Transfer Case Skid Plate Almost Done!

[Expat]

Wow...good to know. The TC housing is made of aluminum? Is that normal for other SUVs?? I gotta do some research into my own TC!

Yeah, well to be honest this was the subject of some discussion yesterday. Apparently many are. The 4Runner (4th gen) definitely appears to be so.

Toyota even sell a tube of paste that is called something like
"Transfer case repair paste" (not actual words) that someone brought up for us late yesterday after the repair had been done with the JP weld stuff.

Apparently Toyota use this stuff to repair cracks in the TC!

We'll know more in the next few days as this TC gets looked at more closely. Stuck in the middle of a rock garden to effect a repair meant not too much time was spent investigating the structure (material) of the tc case.

Today we continued wheeling and the case did not releak so looks like the repair was effective.

 

[Thai]

Yeah, well to be honest this was the subject of some discussion yesterday. Apparently many are. The 4Runner (4th gen) definitely appears to be so.

I guess that you could always put a magnet to the TC and see if it's steel or something else.

 

[weldpro]

Hey guys,
This is Richard Stubbs the guy who made the TC plate. I am guessing this must be Jims 4runner that we are talking about? Anyhow don't worry Jim I will do everything I can to take care of you.
Unfortuneately I don't have too much time to go into particulars about the Tcase skid but I can assure you that it has been well tested on 3rd gens, and Tacomas (especially the tacomas) before we ever put this product out. It would come to common reason that the skid would never work but you must remember that the reason it has in the past has everything to do with the engine & transmission being isolated (very soft rubber mounting) from the frame.
Now if one were to use this style of plate with a hard mount (FROR crossmember-older trucks) then it would never work due to not having the soft rubber mount. I have actually repaired a case that broke due to this being the case(not from using our skid plate but something similar). Maybe I overlooked something (mounts not as soft as earlier trucks?). Allpro & I have a similar product that has had great success on the earlier stuff but again I must have done something wrong. I will do what it takes to get Jim on his way for sure, and I am very sorry for ruining what I am sure was a fun day before this happend.
Thanks for listening,
Richard Stubbs


PS- I am going to email the others that have purchased....there have been four I am pretty sure, and refund there money. I don't want this skid out there until I know it's a good product, and obviously something is wrong.

 

[weldpro]

I guess that you could always put a magnet to the TC and see if it's steel or something else.

The tcase is cast aluminum. The last time I can remember that a case was cast iron was the case jeep & IH (1980-1983)used the Dana 300, and the much bellyhooed New Process 205 or was it 203!? Toyota's cases have been aluminum all the way back to the days of the FJ40's but they were known to bust in half with out bracing.
The 1979-1995 Gear driven cases were some of the best but the next versions in the 95.5+ Tacomas have proven themselves quite well. Now the newest versions (in the 4g 4runner) I am learning more & more about these.

 

[weldpro]

http://www.sonoransteel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=42


Above is the thread concerning the T case repair on a 3g that had a FROR crossmember, and also a case mounted skid plate. This truck got slammed real, real hard and the main reason it broke was due to the FROR not having as nearly as much "give' as the factory rubber mounts. Also this truck had a dual transfer case setup which really needed the added support of the FROR CM. This person went on to build a full underbody skid which of course is the absolute best option.
My goal was to provide a good solution to the masses that do not neccessarily need a full plate, and the costs associated with it. I do already have a idea for making the 4th gen plate a viable product if in fact that stud mounts are weaker than the previous versions. It could also add a extra margin of protection for the later versions.
Richard

 

[Expat]

Hi Richard,

I will pass your reply on.

Your reply reinforces what I have heard from many people - you are a standup type of guy.

I know no-one in our group was pissy about what happened. Damage occurs when you offroad. We all take that for granted.

Cheers
Mark

 

[Thai]

Richard, thanks for responding...and for being an honest guy.

 

[weldpro]

Thanks for the responses!

I did speak on the phone with Joel yesterday, and I have left every option on the table to take care of him. I am anxious to get this resolved for him, and I will do whatever it takes to make that happen.
I did refund the other peoples money whom had purchased the plates yesterday as well, and Joel obviously! There were only four total purchased out there so it was an easy task to get done. Thanks again to all of you who are taking the time to read this!
Richard

 

[teotwaki]

Looks as if I missed all of the excitement while I was out kayaking Lake Powell......

Richard has always been great to deal with. If he develops a frame-mounted skid plate I'll buy one from him in a heartbeat.

Thanks for the responses!

I did speak on the phone with Joel yesterday, and I have left every option on the table to take care of him. I am anxious to get this resolved for him, and I will do whatever it takes to make that happen.
I did refund the other peoples money whom had purchased the plates yesterday as well, and Joel obviously! There were only four total purchased out there so it was an easy task to get done. Thanks again to all of you who are taking the time to read this!
Richard

 

[jbs]

If he develops a frame-mounted skid plate I'll buy one from him in a heartbeat.

Me too!