98 taco transfer case selecter lever knocked loose while in motion.

Hey there.
So I have a 98 Tacoma 3.4L with manual transmission. A while back I was heading back home from grocery shopping in 4 wheel drive high because the roads were icy.

As I was slowing down on the highway to pull in my driveway a gallon of milk fell forward and hit the transfer case selecter knob out of 4H while I was still in motion. I instantly heard metal in metal grinding. It sounded like gears.

When it's in 2H it drives like normal but if I try to put it in 4H it starts grinding and doesn't engage at all. It's fairly obvious it's mangled something in the transfer case but I'm not sure where to even begin to fix this.

I just dropped the transmission to change my clutch, throw out bearing and all that. I was hoping that someone here might have some advice on what I might have broken so that I can at least diagnose and know what parts I need to replace.

 

The gallon of milk fell off the seat and hit the Transfer case shifter did it push it front or to the side ??

Unless the shifter seat has never been replaced or the shifter is just worn that hard I can`t see that hurting anything with just a gallon of milk

I wonder more of a Torque bind problem then real damage ? Not allowing things to go back in gear.

Pull the shifter out inspect put it back in see if it works.

I guess you never tried Low Range ?

What does the transfer case feel like when you shift into 4High?

Why are you changing the Clutch?

Manual hubs or ADD ??

 

I think it pushed it toward.

The bushing on the shifter seat looks chewed up.

I don't think that I have tried 4 low.

When I shift into 4 high it feels like the teeth of a gear is grinding on something when I try to accelerate but the truck doesn't move at all.

ADD I think. I only have to shift into 4x4 to engage it normally.

 

Also changing the clutch because because my throwout bearing went out.

 

Welcome to the Forum

If you can take a good picture looking down in the transfer case( shifter removed) we might be able to see something you don`t.

It sounds like something is not physically allowing it to pull all the way into 4 High causing it to not engage making the noise.

Then this might have been a problem waiting to happen and you just have poor timing.

 

I was going to use a shop vac to get the loose pieces before I pull the paper towel out so I don't get a bunch of crap down in my transfer case. Give me a few and I'll post a pic after I do that. Thanks.

 

Is that picture good enough?

 

And this is the bottom of the selector lever

 

Yes it popped out ! It has been so long since I had any of those apart I need to look How it goes back together.

When was the last time the gear oil was changed if ever ??

 

I don't think it has had it changed. I have a brand new thing of some

$33 75w-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75w-90 I think.

Some background, I took my driving test on this truck back in 2003 when I was 16. My mom has had it and she doesn't even know what preventative maintenance even is lol. When I moved out here 5 years ago and started driving it again it was in bad shape.

It would shake really bad at higher speeds. My stepdad is a tool as well and said it's an old truck, it just can't go over 45mph anymore lol. New leafsprings and some other parts later I have it doing 90 on the interstate. It's a great truck.

 

Here's a better picture.