How To Trouble Shoot 4x4 Actuator

I have a 2008 that will not go into 4Hi. The light just blinks. I can hear switching behind the dash/glove box area & I can hear the actuator on the transfer case moving (truck in park, key on, turn 4wd switch). I've tried the switch while driving at different speeds, but 4wd does not engage.

From reading this forum and several others, it seems that I will need to change the ADD. I'm not the most confident in working on cars, so I may have to drive 500 miles to visit my brother who is a mechanic & has a shop. Either that or big $$$ to the dealership. Smh...

 

Do you know how to turn wrenches and ratchets? It is really easy to look into. 17mm socket, breaker bar, 19mm wrench, 10mm socket, about 18inches of extension for 10mm socket. Also, be ready to pull the skid plate, not sure what sockets you need for that. There are 2 arms going from front diff to front end, and there are bolt and nuts holding it to the support. Once that is loose, use the 10 mm and extension to break loose and remove the bolts holding the ADD on. Have an oil drain pan below the ADD when you pull it loose. Once that's out, use a Philips #2 to pull the cover off the ADD actuator. If the screws start to strip out, use something like locking needle nose pliers to grab the screw head by the side to break it loose. Once you get it open, see if the inside is corroded, or the plastic gears are broken. New one costs about $250. If you just have a motor not working, or it is corroded, let me know. I have my old one still that the motor works, but the plastic gears are broken. I can send it to you for the cost of shipping.

 

I'll try to get under the truck tomorrow and get a good look at it. I have a lot of tools & can do some mech work. I'm just nervous about things that I haven't done/don't want to make things worse.

If I get to my brother's house, he has a heated shop & will give me a lot more confidence, lol. Incidentally, I called the dealership to ask for a quote on changing the ADD. They basically refused to give a number ( i just wanted a ballpark). Guy finally said they quoted a 4Runner last week @ $2600. Said the front diff had to come out. I think that is BS.

 

After two attempts at repairing the A.D.D. Actuator on my 2007 Toyota Tacoma on my own, your method of soldering the connections to the motor, and the switch worked great. I was very happy when I tested the A.D.D. and heard the fork engaging the sleeve inside the differential......and no "blinking" lights. Not the easiest part to remove for repair, but with a 1/4" drive universal, socket, and extension it worked. Thank you for the assistance. Saving money with a little time in the cold air and a few cents of solder, works for me. This sure beats the rather large part and repair bill, I've heard others have to deal with. Thanks again.

 

well bumping this up as I am experiencing a few of these symptoms

2012 off road, 6spd, 65k miles

So, cars running and switch from 2hi-4hi, 4wd seems to engage but light stays blinking, flipping switch back from 4hi-2hi does not do anything and light stays blinking and 4wd seems to stay engaged. At this time I turn the truck off, with the switch in 2hi and the light blinking and 4hi engaged. I turn the truck on, switch is on 2hi, no more blinking light and 4wd disengaged confirmed by the soft thud sound heard.

Sometimes the switch does nothing at all. On these occasions I can turn the truck off and upon key on car off and switching from 2hi-4hi, coax the car into 4wd upon starting motor.

Will likely lift truck off the ground on all 4s and try out manually spinning each shaft. From what I gather I am thinking it is the front actuator. Though not ruling out the transfer case actuator just yet either and really dreading worst case scenario and it being a wire gremlin. (I rather replace hardware parts than chase spaghetti)

also kinda on the fence about tackling this with a spare on hand, or removing and seeing whats up with the one I have in there now. As well as solder modding a spare before install or slapping one in unmolested.

 

I have my old one still I can send you for a spare. Connections are not soldered, and internal gears are broken, but the motor works on it, and there was no moisture to corrode connections in it. You cover shipping, and I'll send it over if you want it.

 

New to the forum, first post. Found this forum while searching for solutions to my blinkin 4x4 light. Big thanks to blackhawke88 and FreidTaco for the great write up and pics. Pulled my actuator, cleaned, soldered, refilled, and was back on the road in about 90 min. Turned a $700 dealer job into a $38 garage fix.

 

how did you go about fixing and pulling off the transfer case actuator?

 

I just removed the 4 12mm bolts with an open end wrench and took it out. Once I removed the 5 Phillips screws to expose the little motor and gears I soldered the connections at the motor as well as where the power comes in. There was a small amount of condensation inside the case so I mopped it up with a shop towel and made sure the gasket was clean and undamaged. I bench tested it with two wire leads and my DeWalt drill battery.

Putting it back together, make sure the 4x4 switch in the cab is set in the OFF position and slide the shift fork and corresponding ring in the axle to the OFF position (pretty sure it's toward the passenger side of the truck). New RTV and Diff fluid. Then I crossed my fingers and hit the key.

I've heard guys say they struggled with the upper bolts but I think because of my lift, the crossmember was just enough out of the way to get in there with a wrench.

 

i see yeah did that as well with the front diff actuator thank you was seeing abouit the transfer case actuator thank you

 

Oh yeah sorry bout that! Thought I might need to do the T-case if it still didn't work after doing my front end. Really interested in converting to manual shift like you did though... was that difficult? Assuming there's a link to the process on the forum somewhere...?

 

well, I tried fixing my add actuator... worked better than before, but quickly stopped and back at square one... so I bit the dick and purchased a new one.. Will be installing it tomorrow.



I have a question for those who have experience and or an actuator sitting around the work bench.

I understand the fork operates by going in and out.

My question: is there any play/wiggle in the for left to right??? (being the opposite of its in and out function)

@jberry813 maybe you can assist?

 

Mine had a little wiggle to it up/down (in this pic you put up, more of left/right, but as it sits on the truck up/down), but as I recall, it was pretty set on left/right (direction it is moved by electric motor)

Also, I would have sent you my old one with broken gears for the cost of shipping it. Remove screws, put your good gears in to replace the broken gears from mine, close it up and bolt it back on.

 

Thank you for your offer, I was not thinking clearly at the time and should have taken you up on that offer.

I opened mine up and kinda regretting it now... I feel like maybe the gears are not aligned as they had been when I first opened it.

 

I asked this about a page back but no one responded.

Anyone have success removing the front ADD with drop bracket lift?

 

DB lift is not commonly done on 2nd gen. I haven't heard of anybody with one around, much less with ADD issues.

 

Plenty of people have drop bracket lifts on second gens. Mine, fortunately or unfortunately, came with one when I bought it. I haven't had any issues, but it looks like the drop bracket is in the way of removing the ADD.

Pro-comp still makes them as well as a couple other companies specifically for the 2nd gens.

 

I'm not trying to debate their existence, but their popularity. I haven't met anybody with 2nd gen with DB lift, and only 1 guy with 1st gen with it.

 

No debate at all, I was just relaying my exposure to them. There were two other people in this thread with drop bracket lifts on second gens I quoted them both in post #228 on page 12