Hello,

The Transfer Case of my 96 Tacoma SR5 V6 4x4 is leaking a little bit from the sealed around it. Unfortunately, the two switches on top of it were cut out by the previous owner too. I need to know how's the replacing the Transfer Case with another used one. I plan to swap it out by myself. I searched a lots of online but I could find any written steps, information, or video at all. Please direct me to any link or video if you can. How hard is it? Is it a painful job to do?

 

Your replacing your transfer case because it has a leak?

 

I was thinking the same!!

Must be nice to have money

 

I remember how badly little things like that bugged me when I was younger. I swapped an entire fwd v8 in a Cadillac for absolutely no good reason. I just thought it was "time to change it".

 

No, the leaking is very small and I don't care about it because it only has two or three drops per week, but the problem is the two Switches on top of the Transfer Case. They were cut by the previous owner and I could not reconnect them back. The two cables are completely gone. The 4x4 is not working and I took it to a Mechanic to look at it and he showed me those Switches.


Now I already got those two Switches but it's hard to replace it due to the space. Any of you know how to replace those Switches. If you know, please post me here the steps and pictures very be very helpful too.

 

If it's anything like the older ones they should just unscrew.

 

Is your truck Auto or manual.

I have a 5 speed 2000 Tacoma I will look just to be sure but swapping out those switches should be pretty simple .

As they do at times go bad.

Do you have any idea why the wires were cut??

You bought a 4x4 without making sure everything worked??

Something else is the harness still there or was it hacked as well most sensors /switches come with a short pig tail that plugs in.

Also the chances of a used transfer case unless you pull it yourself having the switches broke or the wires cut is pretty good.

 

I got the new Switches are exactly as the ones in the Transfer Case now. It goes fit/into the 27 socket and range. I looked at them many times and I'm sure they just screw into the Transfer Case, but, again, the problem is the space around those Switches and Transfer Case.

 

My truck is Automatic. I owe it for a year now. When I bought it, I didn't know the 4x4 was not working. The harnesses are still there but he cut the cables too short and badly. I could not reconnect them back to each other. Even the mechanic I mentioned above could not do it either. He told me the only way he could do is to replace the Transfer Case or lower the Tranny down and replace those Switches.

I have no idea why the previous owner cut those Switches cables away and not using the 4x4. I didn't asked him but I guess he liked hunting and fishing a lot as I looked at the truck after I bought it. The Engine Light was On because the Speedometer Cable at the time was bad, but I already got it fixed right after I bought it and the Engine Light is gone since then til now. I don't have any problem for the Yearly NC Inspection at all, but I just want to get the 4x4 to work because I sometime need to use it too. Any idea??? The picture or link below shows the Transfer Case I'm talking about, please look at it. The two Switches are the ones with the green and blue cables:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/301174332587?lpid=82
There is only a small space so it's hard to replace the Switches. The following is the link to the picture. Please scrow down to look at the two Switches on top of the Transfer Case to see if you have any idea how to replace those two Switches.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd...il-change.html

 

I would venture to say you can get to the switches through the hole in the floor where the shifters are .

Another thought remove the rear drive shaft and remove cross member and lower things down till you have clearance .

I can`t see charging the labor to remove and install a transfer case to change a switch or 2

 

I'd just buy the switches, then take the car apart just enough to put them on. No need to replace everything else just to get 2 switches.

I'd also guess that you should be able to change them without taking much apart. At the most, as mentioned above, support the transmission/transfer case witha jack and unbolt the crossmember, then lower it down a little to gain some room.

 

Those are very good ideas. I'll try those ways to see how I can do and then I'll report back here for all of you know. Thank you so much for your subjections. I appreciate it.

 

I already got those two Switches. All I have to do know is just finding a way to replace those two bad ones on the Transfer Case only. I'll try as wyoming9 said and then I'll report back here very soon.

 

I tried through the floor where the shifters are this weekend and I could see and touch those switches, but the space is too tight/small and I could not take it out. Do I need to remove the Drive Shift with 4 bolts onto the tranny out?


I read many times but I still don't understand what you said about this, "...remove the rear drive shaft and remove cross member and lower things down till you have clearance". Can you explain/tell me more information about this? How can I do it?

 

That's about it. Remove the rear drive shaft, put a jack under the trans, unbolt the crossmember and lower the trans-transfer case down till you can reach the switches.

 

Do you need to remove the driveshaft?

Here's a too big pic (best one I could find in a minute of looking): http://www.skidplates.com/Images/Pro...tSkidPlate.jpg

The front of the car is to the bottom. The back end of the transmission and transfer case bolts to a rubber mount on the transmission crossmember. That's the black metal beam going from side to side at the bottom of the pic.

The frame had angled arms that reach down and over to the crossmember, which is bolted to the arms with two bolts on either side.

Support the trans and transfer case weight with a jack, then unbolt those 4 bolts to free the crossmember. Then you should be able to (carefully, obviously) lower the back end of the trans down. The engine mounts will still be attached, the whole drivetrain will just pivot back a little. It probably can't go very far. But it should give you a couple of inches of room on top to work with.

 

Thanks for JasonYota and your advice/steps. I'll try what you told me on this weekend and then I'll let you know.