Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
SYS.OK|MANUAL.DB● LIVE
HOMESERVICE MANUALSTOYOTA2001HIGHLANDER 2WD L4-2.4L (2AZ-FE)REPAIR AND DIAGNOSISTRANSMISSION AND DRIVETRAINAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION/TRANSAXLESERVICE AND REPAIRDISASSEMBLY/INSPECTION/REASSEMBLY OF COMPONENTSFRONT DIFFERENTIAL
2001 Toyota Highlander 2WD L4-2.4L (2AZ-FE)
Front Differential
2001 Toyota Highlander 2WD L4-2.4L (2AZ-FE)SECTION Front Differential
OVERHAUL
1. REMOVE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL RING GEAR [41221 / 98-12]
a. Place the match-marks on the ring gear and differential case.
b. Remove the 10 bolts.
c. Using a plastic hammer, tap on the ring gear to remove it from the case.
2. REMOVE FR DIFFERENTIAL CASE FRONT TAPERED ROLLER BEARING [41311E / 98-14]
a. Using SST, remove the front differential case front tapered roller bearing from the differential case.
SST 09950-40011 (09951-04020, 09952-04010, 09953-04020, 09954-04010, 09955-04061, 09957-04010, 09958-04011), 09950-60010 (09951-00340)
b. Using SST, remove the front differential case front tapered roller bearing outer race and differential case washer.
SST 09387-00040 (09387-01030, 09387-01040, 09387-02010, 09387-02020)
3. REMOVE FR DIFFERENTIAL CASE REAR TAPERED ROLLER BEARING [41311F / 8-14]
a. Using SST, remove the front differential case rear tapered roller bearing from the differential case.
SST 09950-40011 (09951-04020, 09952-04010, 09953-04020, 09954-04010, 09955-04061, 09957-04010, 09958-04011), 09950-60010 (09951-00340)
b. Using SST, remove the front differential case rear tapered roller bearing rear outer race and differential case washer.
SST 09387-00040 (09387-01030, 09387-01040, 09387-02010, 09387-02020)
4. REMOVE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL PINION SHAFT STRAIGHT PIN [41342A / 98-14]
a. Using a punch and a hammer, loosen the staked part of the differential case.
b. Using a pin punch (5mm), drive out the p0in from the ring gear side.
5. REMOVE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL PINION SHAFT NO.1 [41342F / 98-12]
a. Remove the front differential pinion shaft No. 1 from the differential case.
6. REMOVE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SIDE GEAR [41331F / 98-12]
a. Remove the 2 front differential pinions, 2 pinion thrust washers, 2 front differential side gears and 2 side gear thrust washers from the differential case.
7. REMOVE DIFFERENTIAL SIDE BEARING TRANSFER OIL SEAL [41141H / 98-12]
a. Place the transaxle case in vise.
b. Using SST, remove the oil seal.
SST 09308-00010
8. REMOVE TRANSAXLE HOUSING OIL SEAL [35111D / 98-12]
a. Place the transaxle housing in vise.
b. Using SST, remove the oil seal.
SST 09308-00010
9. INSTALL FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SIDE GEAR [41331F / 98-12]
a. Coat the 2 front differential side gears, 2 side gear thrust washers, 2 front differential pinions and 2 pinion thrust washers with ATF and install them to the differential case.
10. INSTALL FRONT DIFFERENTIAL PINION SHAFT NO.1 [41342F / 98-12]
a. Coat the front differential pinion shaft No. 1 with ATF and install it to the differential case.
11. INSPECT FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SIDE GEAR BACKLASH
a. Using a dial indicator, inspect the backlash of the side gear.
Standard backlash: 0.05 - 0.20 mm (0.0020 - 0.0079 inch)
Thrust washer thickness
12. INSTALL FRONT DIFFERENTIAL PINION SHAFT STRAIGHT PIN [41342A / 98-12]
a. Using a pin punch and hammer, install the pinion shaft straight pin.
b. Using a chisel and hammer, stake the differential case.
13. INSTALL FR DIFFERENTIAL CASE REAR TAPERED ROLLER BEARING [41311F / 98-12]
a. Using SST and a press, install the front differential case tapered roller bearing rear inner race to the differential case.
SST 09608-06041
b. Using SST and a hammer, install the case washer and front differential case tapered roller bearing rear outer race to the transaxle case.
SST 09950-60020 (09951-00710), 09950-70010 (09951-07100)
14. INSTALL FR DIFFERENTIAL CASE FRONT TAPERED ROLLER BEARING [41311E / 98-12]
a. Using SST and a press, install the front differential case tapered roller bearing front inner race to the differential case.
SST 09608-06041
b. Using SST and a hammer, install the front differential case tapered roller bearing front outer race to the transaxle housing.
SST 09950-60020 (09951-00680), 09950-70010 (09951-07100), 09950-60010 (09951-00340)
15. INSTALL FRONT DIFFERENTIAL RING GEAR [41221 / 98-12]
a. Using ATF and hear, hear the front differential ring gear to 90 - 110°C (194.0 - 230.0°F).
b. Clean the contact surface of the front differential case.
c. Set the match-marks, install the front differential ring gear case quickly.
d. Tighten the 10 bolts.
Torque: 95 Nm (969 kgf-cm, 70 ft. lbs.)
16. INSPECT TAPERED ROLLER BEARING PRELOAD
a. Install the differential assy to the transaxle case. (b) Install the transaxle housing to the transaxle case.
c. Install the 16 bolts.
Torque:
Bolt A, B: 29.4 Nm (300 kgf-cm, 21.7 ft. lbs.)
Bolt C: 22.1 Nm (225 kgf-cm, 16.3 ft. lbs.)
d. Using SST, turn the differential assy.
SST 09564-32011
e. Using SST and torque wrench, measure the preload of the differential assy.
SST 09564-32011
Preload
New bearing: 0.20 - 0.69 Nm (2.0 - 7.0 kgf-cm, 1.8 - 6.1 inch lbs.)
Used bearing: 0.10 - 0.35 Nm (1.0 - 3.6 kgf-cm, 0.9 - 3.1 inch lbs.)
Adjusting shim thickness: mm (in.)
f. Remove the 16 bolts.
g. Using a practice hammer, remove the transaxle housing.
h. Remove the differential assy.
17. INSTALL TRANSAXLE HOUSING OIL SEAL [35111D / 98-12]
a. Using SST, drive into a new oil seal.
SST 09350-32014 (09351-32150), 09950-70010 (09951-07150)
b. Coat the rip of oil seal with a little MP grease.
18. INSTALL DIFFERENTIAL SIDE BEARING RETAINER OIL SEAL [41141H / 98-12]
a. Using SST, drive into a new oil seal.
SST 09350-32014 (09351-32150), 09950-70010 (09951-07150)
b. Coat the rip of the oil seal with a little MP grease.
1. REMOVE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL RING GEAR [41221 / 98-12]
a. Place the match-marks on the ring gear and differential case.
b. Remove the 10 bolts.
c. Using a plastic hammer, tap on the ring gear to remove it from the case.
2. REMOVE FR DIFFERENTIAL CASE FRONT TAPERED ROLLER BEARING [41311E / 98-14]
a. Using SST, remove the front differential case front tapered roller bearing from the differential case.
SST 09950-40011 (09951-04020, 09952-04010, 09953-04020, 09954-04010, 09955-04061, 09957-04010, 09958-04011), 09950-60010 (09951-00340)
b. Using SST, remove the front differential case front tapered roller bearing outer race and differential case washer.
SST 09387-00040 (09387-01030, 09387-01040, 09387-02010, 09387-02020)
3. REMOVE FR DIFFERENTIAL CASE REAR TAPERED ROLLER BEARING [41311F / 8-14]
a. Using SST, remove the front differential case rear tapered roller bearing from the differential case.
SST 09950-40011 (09951-04020, 09952-04010, 09953-04020, 09954-04010, 09955-04061, 09957-04010, 09958-04011), 09950-60010 (09951-00340)
b. Using SST, remove the front differential case rear tapered roller bearing rear outer race and differential case washer.
SST 09387-00040 (09387-01030, 09387-01040, 09387-02010, 09387-02020)
4. REMOVE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL PINION SHAFT STRAIGHT PIN [41342A / 98-14]
a. Using a punch and a hammer, loosen the staked part of the differential case.
b. Using a pin punch (5mm), drive out the p0in from the ring gear side.
5. REMOVE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL PINION SHAFT NO.1 [41342F / 98-12]
a. Remove the front differential pinion shaft No. 1 from the differential case.
6. REMOVE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SIDE GEAR [41331F / 98-12]
a. Remove the 2 front differential pinions, 2 pinion thrust washers, 2 front differential side gears and 2 side gear thrust washers from the differential case.
7. REMOVE DIFFERENTIAL SIDE BEARING TRANSFER OIL SEAL [41141H / 98-12]
a. Place the transaxle case in vise.
b. Using SST, remove the oil seal.
SST 09308-00010
8. REMOVE TRANSAXLE HOUSING OIL SEAL [35111D / 98-12]
a. Place the transaxle housing in vise.
b. Using SST, remove the oil seal.
SST 09308-00010
9. INSTALL FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SIDE GEAR [41331F / 98-12]
a. Coat the 2 front differential side gears, 2 side gear thrust washers, 2 front differential pinions and 2 pinion thrust washers with ATF and install them to the differential case.
10. INSTALL FRONT DIFFERENTIAL PINION SHAFT NO.1 [41342F / 98-12]
a. Coat the front differential pinion shaft No. 1 with ATF and install it to the differential case.
11. INSPECT FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SIDE GEAR BACKLASH
a. Using a dial indicator, inspect the backlash of the side gear.
Standard backlash: 0.05 - 0.20 mm (0.0020 - 0.0079 inch)
Thrust washer thickness
12. INSTALL FRONT DIFFERENTIAL PINION SHAFT STRAIGHT PIN [41342A / 98-12]
a. Using a pin punch and hammer, install the pinion shaft straight pin.
b. Using a chisel and hammer, stake the differential case.
13. INSTALL FR DIFFERENTIAL CASE REAR TAPERED ROLLER BEARING [41311F / 98-12]
a. Using SST and a press, install the front differential case tapered roller bearing rear inner race to the differential case.
SST 09608-06041
b. Using SST and a hammer, install the case washer and front differential case tapered roller bearing rear outer race to the transaxle case.
SST 09950-60020 (09951-00710), 09950-70010 (09951-07100)
14. INSTALL FR DIFFERENTIAL CASE FRONT TAPERED ROLLER BEARING [41311E / 98-12]
a. Using SST and a press, install the front differential case tapered roller bearing front inner race to the differential case.
SST 09608-06041
b. Using SST and a hammer, install the front differential case tapered roller bearing front outer race to the transaxle housing.
SST 09950-60020 (09951-00680), 09950-70010 (09951-07100), 09950-60010 (09951-00340)
15. INSTALL FRONT DIFFERENTIAL RING GEAR [41221 / 98-12]
a. Using ATF and hear, hear the front differential ring gear to 90 - 110°C (194.0 - 230.0°F).
b. Clean the contact surface of the front differential case.
c. Set the match-marks, install the front differential ring gear case quickly.
d. Tighten the 10 bolts.
Torque: 95 Nm (969 kgf-cm, 70 ft. lbs.)
16. INSPECT TAPERED ROLLER BEARING PRELOAD
a. Install the differential assy to the transaxle case. (b) Install the transaxle housing to the transaxle case.
c. Install the 16 bolts.
Torque:
Bolt A, B: 29.4 Nm (300 kgf-cm, 21.7 ft. lbs.)
Bolt C: 22.1 Nm (225 kgf-cm, 16.3 ft. lbs.)
d. Using SST, turn the differential assy.
SST 09564-32011
e. Using SST and torque wrench, measure the preload of the differential assy.
SST 09564-32011
Preload
New bearing: 0.20 - 0.69 Nm (2.0 - 7.0 kgf-cm, 1.8 - 6.1 inch lbs.)
Used bearing: 0.10 - 0.35 Nm (1.0 - 3.6 kgf-cm, 0.9 - 3.1 inch lbs.)
Adjusting shim thickness: mm (in.)
f. Remove the 16 bolts.
g. Using a practice hammer, remove the transaxle housing.
h. Remove the differential assy.
17. INSTALL TRANSAXLE HOUSING OIL SEAL [35111D / 98-12]
a. Using SST, drive into a new oil seal.
SST 09350-32014 (09351-32150), 09950-70010 (09951-07150)
b. Coat the rip of oil seal with a little MP grease.
18. INSTALL DIFFERENTIAL SIDE BEARING RETAINER OIL SEAL [41141H / 98-12]
a. Using SST, drive into a new oil seal.
SST 09350-32014 (09351-32150), 09950-70010 (09951-07150)
b. Coat the rip of the oil seal with a little MP grease.
RENDER: 1.0x
NO RELATED
Recommended Tools & Savings
Use the Manual With the Right Hardware
Pair factory procedures with proven DIY tools so the instructions are easier to execute.
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.