I hear ya...I've tried telling myself the same thing, but it just doesn't work. It's being fixed as I type.
Transfer Case Actuator
- Thread starter Coveman
- Start date
I hear ya...I've tried telling myself the same thing, but it just doesn't work. It's being fixed as I type.
BlackWorksInc
New member
What in the hell is an "encoder motor?" I'm guessing some portion of the actuator itself... In any case, yeah that's about the pricier side of the cost of the actuator (does that include labor to replace?) but the cheapest I have seen it is about $1200~1400 new.
This is for the V6, not sure about the V8.
2003 Toyota 4Runner. #3641035093: ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY, TRANSFER SHIFT
2003 Toyota 4Runner. #3641035093: ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY, TRANSFER SHIFT
Hard to believe the motor is actually shot. More likely just froze up with stiff grease from lack of activity. I'd pull the actuator off and disassemble it and see if I could free it up. It's not that complicated. It's just two motors (one for high/lo, and the other for 2wd/4wd), and some limit switches.
Read the rest of the thread or any of the many others on the subject. You can pull it apart but NO ONE knows how to put it back together correctly.
Well, I'm not going to pull mine apart just to prove I can put it back together again, but I'd sure try before I spent $1200+ on a new one.
Hey if you've figured out how to properly synchronize all those gears please let us know. That would be freaking fantastic! :hail:
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TF actuator
My 4Runner 2006 had water / corrosion on 4WD ECU (rear glove box), lights comes on and all system jammed in December after drive in very heavy rain. For winter driving somebody offer me to force to engage 4HI by put 12v current to TF actuator, and now the motor contacts are burned... The copper contacts can't touch the motor anymore. Is it possible to repair contacts???
My 4Runner 2006 had water / corrosion on 4WD ECU (rear glove box), lights comes on and all system jammed in December after drive in very heavy rain. For winter driving somebody offer me to force to engage 4HI by put 12v current to TF actuator, and now the motor contacts are burned... The copper contacts can't touch the motor anymore. Is it possible to repair contacts???
Coveman
Member
There are two different motors
Gents,
There are two separate motors in the actuator. If the 4 hi/lo light flashes, chances are the circuit is fine, but the motor isn't cycling fully to engage 4wd. So in this case the motor is spinning, but doesnt produce adequate torque to overcome the friction caused by non use. If 4wd doesn't engage, the second motor to lock the differential will not operate either.
As far as no one knows how to put it back together..removing the lower half of the actuator is simple..if you remove it and lower it straight down, nothing moves out of synch . I got the motors to turn on their own after gently rotating them with a small screwdriver. Took some back and forth, and having a helper cycling the switches was a big help.
It's been a couple years since I did this and everything still works fine �� I do make sure to engage 4 hi/lo every month or so to keep things moving freely.
There are other posts that go into completely removing the actuator (actuator shafts have c clips / bolts on to the shift forks in the transfer case so Toyota recommends completely removing the t case to properly remove the actuator shafts..an involved operation. A couple have tried work-a-rounds to do the actuator r&r without dropping the whole case by pulling the actuator off and leaving the shafts inserted in the t case, danger is damaging the actuator shaft seal with the teeth on the actuator shaft--they taped off the teeth during insertion--when the actuator is slipped back on) I didn't attempt r&r on the entire actuator so cannot attest to that procedures results.
Gents,
There are two separate motors in the actuator. If the 4 hi/lo light flashes, chances are the circuit is fine, but the motor isn't cycling fully to engage 4wd. So in this case the motor is spinning, but doesnt produce adequate torque to overcome the friction caused by non use. If 4wd doesn't engage, the second motor to lock the differential will not operate either.
As far as no one knows how to put it back together..removing the lower half of the actuator is simple..if you remove it and lower it straight down, nothing moves out of synch . I got the motors to turn on their own after gently rotating them with a small screwdriver. Took some back and forth, and having a helper cycling the switches was a big help.
It's been a couple years since I did this and everything still works fine �� I do make sure to engage 4 hi/lo every month or so to keep things moving freely.
There are other posts that go into completely removing the actuator (actuator shafts have c clips / bolts on to the shift forks in the transfer case so Toyota recommends completely removing the t case to properly remove the actuator shafts..an involved operation. A couple have tried work-a-rounds to do the actuator r&r without dropping the whole case by pulling the actuator off and leaving the shafts inserted in the t case, danger is damaging the actuator shaft seal with the teeth on the actuator shaft--they taped off the teeth during insertion--when the actuator is slipped back on) I didn't attempt r&r on the entire actuator so cannot attest to that procedures results.
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I'm confused. I thought, on the V6 (VF4AM), one motor was for 4 hi/lo and the other motor was for the differential lock?
This is a huge distinction in diagnosing my problem since both 4-hi and diff lock work perfectly but 4-lo does not.
Looking at the FSM diagrams (here), shift fork no.2 connects to the "high/low clutch sleeve". I assume that means one fork/shift rod controls both hi and lo engagement?
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TF case actuator
So, nobody knows if its possible to repair motor cooper contact that lift of their position and does'nt touch anymore? If I replace only actuator, how can I synchronize all gears from actuator and TF case?
The mechanic who force motor to engage 4hi with 12v was wrong and put it in 4lo... Just realize it when driving and drove about 8 miles in this position, he told me that it was hard to change for 4hi after. Now contacts are burned. Is it possible that he broke something in TF because 4lo driving?
So, nobody knows if its possible to repair motor cooper contact that lift of their position and does'nt touch anymore? If I replace only actuator, how can I synchronize all gears from actuator and TF case?
The mechanic who force motor to engage 4hi with 12v was wrong and put it in 4lo... Just realize it when driving and drove about 8 miles in this position, he told me that it was hard to change for 4hi after. Now contacts are burned. Is it possible that he broke something in TF because 4lo driving?
Powder_Hound
New member
I have also just recently experienced an actuator gone bad. However, I found a leak from the actuator before shifting problems occurred and I didn't have any lights flashing. My T4R is an 04 V-8 AWD so my actuator gets me to 4wd low and locks the center diff. Trany/shifting issues are well above my pay grade so took to a shop.
1) shop confirmed leak was from actuator
A) told me I needed to replace actuator for 2600!!!!
B) I said no...you can replace only the Oring to fix the leak
C) They talked to foreman and he confirmed to the service writer this can be done for 1500 (only gaskets and Oring plus lots of labor)
2) after pulling actuator to replace Orings and gasket
A) shift rods were loose
B) needed to replace actuator
C) glad I found a 20% off coupon
Moral of my story and help to fellow runner users!!!!
A) Put T4R into 4wdL, lock center diff, and drive on dirt monthly!!!!
B) Let T4r warm up before shifting into 4wdL if possible
-this is what I didn't do pulling a neighbors stuck car out of snow this winter
-Expensive OOPS as I didn't follow either of my reccomendations
C) As others have said: USE IT OR LOSE IT
I hope this helps some not have to endure the $$$$$$$ I had to spend that could possibly have been prevented.
1) shop confirmed leak was from actuator
A) told me I needed to replace actuator for 2600!!!!
B) I said no...you can replace only the Oring to fix the leak
C) They talked to foreman and he confirmed to the service writer this can be done for 1500 (only gaskets and Oring plus lots of labor)
2) after pulling actuator to replace Orings and gasket
A) shift rods were loose
B) needed to replace actuator
C) glad I found a 20% off coupon
Moral of my story and help to fellow runner users!!!!
A) Put T4R into 4wdL, lock center diff, and drive on dirt monthly!!!!
B) Let T4r warm up before shifting into 4wdL if possible
-this is what I didn't do pulling a neighbors stuck car out of snow this winter
-Expensive OOPS as I didn't follow either of my reccomendations
C) As others have said: USE IT OR LOSE IT
I hope this helps some not have to endure the $$$$$$$ I had to spend that could possibly have been prevented.
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I feel your pain and am putting bi-weekly reminders in my phone.
(2003 V6, SR5, 4x4) Great news! 4lo started working on it's own a few days ago! About 5 months ago I changed the transfer case fluid to no avail. This week I finally got around to changing the diff fluids. That shouldn't matter but I thought I would mention it.
Temperature finally got above 90 degrees here in DFW. Drove around town all day in 4hi. When I got home I hopelessly set it to 4lo and it clicked right in! Tried it several times since then and it engaged every time!
My theory is that the warm temperatures loosened up whatever gunk was preventing the clutch sleeve from sliding into place.
Temperature finally got above 90 degrees here in DFW. Drove around town all day in 4hi. When I got home I hopelessly set it to 4lo and it clicked right in! Tried it several times since then and it engaged every time!
My theory is that the warm temperatures loosened up whatever gunk was preventing the clutch sleeve from sliding into place.
Excuse my ignorance, as I'm just entering the market for a 4Runner.
If 4lo has failed, what is the tell tale sign? Switching to 4lo and the vehicle will not move? Or does one look for a switch to light up on the dashboard?
I test drove a 2008 4R SE with 85k miles a few days ago at an indy dealership; I tried shifting from 4hi to 2hi, then I tried shifting to 4lo. He basically scared me and prohibited me from driving the car in 4lo, saying it would damage the transmission unless I was on driving on mud or snow or rocks. I was able to turn the dial into 4lo, but didn't put the vehicle in motion in 4lo. Otherwise I drove it in 4hi the entire time.
I went home and did a background check on Toyota.com, and sure enough 1 month ago prior owner brought the 4R into a dealership with complaint of the vehicle not engaging 4lo. Estimated repair costs was ~$3k which the prior owner declined. So I suspect this 2008 4R had a failing transfer case actuator, which this dealership knew and failed to disclose.
A few days later I test drove a 2011 4R Limited CPO with 67k miles; dial was on H4L, I tried shifting to L4L in neutral, and heard a mild "clunk." I suppose this was normal since the 4WD system light flashed on and off. I then tried dialing to H4F, where the dashboard's 4WD light remained on, so I wasn't able to drive it in H4F... I was only able to drive it in H4L where the truck got ~8mpg! This Toyota salesman didn't know what H4F was....
Did both vehicles have failing transfer case actuators? Thoughts appreciated, thanks!
If 4lo has failed, what is the tell tale sign? Switching to 4lo and the vehicle will not move? Or does one look for a switch to light up on the dashboard?
I test drove a 2008 4R SE with 85k miles a few days ago at an indy dealership; I tried shifting from 4hi to 2hi, then I tried shifting to 4lo. He basically scared me and prohibited me from driving the car in 4lo, saying it would damage the transmission unless I was on driving on mud or snow or rocks. I was able to turn the dial into 4lo, but didn't put the vehicle in motion in 4lo. Otherwise I drove it in 4hi the entire time.
I went home and did a background check on Toyota.com, and sure enough 1 month ago prior owner brought the 4R into a dealership with complaint of the vehicle not engaging 4lo. Estimated repair costs was ~$3k which the prior owner declined. So I suspect this 2008 4R had a failing transfer case actuator, which this dealership knew and failed to disclose.
A few days later I test drove a 2011 4R Limited CPO with 67k miles; dial was on H4L, I tried shifting to L4L in neutral, and heard a mild "clunk." I suppose this was normal since the 4WD system light flashed on and off. I then tried dialing to H4F, where the dashboard's 4WD light remained on, so I wasn't able to drive it in H4F... I was only able to drive it in H4L where the truck got ~8mpg! This Toyota salesman didn't know what H4F was....
Did both vehicles have failing transfer case actuators? Thoughts appreciated, thanks!
cpark_12
New member
I don't know about then '11, but on the '08 SE you should have heard a click, then see the 4lo light stay on solid. It wouldn't have hurt the truck to drive in 4lo on the pavement for a bit as long as you didn't lock the center diff.
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