Need a new transfer case...

Hey all--
My 2015 4WD 6 spd MT taco has been making a gravelly, grinding noise in first gear and reverse when starting from a stop, especially when going uphill--ie when there is a 'loading' on the transmission. I took it to a transmission shop and they said the transfer case is starting to go.

I am planning to replace it myself. I can get one from car-parts.com--should I go for the least mileage or same year? Any thoughts on what to look out for/avoid? Is there another option for a re-built or upgrade that's not a huge difference in price?

Thanks for any thoughts!

 

I had to replace the T case on my old Taco and they said it wasn't worth cracking it open and fixing it. Better to put in a low mile T case.

 

A couple of questions: How many miles are on the truck? Does the noise go-away or get worse in 4WD/4L and/or in all forward gears? ....or just in 2WD? Can you "finesse it" (slip the clutch) to get it moving forward from a dead start using 2nd and see if the noise occurs?
I'm wondering why the noise isn't there all of the time no matter the load, momentum or gear. Is the xfer case electronic or manual?

 

Get a low milage unit.
You'll be time and money ahead.

 

Truck has ~110K miles on it. Recently the driveshaft u-joint at the T-case exploded and had to rebuild the whole thing, so I wonder if that caused some damage...in any case, the noise occurs when in 2wd, transmission loaded/on a hill, starting from a stop and gassing a little. I can avoid the noise if I finesse it, but the shop says it's indicative of the transfer case dying. that's the extent of what I know

 

To toss more options out there, you could also swap in a 4Runner transfer case and “upgrade” to AWD (and a center locker?)

 

OK: u-joint failure letting the driveshaft run loose and forces took the xfer with it. That's a lot of weight wailing around free under there. I once saw the aftermath of a driveshaft that came right up through the floor when a u-joint failed. Scary.

 

Yeah--it went throught floor a bit--lucky I was only going ~20 mph. the ujoint at the transfer case broke, so it wasn't spinning the drive shaft--just the momentum it already had.