Transfer Case Replacement

Hi guys sorry if this is covered in another forum but I couldn't find it. This morning I was going to change the transfer case fluid, I took the drain plugs out and drained it successfully. When I was putting the drain plug in I was torquing it to what I read was the manufacturer's specs (27 ft/lbs). When I was getting close to that the bolt sheered off the threaded portion of the housing. Now I have to replace the whole transfer case. Is this something I can do at home, like a simple take out the old part and put in the new, and fill with oil? or is it more complicated than I thought?

 

Damn that sucks!
Maybe you could-
-just replace that part of the housing
-drill and tap for a larger drain bolt?
Post a pic of the housing.

 

I would get an expansion plug and install it in that hole. Good to go and deal with it at a better time.

 

Welcome to TW.

I'd try MikeWH suggestion. Remove broken piece, check threads and put in a new plug. If it's not leaking, you could drive & let a mechanic help you remove it.

 

Weld it back in and heliocoil if necessary?

 

Drill it in the center and use an easy out, then replace.

 

There's more than one way to remove a sheared bolt, the best methods have been mentioned already. Or just take it to a shop and have them do it for an hour's labor or less. Replacing an otherwise perfectly fine transfer case seems a bit overkill

 

The bolt didn’t sheer the sleeve it was tapped into sheered off. OP may have a tough time fixing that. Because tcase fluid last so long I’d replace with top notch synthetic then weld that sucker shut and call it a day for another 80k probably lol

 

Holy Crap OP broke a piece of the transfer case off. I would try to weld it back in

 

you can suck it out of the fill hole with a transfer pump if you want to replace the fluid

 

Yea op if it's an aluminum housing I'd take it to a well shop and have them patch it up. You can buy something similar to a boat drain plug and put in it for now. If it's steel I'd get a short pipe nipple or something and just put a cap on that for the drain

 

Remove the bolt. Have someone weld the broken piece back on the tcase, replace bolt and carefully re torque. Are you sure your torque wrench is set/working properly? I cant imagine 27 ft/lbs broke that. Unless there was prior damage from someone.

 

I've seen guys on here with the same thing happening to their transmission cases that said they didn't overtighten their plugs - could have been gorilla'd previously and the OP came in at the wrong time. Torque wrench could have stopped working too, but I think you'd have to crank super hard to do this to a case that had its full structural integrity prior to tightening the bolt. Who knows for sure though

 

Its time for a better torque wrench.

 

Here's 2 videos for you. The first one shows the removal of the transfer case and the end of the second video shows the installation of the transfer case. These videos are part of a 3 part series of replacing the auto transmission on a 2002 Toyota 4runner.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oZDSjlxl2Q4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T4YY3IfnzaQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Thank you! These seem to be good videos with helpful tips

 

Responding to anyone with tips for how to extract a sheered bolt- The bolt (drain plug) is still in tact, the potion of the transfer case broke off, as shown in alternative shots here. I could plug it with another plug, or weld this thing back on however there seems to be very little room for error here and I can buy a used transfer case for $150, so that's my plan.

 

That's a tough place to be Washout! See if a magnet will stick to the transfer case, someone on TW will have a good solution. A transmission shop is a good place to repair it also.

What do y'all suggest to repair this transfer case?

 

Replacing it for $150 sounds pretty good. Plus you have a spare transfer case full of good parts.