So a little background. 4wd actuator got stuck in 4wlo. Drained a bunch of water out of it and got it back into 2whi. The gears fell out of the actuator on a dumb#$$ move by me. 4runner has 280k miles so I figured I'd just swap the t-case with a used one. I have a full transmission available with a t-case that has 170k miles on it for $500. My question that I have is, should I go ahead and swap the whole transmission due to lower mileage or just the t-case. Keep the used transmission around in case mine fails? I just did a fluid change on the transmission and have zero issues with it. Any thoughts appreciated.

I wouldn't swap in another tcase that will have the actuators fail again. Do a FJ manual tcase swap and don't worry about it again. You can pick up the FJ cases for around $200 - $300. Have the driveshafts lengthened/shortened and you're good to go. Don't bother with the transmission, you have a known good, working transmission now.

You make it sound so simple!

That's because it actually is. Probably less work than swapping the trans and tcase for used shit you don't know the history of and have no guarantees the replacement tcase will work or last very long. Manual FJ tcase has no electronics that will fail.

The tcase is a direct bolt in, just need to cut a hole for the shifter, modify or have the shifter modified so it comes out where the ashtray/cig lighter is, measure for the driveshafts lengths and have a shop make or modify them for you and that's it. You do not have to change out the front differential (a certain shop in CA might tell you otherwise but they are full of shit) or really do anything else.

I've got over 4k miles on my swap now with zero issues, both on and off road.

where's the clutch pedal?! always wanted a manual 4th gen.

Same automatic transmission paired with a manual tcase from an FJ

I will say though, I've seen this manual 4th gen posted to some 4runner facebook groups and on the other 4runner forum: 4th gen manual swap thread | Toyota 4Runner Forum [4Runners.com] and instagram: Login • Instagram

From what the guy said on facebook, used everything from a 1gr-fe 6 speed tacoma and apparently wasn't that hard.

We are talking about the transfer case, not the transmission.

That's also on a V6 and not a V8 4runner. Still very cool none the less.

Thanks xtreme I always wondered about the "need" for the front diff to be replaced glad to hear from experience.

Popular mod among the Tacoma guys is to eliminate the ADD using the passenger side tube from a V8 4Runner. Since the V8 4Runner already has this setup, why change it to the weaker ADD diff? You already have the strongest setup for IFS in these trucks. It doesn't hurt the tcase whatsoever.

You also can go the FJ t case route but add twin sticks which give you more advantage off road cause you have 2low as well.

I have twinsticks, just haven't installed them yet. I've been good with the single for now.