Ok, educate me. The transmission on my 88 4runner (22re) is pretty much gone. I would like to replace it, not sure yet if it is going to be rebuilt or used. My question is how hard is it to pull this tranny out and put a new one in? Also how do i tell if my transfer case needs to be rebuilt as well? I heard that the reverse gear is in the transfer case, is this true?

 

It isn't hard to pull the tranny out. I have had mine out a couple times, the most recent time I think it took me all of two hours. Having a transmission jack is convenient as it holds it well and has safety straps, etc, to keep it from falling on you. You can rent those if you don't have one. You will need some long extensions, but otherwise, there are no specialty tools you need to do it.

Since you can get them pretty cheap, I would recommend just buying a used tranny rather than having yours rebuilt. If you haven't done the clutch, do it while you have the tranny out. There is no point in going in there twice.

As for the t-case, the reverse gear is in the transmission, not the t-case, and if it is working well and not making strange noises, I wouldn't bother rebuilding it. It is probably fine unless you have run it with no fluid or something. You may need to replace a couple of seals on the outside if it is leaking, otherwise, don't bother.

 

Ok thanks, I am sure that the t-case is still good. I guess i am going to do this myself. I found a shop that said they would rebuild the transmission for 650 includeing parts and labor. Right now i am looking for a used one with a price low enough to justify.

 

You should be able to find a decent tranny for a much better price than $650!

There is a chance I may be parting out another truck in about two weeks, if I do, I will let you know and you can have first dibs on the tranny.

 

I did the job myself...and almost entirely by myself. Did a clutch job and didn't have anyone readily handy to help. The only real hard part is getting the trans. to mate back up correctly. That's when I really needed some help..and you may, too. Don't forget the rear main seal if that's never been done before.

 

'Cept buying a used transmission is a bit of a craps shoot... Gears might be fine, but bearings and syncros can cause issues in short order. It's a gamble, that's all, unless you can drive it in advance.

Transmission removal isn't too bad IMHO, it's the reinstall that's up there on the difficulty scale... The stock tranny is heavy, it's hard to handle, and generally a pain in the ass to get back in properly.
Get a transmission jack and get help from a friend.

Transfer cases rarely go bad...

 

I plain on getting a transmission jack, the 650 tranny is a fully rebuilt and has a 5 year warantee. Is a used so much less that it is worth going without the warantee?

 

man, for peace of mind i would go with the rebuilt tranny and 5 year warranty. my thinking is, if it lasts 5 years with no problems it will probably last you another 15 or so at that. you might just save money in the long run. just make sure the rebuilt one is done right. this is the route i am going to take this fall.

 

DCG is right, it is a bit of a crapshoot.