[lump_a_charcoal]

I was searching for replacing rear axle seals, and I found some chat about bearing retainers, incl Joeblow and Rockyroad brands.
What are they for, and what benefits do they provide?

Also, are rear axle seals close to the ends of the diff, or further in like hilux ones?

[royce]

you can pull the axle out without remove the brake backing plate as well, so you save a brake bleed really, I dont think its that big an issue other than making it easier to setup spare axles to take with tou

they are jsut inside the bearing where the housing necks down to the axle tube, so similar to a Hilux

[lump_a_charcoal]

Joe, do you make them still?

[want33s]

They are available from Lowrangeoffroad for about US$7.50 each or are piss easy to make yourself if you have a spare pair of backing plates laying around.
Just remove wheel bearings and existing backing plates, bore the centre hole in your backing plate out so the bearing will slip through it and then put back on axle tube.
Get the spare plates and cut the centre out of them, cut just outside the four bolt holes.
Then fit this to the axle and replace the bearing.
Refit axle to diff.
You can now remove an axle at anytime without having to undo brake lines or handbrake cables(if WT). A spare pair of axles is MUCH easier to carry in your car if they have this mod done.
Jas.