08 tundra rear axle bearing

Rear axle bearing in my 08 Tundra 5.7 L rear wheel drive is bad and making vibrating sound. Getting it repaired soon but was wondering if it is safe to drive for short distances in the meantime. It has rear disc brakes. I heard that makes a difference in the safety. Thanks in advance for your responses

 

It all depends. I had a left rear wheel bearing go out on my '06 Tundra. It was making increasing noise for a few hundred miles before I took it in for replacement. With ball or roller bearings they can suddenly self destruct, coming apart or seizing up.

At any rate, make sure the differential fluid is replaced at the same time since it will be contaminated with bearing bits.

Dan

 

Man thanks so much. Leaving a note for the mechanic now. Also, There is apparently a washer and or pin that is not included in the bearing kit. My mechanic, who did not have a press large enough to do the job, told me it would have to be ordered from the dealership. Do you know anything about this? I just want to make sure this transmission shop where the truck currently is has all the info. I've had a lot of bad experiences with people saying they knew what they were doing only to find out later that the job was not done right.. Thanks again in advance for your response

 

I rarely have my vehicles worked on by a mechanic, I typically do all of my own maintenance and repair work myself. The exception is work of this nature (including ball joints, alignment, etc.). We had a long time, old school shop that I had gone to in the past with an excellent reputation. I dropped my Tundra off and it took him a few days (I had the bad bearing replaced plus the one on the right side with Timkens, rear brakes replaced along with new drums and cylinders - they are drum brakes - shocks replaced all around, tires rotated and alignment checked). He said he had to send the axle out to have the old bearings removed and new bearings pressed into place. Shops with this equipment typically know what they are doing and will do it right. The only thing I had to do when I got the truck back was re-adjust the parking brake - no biggie. He did a nice clean job, very pleased. After I drove it for about a month I went back and complimented him on his good work.

If in doubt, ask around. We did originally to find this shop (Greotts). A referral from knowledgeable people is worth a lot. Don't go by internet reviews, many are scammy. Go by word of mouth. Also, insist on quality bearings (Timken, Fafnir, etc., no cheap chinese junk).

Hope this helps.

Dan