Transfer case - Rebuild or Replace (1 Viewer)

[Fogblue13]

Backstory: I have been hunting this whining noise with acceleration for about the past 2-3 weeks. I pulled both drive shafts to eliminate the differentials being the source. Neither changed my sound at all. So I figure it has to be a transfer. Took it to a buddy with a frame lift, lifted it and that is indeed to source of the noise.

So what is the most cost effective/easiest to do myself? Rebuild or replace the Tcase? It is a late 95 completely stock w/ 132K mi. Any other suggestions would be appreciated as well.

 

[inkpot]

I would pull it and rebuild it. If you buy used, then you will probably want to go thru it and check it anyway. They are ALL 20 rears old.

 

[Fogblue13]

I would pull it and rebuild it. If you buy used, then you will probably want to go thru it and check it anyway. They are ALL 20 rears old.

Any suggestions on a rebuild kit?

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Terrain Tamer seems to make nice kits with all that is needed for just about anything on a Land Cruiser.
I hope yours goes better than my rebuild of my split case due to whine. No difference after rebuild. Been that way for 20K and is getting real annoying.

 

[excessive]

I have a known good 1996 xfer case w/ 200k miles on it , pm me if interested .

 

[Tools R Us]

Is the fluid level correct, has it been run low? After checking the level, I would drain it, check condition of the fluid. Metallic looking fluid is most often alloy, from the housing, a big caterpillar of metal on the drain plug magnet is steel, gear/bearing. If the gears have been damaged from running low on lube, misaligned from a bad bearing, etc, are likely to still make noise after rebuilding. If this is the case, would get a used unit, it's not like they are rare and well proven to be durable.

 

[1FZj80]

rebuild it. it is fairly easy and will give you ability to replace all bearings and seals and add the low range gear set.
as @inkpot pot said, if you source another case with 200K on it, you would want to go thru it anyways.

 

[Tools R Us]

rebuild it. it is fairly easy and will give you ability to replace all bearings and seals and add the low range gear set.
as @inkpot pot said, if you source another case with 200K on it, you would want to go thru it anyways.

If it's whining due to gear wear (likely), you can replace every bearing and seal, and it will still whine. We have had many +200K mile cases apart, other than an occasional output bearing and removing the VC, have never seen anything that I would even think about replacing. The only bad '80 transfer that I have seen was from being run low on fluid.

 

[Fogblue13]

If it's whining due to gear wear (likely), you can replace every bearing and seal, and it will still whine. We have had many +200K mile cases apart, other than an occasional output bearing and removing the VC, have never seen anything that I would even think about replacing. The only bad '80 transfer that I have seen was from being run low on fluid.

No telling if it has been run without fluid at some point... I changed the fluid in it the other day and it was pretty nasty and had a lot of metal shavings on the plug... So does that mean that I will need to replace the gears in it as well?

 

[1FZj80]

If it's whining due to gear wear (likely), you can replace every bearing and seal, and it will still whine. We have had many +200K mile cases apart, other than an occasional output bearing and removing the VC, have never seen anything that I would even think about replacing. The only bad '80 transfer that I have seen was from being run low on fluid.

I had both output shaft seals fail, the input shaft seal fail and as well as several bearings. Replacing seals/bearings in my TC made a huge improvement on smoothness and quietness. Plus I installed low range gears while apart. Gear wear should be evident if it is the problem.

 

[Malleus]

No telling if it has been run without fluid at some point... I changed the fluid in it the other day and it was pretty nasty and had a lot of metal shavings on the plug... So does that mean that I will need to replace the gears in it as well?

Probably, as has been said, but you won't know for sure until you tear it open.