Transfer case rebuild thread?

[jkeith.w]

I've narrowed down the source of the driveline vibration in my 275K mile '96 to the output shaft/yoke bearing on the rear of the transfer case; but have been unable to find any insight on the bearing replacement procedure via the search function on the forum...

Are there any threads on transfer case rebuilding that I'm just missing somehow?

 

[jkeith.w]

Guess not then? Time for the FSM, I suppose.

 

[manesfesto]

I just pulled my trans to swap for a salvage one. needless to say I have a cherry transfer case I dont need if you need one. its an 01 transmission. A340F

 

[jkeith.w]

I just pulled my trans to swap for a salvage one. needless to say I have a cherry transfer case I dont need if you need one. its an 01 transmission. A340F

Huh - not sure if that will work behind a '96 5-speed? (will investigate.)

 

[jkeith.w]

Subscribed.

Curious how did you isolate the vibration cause to the t-case output? Is there a test or spec for normal freeplay on these? Are you j-shift or multi-mode..?

Thanks

Sorry, I'm not sure what J-shift or multi-mode are?

There is almost 3/16" play in either direction when I wiggle the output shaft at the front driveshaft joint - this FAR exceeds the amount of movement on my friend's '96 with similar mileage - and the vibration symptoms I'm getting are what would occur from bad joints in the driveshaft, so...

 

[jkeith.w]

Understood, J-shift makes sense, I suppose.

 

[St Runner]

I would just swap in a used one. There should be plenty of them around as all the early 3rd gen 4runners and 1st gen tacomas used the same transfer case for both the auto and 5speed. Very rarely do they fail. I would also check the driveshaft carefully when you pull it off to make sure the ujoints are good

 

[jkeith.w]

I would just swap in a used one. There should be plenty of them around as all the early 3rd gen 4runners and 1st gen tacomas used the same transfer case for both the auto and 5speed. Very rarely do they fail.

^Good to know, that significantly increases the chance of finding a clean used one.

I would also check the driveshaft carefully when you pull it off to make sure the u joints are good

Pulling the driveshaft and replacing the rear joint (no play in the front) was the first thing I did to try to eliminate my drive line vibration.

Interestingly enough, I reduced it by over 50% by replacing the right rear wheel bearing (apparently a previous owner low-side collision resulted in a junkyard axle on that side, with no ABS ring or spacer, so the axle seal was completely ineffective - gear oil washed out & wrecked the bearing during our ownership)

Now the output shaft/yoke is the only discernible source of excessive play, so it's getting some love one way or another!

 

[nicoelcee]

This sounds exactly like my problem as well ... same gen and tranny. I look forward to hearing if the t-case fixed the problem.
does yours get worse during coasting? Mine tends to go away under acceleration/deceleration and much worse in between (or at speed 65+ with clutch in and RPM's low).

 

[northstr99]

30mm nut was loose on rear T-case output shaft

Sorry, I'm not sure what J-shift or multi-mode are?

There is almost 3/16" play in either direction when I wiggle the output shaft at the front driveshaft joint - this FAR exceeds the amount of movement on my friend's '96 with similar mileage - and the vibration symptoms I'm getting are what would occur from bad joints in the driveshaft, so...

I had almost exactly the same problem on my '96 SR5, with the 5-spd R150F manual trans. I had a helluva vibration between 65-75 mph, which returned as an ominous high-speed "buzzing" at speeds over 80.

After reading BigFishAllDay's EXCELLENT write-up on removal of front and rear driveshafts to access/replace t-case output shaft oil seals (found here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/101650-replacing-transfer-case-output-shaft-oil-seals-how-diyers.html), I unbolted the front of the rear drive shaft and moved it aside. I then discovered the culprit - the 30mm staked nut holding the rear companion flange (where the rear driveshaft bolts to, just ahead of the DC joint) onto the end of the t-case rear output shaft had simply come loose. Not loose enough to freely unscrew, but loose enough to allow the splines to separate every so slightly, allowing the companion flange to wiggle laterally about 3/16" in any direction. Miraculously the seals weren't leaking, nor were the DC spiders loose in any way. Just that damned nut.

So after yanking out the companion flange per BFAD's write-up, I cleaned up the splines and checked the outer surface of the spline shaft (it was still smooth as a baby's butt after a mere 351,000 miles) then re-installed with a new 30mm stake-nut, which I proceeded to stake the HELL out of this time, and torqued it to 87 ft-lbs, per BFAD again.

Got the rear drive shaft mated back up to the companion flange studs, making sure that the match-marks I made prior to disassembly were lined up, and torqued those nuts down to 54 ft-lbs (per BFAD). Had to use new grease pumped by my buddy Geoff into the zerk on the rear drive shaft yoke to push the drive shaft forward to mate the DC flange to the t-case companion flange, which worked like a charm. Greased the DC zerks, then took her out for a drive and discovered that approximately 98.3% of the vibration had been eliminated. I chalked the remaining vibration up to the typical 3rd Gen dump-truck ride quality LOL

I didn't bother taking any photos, as they are pretty well detailed in BFAD's write-up. But I hope that this is helpful to anyone experiencing the same sort of issue! Cheers all! :hatsoff:

 

[TheDurk]

I had almost exactly the same problem on my '96 SR5, with the 5-spd R150F manual trans. I had a helluva vibration between 65-75 mph, which returned as an ominous high-speed "buzzing" at speeds over 80.

After reading BigFishAllDay's EXCELLENT write-up on removal of front and rear driveshafts to access/replace t-case output shaft oil seals (found here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/101650-replacing-transfer-case-output-shaft-oil-seals-how-diyers.html), I unbolted the front of the rear drive shaft and moved it aside. I then discovered the culprit - the 30mm staked nut holding the rear companion flange (where the rear driveshaft bolts to, just ahead of the DC joint) onto the end of the t-case rear output shaft had simply come loose. Not loose enough to freely unscrew, but loose enough to allow the splines to separate every so slightly, allowing the companion flange to wiggle laterally about 3/16" in any direction. Miraculously the seals weren't leaking, nor were the DC spiders loose in any way. Just that damned nut.

So after yanking out the companion flange per BFAD's write-up, I cleaned up the splines and checked the outer surface of the spline shaft (it was still smooth as a baby's butt after a mere 351,000 miles) then re-installed with a new 30mm stake-nut, which I proceeded to stake the HELL out of this time, and torqued it to 87 ft-lbs, per BFAD again.

Got the rear drive shaft mated back up to the companion flange studs, making sure that the match-marks I made prior to disassembly were lined up, and torqued those nuts down to 54 ft-lbs (per BFAD). Had to use new grease pumped by my buddy Geoff into the zerk on the rear drive shaft yoke to push the drive shaft forward to mate the DC flange to the t-case companion flange, which worked like a charm. Greased the DC zerks, then took her out for a drive and discovered that approximately 98.3% of the vibration had been eliminated. I chalked the remaining vibration up to the typical 3rd Gen dump-truck ride quality LOL

I didn't bother taking any photos, as they are pretty well detailed in BFAD's write-up. But I hope that this is helpful to anyone experiencing the same sort of issue! Cheers all! :hatsoff:

Welcome to the forum!

 

[kolelt]

I think I have a bad transmission or tcase. Although my rear output shaft isn’t lose. I’m getting a howling noise at like 60 mph. And A LOT OF PLAY going through gears. Almost as if the axles control arms are lose. But they aren’t. Like a slap play. It’s drive shafts have been brought to a driveshaft place. So that eliminates that.

 

[Chuckles89]

I had that same problem where the companion flange nut came loose. It's been good for 50k after I tightened it up! Sometimes, It'll get loose again, but it will go away... not sure what's up with that lol

 

[jkeith.w]

I think I have a bad transmission or tcase. Although my rear output shaft isn’t lose. I’m getting a howling noise at like 60 mph. And A LOT OF PLAY going through gears. Almost as if the axles control arms are lose. But they aren’t. Like a slap play. It’s drive shafts have been brought to a driveshaft place. So that eliminates that.

have you checked the fluid level?

 

[northstr99]

Welcome to the forum!

Thanks T. Durk! I have lurked here often hunting for intel on how to troubleshoot/fix various ailments for a few years, but hadn't had much of significance to contrib til now.

As for the loose 30mm nut, it still seems to be holding ok 16,000 miles later, but now I'm pretty sure I've got a bad u joint in the driveline. I'm getting a vibration again around 65+ to 70 (where it's worst it seems), but mainly under power. When I let off the gas and coast, it drops significantly even when the speed doesn't drop much, like coasting downhill. Just been putting off the work of yarding the thing out and putting new knuckles in it. Or (GASP!) taking it in to a driveline shop lol Why drop it off and spend $150 there when I COULD spend most of a Saturday eating WD40, dirt and grit laying under the beast and then swearing at my bench vise, and save $20? Lol :der: