ring gear or pinion gear are damaged, replace the gear set.
4.2. Install new races into housing. Heat the housing (hot plate or torch briefly; don’t overheat) or chill the races to ease installation. Use correct race driver and hammer, driving squarely until fully seated—do not cock the race.
4.3. Clean housing and apply a light film of clean gear oil to bores.

5) Install new bearings on pinion
5.1. Heat pinion (or cool bearings) slightly to ease installation if using a tight fit. On a bench press, press bearings onto pinion over the race surface only: press the inner race into place by applying force to the inner race (not to rollers). If using a driver/hammer, strike the driver on the inner race only.
5.2. For the outer bearing (if installed on pinion), ensure it is seated correctly.

6) Setting pinion depth & preload (two possible methods)

Method A — Crush sleeve system (common on many Toyotas)
6A.1. Install the inner bearing and new crush sleeve onto the pinion, then the outer bearing (if applicable), and insert the pinion into the housing so the outer race seats in the bore.
6A.2. Install yoke and new pinion nut finger-tight. Use the factory-specified procedure to set pinion preload: typically you tighten the nut while rotating the yoke until the crush sleeve compresses to achieve specified pinion rotational torque (pinion preload). Measure turning torque with an inch‑lb torque wrench on the yoke (attach via a short bar), comparing to the OEM pinion preload spec. Tighten slowly; when the measured turning torque is in spec, stop and install whatever locking/staking the manual requires (staking nut, applying Loctite, etc.). Note: because the crush sleeve plastically deforms, the nut is often single-use — replace.
6A.3. Check pinion preload again after nut is final; confirm rotation is within spec.

Method B — Shim/adjustable system
6B.1. Install inner bearing and races, slide pinion into bore.
6B.2. Install yoke and a span of shims to get the pinion depth close to spec. Pinion depth is the distance from a reference surface to the pinion face. Use a depth mic or the pinion depth gauge method per FSM to set initial shim thickness.
6B.3. Remove yoke, install outer bearing and retainer, and measure pinion preload (endplay/rotation torque). Adjust shim thickness iteratively: remove pinion, add/subtract shim(s) to move pinion depth until preload and measured rotational torque are within spec. This is an iterative, time-consuming process—measure and document each shim change.
6B.4. When depth and preload are correct, install new pinion nut and torque as specified, and stake or secure per manual.

Notes on using tools for set-up
- Hydraulic press / arbor press: Support the pinion or race on a flat surface; press using a driver sized to inner race. Do not press on rolling elements. Press slowly and evenly.
- Bearing puller: Center the puller, engage evenly around race, use extension or support to keep tool square, pull straight out. If using a slide hammer, use an adapter that presses on the inner race.
- Depth mic / pinion depth gauge: Often a depth mic is used against the ring gear face or housing reference to set pinion face distance. Follow the manual’s measuring points. Small chamfers or burrs will ruin the reading—clean surfaces thoroughly.
- Dial indicator: Mount on housing, rest the plunger on the ring gear tooth and measure runout while moving pinion back/forth to set backlash. Backlash is adjusted by moving carrier bearing shims/caps per manual.

7) Reinstall carrier and set backlash/contact pattern
7.1. Install carrier with new bearing races if applicable and torque bearing cap bolts to spec, keeping cap orientation correct.
7.2. Install carrier shims as previously marked (or adjust) to approximate correct carrier position; torque caps progressively to spec.
7.3. Install a new crush/nut/seal as finalized.
7.4. Install pinion yoke and torque pinion nut per manual.
7.5. Check backlash with dial indicator: measure movement of the ring gear relative to pinion across several teeth; adjust carrier shims to obtain spec backlash.
7.6. Check gear tooth contact pattern using gear marking compound (apply to ring gear teeth, rotate pinion several revolutions under slight load). Evaluate pattern and fine-tune pinion depth (shims or crush) and backlash until proper pattern centered on face and toe of tooth as specified by Toyota.
7.7. Once correct pattern and backlash are achieved, re-torque all fasteners to spec and stake/secure pinion nut as required.

8) Final assembly
8.1. Install new pinion seal using seal driver and ensure it's flush and undamaged.
8.2. Reinstall axle shafts/half shafts, brake components, wheels as removed. Reinstall differential cover with gasket or RTV and torque bolts to spec.
8.3. Refill differential with specified gear oil to level, bleed/vent per manual.
8.4. Road test and listen/feel for noise. Recheck fluid level and final torque after first few miles.

Common pitfalls & how to avoid them
- Not using OEM specs: Pinion preload, pinion nut torque, shim thickness, and backlash must be model-specific. ALWAYS have the factory service manual.
- Reusing crush sleeves or pinion nut: crush sleeves are single-use; nuts often must be replaced/staked.
- Pressing on rollers: Press bearings using drivers on inner races only; pressing on rollers destroys bearing.
- Improper race installation: Driving races cocked or not fully seated will ruin fit and preload. Heat/cool to ease install and drive squarely.
- Incorrect pinion depth: This causes poor tooth contact and premature gear failure; use depth gauge and iterative adjustments; use gear marking compound to verify pattern.
- Improper measurement of pinion preload: Use an inch‑lb torque wrench mounted on the yoke for accurate reading; if using crush sleeve, follow the manual’s method and don’t rely only on torque-to-yield without measurement.
- Dirty parts / contamination: Clean thoroughly. Contaminants or metal shavings will kill bearings and gears.
- Not checking ring & pinion condition: Installing new bearings onto a worn gear set only will give poor results; inspect gears carefully.

Replacement parts checklist (minimum)
- Pinion bearings (inner & outer)
- Pinion bearing races
- Pinion seal
- Pinion nut (new)
- Crush sleeve OR pinion shim kit (as applicable)
- Gasket or RTV for differential cover
- Gear oil (correct grade & quantity)
- Optional but recommended: carrier bearing bearings/races if wear found; ring & pinion gear set if damaged.

Final recommendations
- If you lack a press, dial indicator, depth mic, and patience for iterative shim adjustments, this job is best done with a shop press or by a differential specialist. Improper pinion preload or depth will destroy the gear set quickly.
- Always follow the Toyota factory service manual for exact specs and any model-specific quirks (e.g., torque values, staking requirements, special tools).

Done.
rteeqp73

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