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Why Is It So Difficult To Figure Out A RF1A T-Case Mount?
Been out searching for a new mount for my Toyota Transfer Case RF1A and I know they made 4 different mounts but 3 mainly, and most were interchangeable because two of them is> one for a 4 cyl. and one for a V-6 and one is OFFSET. I have found similar looking ones from $25 to $125. Now I know that I have to go by the vin # on my frame for year, which says 1992 Toyota 1/2 tone pick-up with a 6' bed and I have the manual front axle lockers. So I figure the range is 1988 to 1995 mounts. I figure that the transfer case and axles are original to the chassis even though someone said Toyota Land Cruiser and I know the front axle has piviting balls. Didn't trucks and other Toyota's have the famous pivoting ball front axles that take a ton of grease with locking hubs?? . My RF1A has the Downey adapter for my TH350 which connects to a 4.3 built Chevy engine sitting in a 1993 Suzuki Sidekick JLX. I never thought this could be so difficult to find a transfer case mount. I have the original and if I knew they made a rubber grommet for the bolt head, I would rebuilt it myself but I cannot find them. Is there a rebuild kit for these?? Isn't telling someone you need a mount for a RF1A enough? I know I have the one for a 4 cyl that must have been in the original truck and I think I should get the V-6 mount. I just thought an RF1A is an RF1A. What other transfer cases or transmissions are called or identified as RF1A?? When I do a search for RF1A mounts, they come up. And if possible let me know where to find a good mount for my t-case even if one of you have one available. I will be using a Prothane TH350 mount and would be cool to find a Prothane RF1A mount. P.S. Here's one example>https://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts...saAkkmEALw_wcB Thanks, Scott
Borrowed Photo if it's ok. Thanks.
Last edited by WizardMaster; 05-28-2019 at 06:32 AM.
I also know that references are made to RF1A as a transmission also. I also see mounts classified as 'rear' mount leading me to think it is for the transfer case. I just don't know why this has to be so difficult. Even GM transmissions such as the TH350 mounts are all the same, BOP or Chevy. Are there different years and style mounts for the RF1A that go beyond interchangeability?? There is also a number stamped in the rubber area and I wonder if it's a part # and the first set are fuzzy but the last 5 numbers are clear and clean, so this is what I get>> 12021- 35020 ..... The first numbers could be 12371 or 12091..........Too much abrasion on the first set of numbers.
Last edited by WizardMaster; 05-28-2019 at 06:45 AM.
The mount is specific to the transfer case. All RF1A cases should take the same mount. You do not want the V6 mount, because it is for the VF1A chain drive case, and will not come close to fitting the RF1A case. Also, there is a mount for the integrated automatic transmission and transfer case, which is also very different from what you need.
The link you posted at parts geek should fit.
Because you have a completely non-stock engine and transmission ahead of your tcase, there is no guarantee that the tcase mount will line up with your existing crossmember. You may have to fab a new one. Budbuilt has several different styles of crossmembers for different applications, as does Trail Gear. You could talk to them about getting something that will fit. When I installed my dual cases, I used a Trail Gear crossmember that accepted mounts for each case, and was designed for the length of dual cases behind a V6 and RF150 transmission. It fit perfectly and bolted up slick as a whistle to the existing frame holes.
Since you have a much stronger engine/transmission combo in front of your tcase, you might consider a stronger mount than the stock. Here are two that could be of interest.
Trail Gear bomb-proof mount This one doesn't damp vibration as much as the stock mount, but it is considerably stronger. It fits the RF1A. I have this on my rear case.
Front Range Offroad xmember and mount This is a completely different approach to the issue. It also fits the RF1A. Some welding required. If your truck is IFS it may not work.
the greasy balls in the axle your speaking of are birfields, or a "closed knuckle" axle, and yes pickups/runner/cruisers all used them. the aftermarket one you pictured works (I ordered the same one from rock auto to use in a pinch) but as mentioned above you may want something a little more beefy. take a look at marlin crawlers tcase mount. I run it now, slightly more vibration than OEM but hella tough.
OK great! I didn't think it was rocket science after all. I found so many that look like the one I'm going to post here, a photo of, and that I found on the same Ebay store that had several part numbers with identical photos!! I asked the seller which one would fit my RF1A T-case and if they just used one photo for reference for all posted part numbers. He responded that the one I posed the question through ( which looked identical to the other 100 he had posted LOL) would fit my T-case if it was gear driven! What luck, and I guess he could count bolts from the photo I sent him to see I had 7 and not 5. OK, I'm going to order that one because I want a high performance mount under my T-case to match the one I have ordered for my TH350 case up front. Thank You very much for getting back to me and if anyone else wants to respond about all them similar looking RF1A T-cases gear driven that are posted everywhere that all seem to have different part numbers, you are welcome to explain that. I never thought so many could look identical to the one I need but have different part numbers. Thanks all!!! Scott
The RF1A case had a 15+ year life, and went through several revisions, from straight-cut noisy gears to beveled quieter ones, etc. Plus it spanned the 1st and 2nd gen 4runners, as well as pickups and the Hi-Lux. Toyota likely used a different part number for the mount for many of those variants, even though they were mechanically the same. In corporate manufacturing, even something as simple as a different paint finish on a part, or sometimes just buying it from a different OEM vendor, will generate a new part number, so the numbers tend to proliferate even though the parts are form, fit, and function compatible.
As noted above, Toyota keeps all that straight by tying the part numbers that were actually used to the VIN, but when you start mixing and matching from donor vehicles, and throwing in a few aftermarket parts, it gets confusing in a hurry.
One thing in our favor is that, for cast parts like transmission housings and engine blocks, the external features don't change much over the years for a given model. Once a foundry gets the casting molds down, they don't want to mess with them. A good example is the small block Chevy V8. You could bolt the starter from a 1963 283 V8 on to a 1999 5.7L V-8 and all the holes and threads would be the same. Might still be the same today.
05-28-2019, 06:31 AM
