Ok when I bought my project truck I got an extra transfer case in the deal as well as some 4.7:1 gears from Marlin. Then I found in the other parts that he had a seal/gasket rebuild. I figured I might as well rebuild the transfer case since I have some time and I like to learn stuff anyway. I took apart the case today and started cleaning...and gots some questions. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Found one bad bearing on the input shaft. Should I replace just that bearing or the whole set.

When I'm cleaning is there anything that really needs to be sparkling clean? I'm going to do my best on the whole thing but if there are parts that really need to be perfect I would love to know.

When I finally get done cleaning how hard is replacing the gears for the 4.7 setup? I figure it's going to be challenging but like I said I've got time and I love to learn.

Did I really muck up by even attempting this? Let me know if it's impossible for me to get right and I should take it into a shop to get put back together lol.

 

i would replace all the bearings.
check out trail-gears website, they have a decent set of instructions and also a video
http://www.trail-gear.com/transfer-case-gears

 

Roger that. Thanks! Darn bearings are expensive! Might as well get a full set though for the rebuild. Better safe than sorry.

One more question. Now would it kill a bearing to let it sit in mineral spirits and then clean it and then let it sit in oil for a couple of days to re-lube it. It's one of the bigger open bearings. It just didn't sound right when I rotated it. There was kind of a lot of gunk in it looked like. Didn't really look at it closely. There were a lot of parts that needed and still need cleaning.

 

Yep, clean EVERYTHING spotless... Make sure your work area is really clean too. If you have to do any clearancing for the gears, take it somewhere else... Like out side of your shop. Clearance it, clean it, then check it again.

=-)

 

Rebuilding a Toyota tcase is pretty rudimentary. Not hard if you can read and follow instructions and have the required tools. The things are about indestructible but if run dry or abused over time they will fail. Rebuilt just a few. Some need a rebuild kit but those are the exception not the norm. Depends on how OCD you are I've used the bearing kit a couple times with no issues. Clean is nice but I've rebuilt them that were covered in mud and the shop table looked like there had been a pig fight afterwards, still going strong. Some folks don't care if it's clean.

:wabbit2:

 

I just wanna make sure I'm not boning myself in the ass by doing it myself lol. My work area is really damn clean but I'll make sure that I pick up some lint free cloths when I go to dry it off. BTW you have some really decent prices on your site wab-fab. I never looked in the mini-yota section before.

Looks like it'll be another long day of scrub-a-dub. Thanks fellas.

 

I rebuilt mine and it was really pretty easy. I always figure replace anything questionable. If you've got it apart, replace a questionable bearing, don't clean it.

Wabbit knows a heck of a lot more than me, though.

That trailgear video OC posted is what gave me the confidence to rebuild mine. Really, it's quite simple and you'll be really impressed with yourself at the end, since it seems like it'd be a complicated job.

For me, a lot of the snap rings were a serious pain. Even with snap ring pliers. But with better quality pliers it would have been smoother. Other than the snap ring pliers, you just need something that works as a punch to get the dowels out. I can't remember what I used but it was something I had laying around the garage, and I don't have a very well-stocked garage.

Otherwise, find a local shop you like and have them press your old bearings off, new bearings back on the shafts. I could get a couple off using the ghetto methods people have described, but it was a serious pain and I kind of screwed up a new bearing trying to pound it on. The shop I took my shafts/bearings to pressed old off and new on in probably 5 minutes and didn't charge me a thing. Worth it, in my opinion.

 

I'm in the cleaning stage but I do have access to a bearing press. At least I'm pretty sure the auto hobby shop has one. I'll find out tomorrow I suppose lol. I finally got the electrical gremlin that I was chasing around my 4runner (long story) so now I'm free to keep rebuilding this thing. Thanks for the tip on the press though. I tried using a bearing puller.....that definitely didn't work. I'll also probably end up waiting till I have the cash for the new bearings too. Right now....yeah it's not going to happen. The wife let me sink 1500 into the 4runner and 82....so I'll have to wait for cash again lol.