3rd gen 2022 Toyota Tacoma transfer case fluid type ?

I also heard from people that dealerships also use

$28 75W-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75W-90 Gear Oil in the transfer case too to save a buck, I am not sure how accurate this is.

 

I've heard that too. There are plenty of people who swear by OEM and others who use a cheaper

$28 75W-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75W-90 variant. I will always try to use OEM whenever I can, but the price of the transfer case oil is ridiculously high.

 

The transfer case operates more reliably in cold weather with the Toyota LF (Low Friction) fluid. There is a reason why they ship it over from Japan in those steel tins. For the engine oil, brake fluid, coolant, etc, they just source locally and rebrand. The LF fluid for some reason has to come from the mother ship. I had issues with shifting in extremely cold weather with the dealer’s generic 75W90 in my T-case, so went back to the official LF and no further problems.

FWIW, the ‘LF’ T-case fluid and the ‘WS’ transmission fluid are the only two fluids where Toyota doesn’t suggest a substitute or generic weight in the owners manual.

 

Aside from factory fill i've ran Redline MT-LV 75W, Amsoil syncromesh and presently Amsoil DTC.

The Redline for me is over 50$ by the time I touch the bottle. Both the Amsoil's are under 30$.

I'm currently in the process of doing a comparison via used oil analysis(UOA) to see how the transfer case likes them but until it's time to change again I only have a UOA for the syncromesh.

From my use in -40*C to +30*C there is no real performance difference I can tell. Maybe the transfer case shifts a smidge faster at -40* with the DCT fluid but I have over 260k on my odometer. The transfer case could just be loosening up with age.

I would go thinner than a

$28 75w-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75w-90 and at the least a GL4 type oil but otherwise this transfer case doesn't seem to care what you put in it.

 

I've done my transfer case oil twice. Once at 30k at the dealer and the 2nd at 60k and the oil looked brand new still. That being said, I used Red Line's MT-LV 70W/75W GL-4 - Quart and has been running fine the whole time. I would buy 2 just in case. Don't want to risk the chance of it being under filled.

Red Line's website list it as compatible as well. https://www.redlineoil.com/mt-lv-70w75w

 

What nobody has ever successfully answered for me at least, is why when every other fluid in the truck, is available in a plastic bottle, why the LF fluid has to be in a steel bottle? Generally that sort of packaging is required when whatever is in the bottle will attack plastic. And also, why ship the fluid from Japan? They don’t do that with the engine oil, brake fluid, etc. Why not just get Mobil or Shell to mix them up a batch and slap a Toyota sticker on it like they do with other fluids? Toyota sinks significant cost into this fluid. I wonder why that is.

I agree most Toyota dealers will just pump no-name 75/90 out of their bulk barrel into the T-Case. Mine did this during a service and said it was “what they always use”, but then I had problems.

Anyways…….i find the LF fluid interesting as it seems Toyota corporate takes a very difficult path to provide you with a litre of gear oil, so I assume they are doing all this effort on purpose.

 

I got this to try. Meets the specs