What is this U shaped thing rattling?

[WhiskeyTango]

I have been plagued by a rattle. I crawl under my 02 4x4 Sport and find this thing rattling around under there. What is it and how do I stop it from rattling?

 

[alumarine]

It looks like your transfer case harmonic balancer.

 

[drallan]

Thanks for posting this. I noticed it on mine as well 99 3.4L 4wd Ltd the past few weeks while playing with my driveshafts. Had no idea what it was for. Looked like a mount for something but couldn't figure it out. The previous response sounds like it makes sense.

I'm assuming by the name that it helps minimize vibration coming out of the TC?

 

[firemanj92]

I have been plagued by a rattle. I crawl under my 02 4x4 Sport and find this thing rattling around under there. What is it and how do I stop it from rattling?

It looks like your transfer case harmonic balancer.

Thanks for posting this. I noticed it on mine as well 99 3.4L 4wd Ltd the past few weeks while playing with my driveshafts. Had no idea what it was for. Looked like a mount for something but couldn't figure it out. The previous response sounds like it makes sense.

I'm assuming by the name that it helps minimize vibration coming out of the TC?

Here's the link in another thread that answers your question, btw it's outrageously expensive. -J

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/217962-what-hell-thing-[answered].html

 

[WhiskeyTango]

Does anyone know what this peice is supposed to look like when it’s not just a horse shoe hanging on a bracket?

Has anyone tried one of those inserts or sourced a reasonable replacement?

Do people just remove it and go without it?

It seems like a common enough problem to have a definitive solution.

 

[WhiskeyTango]

Found one on eBay under $100. Looks like I’ll just replace it. Thanks guys.

 

[phattyduck]

Yours is bent back a bit, but otherwise looks exactly like that normally. Just take it off. If you notice any extra NVH, get a replacement.

Lots of guys remove them when they put on aftermarket skids, etc.

And the technical term is Transfer Case Harmonic Dampener. (not balancer)

-Charlie

 

[davidch]

I've always suspected some snooty Lexus engineer with a sensitive keister - likely the CEO's nephew, just out of school - made a comment about a little vibration he sensed after riding as a passenger in a prototype Gen3 Limited on a perfectly smooth test track, and the Toyota engineer driving solved the complaint with this device.

3RZ-FE 4Runners don't have it.