You know it is time to change the inner hub seals of your Land Cruiser if you have gear oil leaking on your wheels or if your brakes seem weak. Gaining access to the inner hub seals of a Toyota Land Cruiser involves considerable effort, but the process itself is not overly taxing. It is a good idea to lift one section of your vehicle first and work on tires in either the front or rear individually.
Park your Toyota Land Cruiser on a flat surface with plenty of light. Loosen the lug nuts on each tire needing the inner hub seal to be replaced, using the tire iron. Then place the jack underneath the frame and lift the vehicle off the ground. Place jack stands underneath the frame for added stability and support.
Remove the wheels from the wheel assemblies by completely removing the loosened lug nuts and sliding the wheels off. Then use your ratchet and socket set to loosen the disc bolts, which are the large bolts on the exterior of the hub.
Remove the central cap off the assembly with a flat-head screwdriver. Then use a screwdriver to remove the circlip, which is a circular seal located beneath the cap. It should just pop off.
Loosen the flange bolts, which are the protruding, smaller bolts on the inner section of the assembly. Then use your brass drift to hit the side of the flange in order to pop the cone washers out of the assembly. After removing the cone washers, remove the flange from the wheel assembly.
Unbolt the large lock nut in the center of the assembly with a 54 mm socket and ratchet, then remove the lock nut. Then, remove the locking washer, which is located underneath. This gives you access to the main bearing nut, which you will need to remove as well.
Reach behind the wheel assembly, locate the caliper bolts, and remove them with a 17 mm socket and ratchet. Remove the caliper and use a bungee cord to suspend it without damaging the brake lines. Remove the hub itself by sliding it off the axle. Take the hub aside and clean out the interior with water. Remove the inner hub seal by taking the flat-head screwdriver and prying the seal out of the interior of the hub.
Place the new seal into the proper space within the hub and use a hammer to force it into place. Check to ensue that the new seal is properly in place and even. Slide the hub back onto the axle. Lower the caliper back into position and tighten the caliper bolts with the 17 mm socket and ratchet to ensure the caliper is firmly back in place.
Reinstall the main bearing nut and the locking washer. Then, place the lock nut back in place and tighten with the 54 mm socket and ratchet. Reinstall the flange back onto the wheel assembly, push the cone washers back into place and use your brass drift to force the cone washers tight within the flange. Reinstall the flange bolts and tighten them.
Place the circlip, or the circular seal originally located beneath the central cap back onto the tread, then reinstall the central cap. Use the hammer to ensure it fits properly back in place. Reinstall and tighten the large disc bolts originally located around the exterior of the hub. Slide the wheel back onto the assembly and loosely reattach the lug nuts.
Remove the jack stands and lower your Land Cruiser back down onto the ground. Use the tire iron to completely tighten the lug nuts.
