Transfer Case Going Out

Hello all!

I have a well maintained 2011 DCLB 4.0 with 115,000 miles. I recently started to hear a whirring noise coming from the front end (thought it was driver side but hard to tell). It would start at about 25-30 mph, get louder at about 45-60mph, become intermittent at 65-75, and then appear to go away when going over 75mph.

I suspected a bearing so I jacked the front end up. No wheel wobble up/down or left/right. However, when I would spin the wheel it would go, then bind so I had to force it to turn, go then bind etc.

I took it to my mechanic and they said that the noise is coming from inside the transfer case. They quoted me for a $4500 for a new preplacement.

I did put larger and wider tires on it about 1.5 years ago to try and improve ride comfort. They are about as big as I can get a lift and only rub (minor) when breaking and turning at the same time. No other engine or suspension mods.

My questions.
1 - Has anyone else had these symptoms and have it be the transfer case (is the diagnosis correct?)

2 - Should I replace or rebuild?

3 - Should I get a second opinion?

4 - Did the larger tires cause this issue?

Thanks for your insight,

Sincerely, one dejected tacoma owner.

 

Did you change your transfer case oil? If so how did it look? Sounds like it might be a CV axle or the bearing everyone replaces with an ECGS bushing. Do both front wheels bind when you spin them? If your not handy get a second opinion.

 

I doubt it is the transfer case. Are the symptoms different in 2WD vs. 4WD? If you do you need a transfer case, which I doubt, get a used one. I bought a used one last year for under C$500, with low mileage. There isn't a lot of labour to just change out the tcase.

 

Thanks for the response. The t-case oil has been changed when the manual says to do it. I just tried the spinning the passenger side (I am suspecting noise coming from driver) and the passenger side spins much more freely like I would expect it to. Does this eliminate the t-case or is it still a potential culprit?

 

Front diff bushing, u can find a used t case for 250 on ebay. Are you able to shift in and out of 4hi/lo? Possibly front driveshaft, put truck on stands in neutral and manuals spin tires to find noise

 

If you want to eliminate the transfer case disconnect the front driveshaft then spin the wheels . Mark your driveshaft so you can reconnect it in the same orientation. Like someone said I also doubt it’s the transfer case.

 

See if the noise goes away in 4wd, if it does it's more likely the needle bearing in the front diff.

Front driveshaft is disengaged in 2wd so it shouldn't be turning.

The reason the passenger side has less resistance when turning is because the ADD disconnects the passenger side axle shaft and the driver's side is still connected to the diff.

 

The oil in the transfer case is good for at least 150,000 miles. The only way to break the transfer case is to drive it in 4X4 on dry pavement. And it takes some time to do that. A short distance occasionally will certainly cause premature wear, but it takes some abuse to wear out a transfer case.

 

Update. I lifted both front wheels off the ground. Driver wheel spins then binds over and over but the passenger spins just find. I then tried to shake the CV axel and got a decent amount of movement out of the driver, and very little out of the passenger.

See below.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ukPvy9NVffNUwjr26

Needle bearing?

 

Would seem to be...but I think you know.

 

While there is some excessive play in your needle bearing.
I highly doubt it is the cause of the binding. I'd suspect a bad CV joint in your case.
And how in the hell the shop concluded the transfer case was bad, is beyond me?
The truck would need to be in 4WD and in neutral, before anything in the transfer case moves.
That is, if they were diagnosing the noise by spinning the wheel.

Try this, place the jack under the control arm, lift the truck.
This puts the trucks suspension in a "normal" loaded state.
Turn the wheel, see if the tire binds "less".

Other than that, you'd need to pull the CV axle and spin the tire.
At that point, you might as well replace the needle bearing. But I doubt that is your current issue.

The bearing almost ALWAYS caused a vibration. Usually around 35mph or so.
Switching to 4WD usually makes the vibration go away, or decrease substantially.

BUT.....You can't really try that.
Because switching to 4WD will only "help" force the CV through the "catch" in the wheel.

Best I know to do is jack it up using the control arm, spin the wheel, and go from there.

 

Second opinion for SURE,that shop is trying too screw you big time.

 

I was thinking the same thing as @TnShooter as I was reading through this

Theres a lot of play there, but I dont see how that would cause a binding feeling. My first thought would be lightly dragging brakes on a high spot on the rotor?

 

Concur with others. Not likely the x-fer case for reasons others have given previous. If it was, the noise would never be intermittent or completely go away at any speed: especially 75+ mph, and the unit would probably have nuked itself by now.

Try each suggestion here one at a time and let us know how it's going. I would have started with the front driveshaft disconnect until previous poster DM93 reminded/mentioned correctly, that in 2wd, the shaft would not be spinning.

 

Forgot to come back with the final update. I took it to a different shop and it ended up being a combo of wheel wear due to poor alignment and a failing bearing. NOT THE TRANSFER CASE. Thanks for all your help with this, and sorry for the late update.

 

LOL, thanks for coming back with an update, even it if is 6 months later!