Well I've gotten good deals on front and rear 4.56 thirds...now the question

Is it possible to pull the rear without disconnecting the brake lines? I'm pretty mechanically inclined and have done lots of work, but don't have the tools to bleed brakes.

Thanks

Yup. That's how I did it. You may have to disconnect the line fasteners at the axle but I did it with no problem and plenty of clearence. I also do not enjoy the brake bleeding process. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" />

I'd just go ahead and pull them, all ya need is a 10mm wrench to disconnect the lines <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> The last thing you wanna do is stretch or break one of the lines. Let me know if you need a hand, I just finished doing mine a few weeks ago.

Yes it is possible, but you do not want to do it, here are some of the reasons:
1. You want to replace the axle seals

2. If you do not change the axle seals you do not want the axles to lay on the seals

3. Bleeding brakes is a one man job if done right, it is also a good time to flush the old and in with the new fluid. Fluid should be flushed at least every two years.

4. you want to clean any crap out of the housing and axles tubes. I use a spray can of brake clean and spray it from the outside in, shove a rag down the tube with a wood dowel or broom handle and pull it out from the inside, be careful of the baffels inside the axle tubes, they are important and need to be in there.

How I bleed my brakes. I take off all four wheels and set it on jackstands.

1. fill the MC to the very top, leave open

2. open all the bleeder valves starting at D.S.-rear, P.S.-rear, P.S.-Front, D.S.-Front, L.S.P.V.(Load sensing proportioning valve)

3. When the fluid starts running out the bleeders close them in the same sequence

Keep an eye on the MC. It is a bit messy, I put a rag below each bleeder on the axle tubes. Wipe up excess and shoot with brake clean and you are done. It works, that is how I bled my brakes all the time, except I to not have a L.S.P.V.

"...This is from the FSM and it works great..."

1. Drivers side rear
2. Passenger side rear
3. Passenger side front
4. Drivers side front
5. LSPV (Load sensing proportioning valve)

These guys know thier stuff I only know what I did pulling 3rd's and axles shafts on a nissan truck and a mazda RX-7.
They are exactly the same on a toyota. You are going to have to disconnect the brake lines period.

If you try shortcuts they will tend to back fire in most cases and cost you more money so just do it the way it says.
Also you might as well do things right that way there are less problems later.

If you don't want to have a big brake fluid mess take a pair of vise grips and clamp it on the rubber hose that goes to the rear brakes this will stop the dripping brake fluid from coming out that way you will have less of a mess to clean up.
This is how I bleed my brakes. You can do them simply by using a peice of black vaccum or rubber hose on the end of the brake nipple and put it into a soda bottle. I have done it many times and it works fine. All you do is loosen it so it is dripping go in and pump your brakes go back and see how much fluid has come out add more to your master cylinder if necessary then pump the brakes again go back and look at the bottle if no bubbles are coming out of the hose it's done go do the other side.
This way it prevents the brake line from sucking air back in by having the hose on the brake nipple it's in the bottle it will just suck brake fuild back in.
I have done the brakes the way OOPS does it except I had a buddy closing the brake line when the bubbles stopped and the one man way so it's your choice how to do it.

Thanks for all the replies guys

Sid-

How much clearance do you need? Did you feel safe doing this?

The way I did mine:
Take vacuum hose plugs and cap the brake lines when you undo them from the wheel cylinders.
Leave the cover ON the MC, that will prevent the brake fluid from running out the lines quickly.
After you're done, and the brake lines are back in the cylinders, take the top off the MC and blead the rear brakes.
Autozone has a 1man bleader kit (it's about $10) that works well.
Todd

You need the axle to separate about four to five inches on each side. I did this without disconnecting the brake line, though I did unscrew the three brake line fasteners from the axle to give more play. There are a lot of angles in the brake lines that can be safely plied if neccessary, but I didn't do any "bending". This would be the only concern (safety wise) that you bend a crack in your brake lines. You will have to asses the condition of your lines. Unless they are rusted or super brittle (which I don't think would happen in only 15 years <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />) They should be fine. I did support my axles from lying on the seals (good point) so they wouldn't be leaking later. I just used milk crates to lift the pressure from the seal portion of the axle. I'm sure all the posts are correct about bleeding brakes and I will find out soon enough, as the next time I do this the axles will have to come out (grinding the ends), but if you are doing a one day third removal / install, I think it is fine. If you pull them, I would just do the bearings and seals at the same time. That's what I plan to do next time. Just my .02

I would regard this as dangerous. Bruises the brake hoses.

Awesome, I'll check it out

Thanks again everyone