Want to replace electric motors in transfer case with good old manual levers!

[Jan777]

Have been running my 4Runner for 400k miles now! And generally very happy with it.

But! Toyota did an extremly stupid thing when they replaced the manual levers for HIGH/LOW and for DIFF LOCK with small electric motors inside the transfer box. These things break regularly, are difficult to change and impossible to service! Not using them for a couple of months get them stuck and corroded. Very stupid engineering.

The good old style manual levers used in older Toyotas are much more reliable and praktically unbreakable.

My mechanic tells me that he could replace the electric motors of the actuators to be sifted with manual levers if I find the parts needed. Now, thats a difficult job and I need the swarm knowledge of this forum to find out which parts would fit and where to look for it.

Any ideas?

 

[LOSTR4]

Incredible achievement on the mileage and Toyota love! Also, great idea and yes, it can be done...however, you will likely need an FJ's transfer case linkages or perhaps an over-seas special...nothing in north America except the FJ stuff...

 

[Hi-desertT4R]

There are threads on here of doing the FJ transfer case swap. Several 5th gen models have manual shift transfer cases that can be swapped in as well in many instances.

 

[Usurper]

following

 

[alia176]

My V8 is at 426,xxx miles on the original actuator and zero issues. i did do the O ring project to stop the oil leaks and the slow engaging issue. I'm going to guess that most mechanics don't want to deal with the actuator because they can't make a whole bunch of easy money on them.

If your actuator is the culprit, can you just replace it with OEM? I know aftermarket probably exists, not sure about OEM. You'll have to open up the Tcase, which is a PITA no matter how you slice it. This job is a good one for the DIY person, especially when you have few other local enthusiasts to pitch in and learn all together.

 

[Jan777]

My V8 is at 426,xxx miles on the original actuator and zero issues.

Not sure if I am the unlucky one, or you are the lucky one. But I had to replace the chain in the TB 3 times and the actuator motor 2 times. The last motor was not OEM and worked less than six months. An electric relay fried and the actuator got stuck in DIFF LOCK, just when I had a drive of 1000 miles ahead.

Right now the actuators are disabled and I dont really miss it. The permanent 4WD combined with the low gears is quiet good also on snow and off road. But I want the TB fixed and maybe I go with the OEM actuator this time, since my project to replace them with manual levers seems complicated.

I am in Europe and FJs do not exist here. Actually 4Runners are also not sold in Europe but since many parts are the same as the HILUX I always found spares.