How to go about replacing transfer case motor?

2002 3.4 manual TRD got stuck in 4wd last winter, I took it to a shop. They got it back in 2wd and claimed I need a new transfer case shift motor to (over 1k from toyota & no aftermarket part that they could find). They also were kind enough to crack the part by over torquing the bolts, the inside is now corroded beyond repair. I decided to just drive in 2wd last year, now I want to fix it with winter coming.

I’m wondering if anyone has dealt with this repair before, I’ve heard it can be difficult and might involve messing around with the transfer case.

Also if anyone knows of any aftermarket part that would work instead of the expensive oem part. I’ve found a few online that claim they fit the 2002 but i’m not totally convinced it’ll fit because the models that are said to fit seem like an odd assortment of years that the aftermarket parts that seem like they might work?


Not the most concise explanation/question by me… thanks to anyone with advice!

Aftermarket part in question #1 https://www.partsgeek.com/bxmbhzc-t...ZkRjpbk16PTtSh8MagD4f6xcMJKjunLAaAnLsEALw_wcB


Aftermarket part in question #2
https://a-premium.com/product/Trans...eN9sdGcpOkTTqlyqvbCpRwviF2ghB4ohoCaXAQAvD_BwE

 

If you go aftermarket, might as well go cheap.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/403796058201?fits=Year:2002|Model:Tacoma

I'd say one is just as bad as, or as good as, the other.
The one linked above has good reviews. If that means anything?

 

#1 - 1st gen and 2nd gen tcase actuator are different. You reference a second gen.

Why not buy a functioning, used case? Heck, where I'm, they go for like 100 buck.

If you're just replacing the actuator, you'll have to tear the case apart.

 

I havnt tinkered on a 1st gen transfer case motor in maybe 15 years… but the 2017 TRD I just did I was able to swap out the bad plastic spur gear that actually moves the shaft. The spur gear is a joke of a design, thanks Toyota. There are a few videos out there that show the job… kind of scary when you start but if you go slow and use grease to hold the bits that want to fall out it will save you from dropping the Tcase and splitting it just to slide the shaft over the drive.

If I remember correctly I even think I found a guy who made a electric to manual conversion kit.

Somewhere along the line men started to whine like little girls and didnt want to get out and lock hubs and pull a lever so Toyota accommodated them.

This is for a later tacoma but you get the idea. The red spur gear ~ 4 minutes in is what lets go. I am curious if the early TC motors are the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCY2BCdlU4I

The way I figure it is you can take it apart if it is truly junk put her in 2WD and still drive the truck while you form a repair plan.

 

Replacing that actuator means splitting the transfer case open. Not hard just intimidating. If you go through all that work I'd just buy an OEM one. Hate to have it break in 6 months and have to replace it again.

 

I did it on my 01 4Runner using a 5th gen 4Runner actuator motor: I bought a 5th gen actuator 36410-34015 and stole the motor and gear cover off it.

It's worked flawlessly for a year and a half since I did all this.

 

Yeah they've been whining for years, which is why Toyota stopped putting a front straight axle.

 

I'm in the exact same predicament with my 04' Doublecab 4X4 with auto transmission. I did a complete body off frame restoration and when it was all put back together, I got the blinking green 4X4 annunciator. I took the plastic cover off the TC motor and removed the motor from the assembly so I could manually move the transfer case shift rod in hopes of getting the 4WD ECU to recognize all components in the correct position. The challenge was re-clocking the motor in the housing and with all my installation attempts, my plastic cover cracked like yours.

I bought one of the cheap TC motors suggested above. The flange with rubber o-ring on the 2005+ is slightly taller, so the unit didn't seat correctly in the 1st Gen transfer case. This was disappointing because the 2005+ has a removable plate that allows the user to remove the little plastic gear, remove the shift rod from the replacement motor, and slide the motor over the existing rod in the transfer case. The website that I bought the motor from indicated that it was applicable for 2002, and 2005+. It was a longshot and the results were as expected.

I ended up buy a new motor for $1k but haven't installed it yet. Now I'm stuck trying to decide between 2 options:

1. remove the plastic cover from the new motor, remove the motor, remove the new shift rod, slide new motor assembly on the existing TC shift rod then hope I re-clock the motor correctly upon installation, or
2. take the transfer case apart to install the new motor and shift rod.

 

And eventually there will be no more manual transmission tacomas. Automatics for the future.

No longer be "real man use 3 pedals" it'll be "man use 2 pedals"

 

Did you take everything off the shift rod and try to replace the whole actuator housing and the metal actuator body doesn’t seat in the tcase, or are you saying the black plastic cover for the big spur gear with the worm gear motor doesn’t fit? Did you order

$110 36410-34015 3641034015

36410-34015 or a different part? I’m not saying you’re wrong, just trying to figure out why it worked for me but not for you.

 

I ordered 36410-35081 from OEMPARTSTOYOU.com. It was advertised at 2002-2015, but in reality it applied to 2005-2015. The metal actuator housing would not seat in the transfer case properly - the flange with o-ring was too tall. In hindsight, I could have just used the black plastic housing off the motor as I think that was the same as the 96-04.

 

Ah I’m tracking now. Yeah I just used the black plastic housing, but it’s good to know the metal housings are not interchangeable.