Stripped stud on transfer case (1 Viewer)

[L248]

So I'm finishing up a rebuild, and just put the drivetrain back in. And now I've stripped a stud on the front half of the transfer case! (Where the front driveline bolts on). I got that terrible sinking feeling when one stud just would not get snug. I was using a torque wrench and was tightening to the 54 ft/lbs spec.

This is on a 1996 LX450.

I'm hoping there's a way to change the stud out in place, but cant see how there is room to get a new one in from behind. The thought of dropping the t-case again is friggin awful. Is there a way, or am I dropping it?

 

[Rusty Marlin]

That front housing will come out without dropping the T-case.
LOCK your center diff before removing it. There's a shift fork and a sliding gear in there that couples the transfer case gears to the front output shaft.
If you don't activate the CDL first, 1) the shift fork actuator rod will be sticking too far forward and you can't clear the housing between the end of the rod and the oil pan, and 2) the shuttling gear is loose and floppy and you can't get it reassembled over the output shaft.
When you have the front output housing on the bench, you'll need a good set of snap ring pliers to pull the clutch gear, and a dead blow hammer to knock the output shaft out the front.
Fairly easy job. Probably takes more time to clean the seal surfaces in prep for FIPG than pulling the output shaft.
Might as well changed the oil seal and dust covers while you're in there.

 

[OGBeno]

And for reference, while Toyota doesn't technically "support" the flange studs for the HF2AV from an 80 series (they say you have to buy the flange/shaft with the studs), you can use the studs from a post-1990 HD 7x series or from a 1998+ 100 series.

90114-10061

Available from any Toyota dealer.

 

[L248]

Rusty Marlin,
I had looked at the FSM about doing the disassembly in place but didn't come away with any confidence it could be done. Thank you for the excellent direction. I'm going to do this just as you wrote. I had come up with the idea of tac welding it. The thought being to get some actual run time on the new build and see if there's anything else I screwed up that would require dropping the TC anyway.

Beno, thanks for this info. Are the rear TC studs a different source as well?

 

[OGBeno]

Rusty Marlin,
I had looked at the FSM about doing the disassembly in place but didn't come away with any confidence it could be done. Thank you for the excellent direction. I'm going to do this just as you wrote. I had come up with the idea of tac welding it. The thought being to get some actual run time on the new build and see if there's anything else I screwed up that would require dropping the TC anyway.

Beno, thanks for this info. Are the rear TC studs a different source as well?

Rear output studs are also "not sourced separately" from Toyota. But you can use 6x/7x studs for the rear (11mm vs 10mm for the front):

90114-11003

Available from any Toyota parts location.

 

[PIP]

In the interim you could run a 3/8-24 die over those stripped M10 fine threads and install a 3/8-24 lock nut.

Would keep you on the road until your new parts arrived.