I may be taking mine apart soon. CDL light has been flashing every morning since we got to Colorado. Works fine after it warms up and I restart the truck but I’m just waiting for the morning it doesn’t.
Transfer Case Tuneup and Fix (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter TeCKis300
- Start date
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Diff Kraken
SILVER Star
Today I replaced my old 175k mile actuator assembly with a brand new OEM actuator assembly:
Part I of V
Cost: $765 delivered
Toyota part 36410 60112
Vehicle Status for this work:
- front wheels on ramps
- rear wheels chocked
- transmission in “Neutral”
- parking brake engaged
- You might want to disconnect your battery (I didn’t but it wouldn’t be a bad idea)
Tools needed:
- 10mm socket
- 12mm socket
- 12mm wrench
- 14mm socket
- Flathead screwdriver (to release electrical harness clips)
- Stubby short #2 Phillips screwdriver (You must have a short screwdriver to get the screws at the top of the actuator)
- Scissors or a knife (To trim the breather tube if it's shot)
- Zip tie to reattach the breather tube if needed
Optional:
- 14mm wrench
- Penetrating oil (to spray the transfer case rods)
Here's what the actuator assembly arrangement looks like on the transfer case. This pic will be useful when you're trying to put it all back together. The guards are a bit of a puzzle, at least they were to me when reassembling. *Note the funny black weight attached to the transfer case in the center of this picture- I assume it's to dampen any vibrations- engineers are smart like that- the 100 series has similar looking weights attached to the frame:
Part II of V
Here is the old actuator. Note how corroded and rusted the components of the top CDL actuator are. The diff breather hose was completely disconnected and frayed thus leading to corrosion from intrusion of moisture:
Part III of V
The transfer case actuator breather tube was split and disconnected from the CDL actuator housing:
I trimmed the breather tube to get a new end and ziptied it tightly to the new actuator:
You can see the breather tube is in sections of varying thickness. I accidentally pulled the tube apart and had to reach up above the transfer case and reattach it one handed. Not an easy task. DO NOT pull on the breather tube very hard:
Part I of V
Cost: $765 delivered
Toyota part 36410 60112
Vehicle Status for this work:
- front wheels on ramps
- rear wheels chocked
- transmission in “Neutral”
- parking brake engaged
- You might want to disconnect your battery (I didn’t but it wouldn’t be a bad idea)
Tools needed:
- 10mm socket
- 12mm socket
- 12mm wrench
- 14mm socket
- Flathead screwdriver (to release electrical harness clips)
- Stubby short #2 Phillips screwdriver (You must have a short screwdriver to get the screws at the top of the actuator)
- Scissors or a knife (To trim the breather tube if it's shot)
- Zip tie to reattach the breather tube if needed
Optional:
- 14mm wrench
- Penetrating oil (to spray the transfer case rods)
Here's what the actuator assembly arrangement looks like on the transfer case. This pic will be useful when you're trying to put it all back together. The guards are a bit of a puzzle, at least they were to me when reassembling. *Note the funny black weight attached to the transfer case in the center of this picture- I assume it's to dampen any vibrations- engineers are smart like that- the 100 series has similar looking weights attached to the frame:
Part II of V
Here is the old actuator. Note how corroded and rusted the components of the top CDL actuator are. The diff breather hose was completely disconnected and frayed thus leading to corrosion from intrusion of moisture:
Part III of V
The transfer case actuator breather tube was split and disconnected from the CDL actuator housing:
I trimmed the breather tube to get a new end and ziptied it tightly to the new actuator:
You can see the breather tube is in sections of varying thickness. I accidentally pulled the tube apart and had to reach up above the transfer case and reattach it one handed. Not an easy task. DO NOT pull on the breather tube very hard:
Last edited:
Diff Kraken
SILVER Star
Part IV of V
Clocking the motors correctly was done by watching the video posted earlier in the thread. Below are the screen shots from that video for correctly clocked upper (CDL) and lower (4Lo), respectively:
For the rods, the lower (4Lo) rod should be pushed into the transfer case all the way. The upper rod should be sitting so that the actuator motor gear contacts the rod at the 9th tooth- edit: essentially push the rod all the way in.You have to count by feel as you lay the actuator up top. I sprayed penetrating oil into the rods and got them moving pretty freely with my hands ahead of putting the new actuator on. A bit of oil came out of the transfer case. I assume that’s normal.
Part V of V
The new actuator is working great! The CDL and 4Lo engage quickly and easily. The breather tube is installed correctly and has a tight fit as well- so I expect the actuators to keep working for quite a long time. I plan to engage the CDL and 4Lo a couple times each month to keep them in good working order moving forward.
The old actuator and new rods are packed nicely ready to ship. They’re up for grabs at cost of shipping. I would be happy if someone wants to rebuild this unit or otherwise mess around with it. Let me know and I’ll ship it out your way.
Ok… Time to wash up and enjoy a nice Sunday Shower Beer. Nothing better.
Cheers…
Clocking the motors correctly was done by watching the video posted earlier in the thread. Below are the screen shots from that video for correctly clocked upper (CDL) and lower (4Lo), respectively:
For the rods, the lower (4Lo) rod should be pushed into the transfer case all the way. The upper rod should be sitting so that the actuator motor gear contacts the rod at the 9th tooth- edit: essentially push the rod all the way in.
Part V of V
The new actuator is working great! The CDL and 4Lo engage quickly and easily. The breather tube is installed correctly and has a tight fit as well- so I expect the actuators to keep working for quite a long time. I plan to engage the CDL and 4Lo a couple times each month to keep them in good working order moving forward.
The old actuator and new rods are packed nicely ready to ship. They’re up for grabs at cost of shipping. I would be happy if someone wants to rebuild this unit or otherwise mess around with it. Let me know and I’ll ship it out your way.
Ok… Time to wash up and enjoy a nice Sunday Shower Beer. Nothing better.
Cheers…
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #124
Excellent work there! A cruiser without lo-range and center locker is no cruiser at all. Thanks for documenting another great option.
@Diff Kraken if nobody else takes you up on your offer for the actuator in the next couple weeks please let me know. Mine gave me problems *every* morning while I was above ~7k' in CO, but of course now that I'm down to sea level it's been fine the last few days. I'm planning to take mine apart at some point this fall and it'd be helpful to have done a rebuild beforehand so I can just swap in one I've cleaned up and bench tested (and then offer the same shipping option to the next person), though I probably won't have a chance to do it for a couple months.
Diff Kraken
SILVER Star
Perfect- that's what I was hoping. Maybe we can get a MUD chain going off of old actuators (that sounds way dirtier than I mean it to).
Great work, Kraken, and outstanding documentation. I'll DM you about shipping...after my on-truck fix of the actuators, I have some ambition to rehab one of these more thoroughly. Thank you for sharing the work here!
Yeah shipping would be essentially a "core charge".
I wish swapping the actuator was stupidly simple (idiot-proof). Moving the actuator rods is part of what scares me, TBH. I suspect there are others like me who *could* do this but aren't entirely comfortable with it (particularly after seeing a couple threads where people had all sorts of flashing lights at first because they did it wrong). I'm assuming from what I've read the R&R on the motors isn't terribly difficult but I know if I pull mine apart and can't get it back together correctly I'll never hear the end of it from my wife, so would be good to be able to bench test rather than have to pull and reinstall it a few times. (You'd think it'd be nothing but you're talking to the guy who had to futz with rebuilding his backflow preventer for his sprinkler system like 4 times before he realized one of the check valves was installed backwards).
Maybe you take his and I'll take yours when you're done?
Diff Kraken
SILVER Star
I made an edit to my post to make perfectly clear, you essentially just push both rods in all the way. With the top rod, that happens to be the 9th tooth of the rod engaging with the motor gear. Honestly, it was not difficult. I watched that filipino guy's video and did as he did. The hardest part is keeping the pieces all together in the CDL actuator when you lay it up top, but I used a stiff ziptie drapped across it to hold everything in place. Again, I copied what the guy in the video did.
Here's my updated info on what I did with the rods:
"For the rods, the lower (4Lo) rod should be pushed into the transfer case all the way. The upper rod should be sitting so that the actuator motor gear contacts the rod at the 9th tooth- edit: essentially push the rod all the way in. I sprayed penetrating oil into the rods and got them moving pretty freely with my hands ahead of putting the new actuator on."
And just to highlight once more, as a few videos have been posted, here is the specific video I referenced:
Diff Kraken
SILVER Star
@isthatalexus As discussed via DM, it just shipped out your way. @linuxgod send a PM his way and hopefully you guys can figure something out and keep the MUDship moving with these actuators.
I, for one, am really enjoying instant CDL activation and deactivation
So about the part numbers….
The online parts catalog state 13-21 uses part 36410-60113 but this thread seems to reference 36410-60112. The first is over $1100 and the second is around $750 which I can only assume is meant for the 08 version?
The online parts catalog state 13-21 uses part 36410-60113 but this thread seems to reference 36410-60112. The first is over $1100 and the second is around $750 which I can only assume is meant for the 08 version?
Think some of the confusion lies in what vehicle you’re trying to fix. The OP I believe was for a 200 Series LC. The $1100 P/N that are referencing is the one I found when I researched for my ‘08 Sequoia. Calling a dealership - any dealership if you don’t like your local one would be helpful to determine the correct part.
Got it. Mine is a ‘14 LC and it comes up as the $1100 part.
Diff Kraken
SILVER Star
Yup- I used Toyota Part No. 36410-60112 that I bought off eBay from a UAE seller for ~$700 delivered. It is listed as being for a 2008-2011 200 series (LC and LX 570). I'm not sure what difference, if any, there is for a '14 200 series.
You're correct, for your 2014, they list Toyota Part No. 36410-60113. I see an Aisin brand version listed on eBay for $639. I would personally prefer one out of a Toyota OEM box, but given that these are having issues anyway, it may not matter- and as you saw- the OEM one for your '14 only seems to be available for $1,100. Regardless, make sure to keep the breather hose attached properly and to exercise the CDL and 4Lo monthly and either one should go for a good long time.
Any reason that you don't want to just clean yours up on your '14? I replaced mine on the '08 because it's got 175k miles on it and thought that was enough out of the original unit for a replacement cost of $700. I also did not want any downtime for the truck as it's currently our family's only vehicle, so I was happy to be able to pop in a new one and have the truck out of commission for less than 2 hours.
The 08-11 transfer case was manufactured by someone different than the 13+... apparently Toyota switched I think to Borg Warner in 2013. The actuator may or may not be identical.
Ours has 112k and the issue has been coming up on a more frequent basis (2-3x per week). The repair process doesn’t look too difficult, but my concern is setting the orientation of the gears once the new unit is disassembled and then reassembled to the existing rods. Did you guys have any issues with setting that during installation?
I agree about sticking with the Toyota parts vs Asian - even though these have begun to fail, it still took 8+ years to become an issue.
@linuxgod that makes sense on the transmission manufacturer being changed. Figured there had to be a reason beyond model year alone.
I've had the same concern, which is why I haven't done mine yet. My CDL was flashing pretty much every morning in Colorado this summer though. I definitely think cooler temps and/or lower air pressure affects it. I will likely need to R&R mine soon... probably won't get to it before winter though and my garage is too cold to work in during the winter here unfortunately.
FWIW I'd buy Aisin parts instead of OEM and save the $500... after all the OEM failures are pretty damn common.
Diff Kraken
SILVER Star
It was not difficult to get the gears clocked correctly. Watch the video I used and just make sure to push the rods in all the way when you put the actuators back on. Once you visually study and understand the way the gears go it becomes pretty obvious and should mentally click. I had an ah-ha moment when I took mine apart and then wasn't worried at all about putting it back together correctly.
- Thread starter
- #140
Yeah, I didn't mean to scare anyone away from doing the fix. It's ultimately not that bad. It's CYA and to be aware that there is clocking that I put the warning out there. To your point, it's straightforward to maintain the clocking once there is awareness of it.
I used a small flat blade like a paint spatula when lifting the top actuator out to keep the gear and clocking in the assembly.
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