Since there's hardly any snow these days...

[Stephen Reavill]

Hey all, long time no talk, I had been staying quiet because I was waiting to get the 4 wheel drive fixed on my 96 Hilux Surf, took it to CTR in Loveland (Colorado Toyota Repair) seem like great guys there, would recommend. Anyway, there's good news and bad news there, the good news is they got my 4WD to work and all I had to pay was for a diagnostic, the bad news is the 4WD actuator (My Hilux has the AWD/4WD system that's both electronic and manual shifting, kinda weird) is on it's very last leg, turns out, kinda like a bad starter you can tap the actuator with a hammer while shifting electronically into 4WD and it'll work but who knows how many more times it'll do that so plan is to just leave it in 4WD (I can use the AWD option for on road use) and I can still shift between 4H and 4L. Because apparently to fix it you have to take the transfer case out and completely apart which at that point you're basically rebuilding it since it's all there and that's a 4k dollar job, 2k in parts.

Anyway, the point of that story is I now have 4WD for the first time since buying the Surf probably a year ago. So I want to go test it out on some trails and since it's like 90 degrees and no snow everyday this winter I figured maybe there's still some good trails we could do? It's stock and I don't have any upgraded skid plates or rock sliders or anything like that so but I do have oversized I want to say 32" tires on it so I can't do anything super crazy yet. So if anyone wanted to put together a run for fun I'm east of Fort Collins out towards Briggsdale but I can go anywhere, figured I should probably go with someone incase my newly functional 4WD decides to not be functional anymore, lol. It is the 3.0l turbo diesel Surf so that's cool and for those interested in the Surfs I wouldn't mind letting you drive it a bit on the trail to get that experience if you've never tried RHD or Toyota Diesels before.



Also, I wanted to ask which maybe this could be a separate post but I'll start it here, I watch the Matts Off Road Recovery Channel on Youtube a bunch, and as people know they're having the Off Road Games from the 19th to 21st of March. Which the Moab pre-run is the 20th-22nd. I'm not signed up for the Pre Run, but if anyone was going to that, but wanted to make a longer trip out of it I plan to drive to Hurricane UT where the Matts Off Road Games are going on a couple days before the 19th, maybe the 16th or 17th or something to explore around before the event happens, and then I thought well maybe Saturday evening drive the 4 hours up to Moab since it's on the way back home and spend the 22nd (sunday) if I can tailing along the Cruise Moab pre run event. I've never been to the Moab Event so would be a good exposure for me to kind of get a feel for what it's like for a day. And then, we can all drive back after on Monday or something. But anyway, the entire point of that is I'm going to the matts off road games and if someone else wanted to come along for that either in conjunction of the Moab Event or just for the off road games then I'd be more than happy to tag along with people. I'll be trailering my Surf there (and probably bring my 4 wheeler) just in case I break it I can still get home and my truck's a bit more comfortable taking over the pass.

But, before any of that Utah stuff happens, the main point of this post is I'd like to try a couple trails here with the Surf to make sure everything is working good on it before I go all the way out there just to be disappointed.


Thanks, Stephen

 

[C.Gerdo]

Have you thought about doing a 3rd gen 4runner transfer case as a replacement?

 

[Stephen Reavill]

Have you thought about doing a 3rd gen 4runner transfer case as a replacement?

The guys at CTR mentioned an 01-02 transfer case may work as a direct replacement. But they weren't entirely sure if it is an actual plug and play type of swap or not. Have to make sure it mounts to the back end of the trans, and then that it has all the right computer type parts to make the push button 4wd and the manual shift work with the little lights on the dash and not throw any codes. I haven't done any research into it.

If the case does transfer over (ha, pun intended) then it comes down to, if you get a used like junkyard one do you open it up and put new seals on it first which gets basically into the same position as just rebuilding mine. I only have about 123k miles on mine so the transfer case itself is probably just fine, just the actuator is getting old from not using it. But maybe, there's an aftermarket version that's better than stock with different gearing (maybe) or just a stronger better unit that I could swap in and then not have to rebuild anything. And then could sell mine off as a relatively low mileage one to someone who wants it to get some money back. Eventually, I'd like to build it out with lockers and a bit of a lift to make it a more capable like overlander type vehicle, don't need to do major rock crawling, though. So I'll have to look into what's going to be best for that. But I'm not an expert on how any of this works.

 

[Mag71k5]

Hey Stephen, im looking to host a trail run probably at the beginning of March. I usually create the post a week in advanced with trail information.

 

[Pz10420]

At a minimum I would suggest getting some rated recovery points in the event the 4wd does fail you on the trail, so that someone can help pull you through any sticky situations.

 

[Mag71k5]

Also, I would create a separate thread in the general tech forum asking about compatible transfer cases.

I would try dig around on partsouq, and compare transfer case part numbers between your vin, and US market third gen 4runners. Sounds like its a typical manual shift case, but it has the push button 4wd on the x-fer case shifter. Those were sold in US 4runners as well.

 

[Stephen Reavill]

Hey Stephen, im looking to host a trail run probably at the beginning of March. I usually create the post a week in advanced with trail information.

Cool sounds like fun. I'm pretty much fun employed at the moment, I may be busy the 28th/1st, and then Monday nights at 6 PM I bowl in Fort Collins on my league. But I think aside from that I'd be able to make any day work.

 

[Stephen Reavill]

At a minimum I would suggest getting some rated recovery points in the event the 4wd does fail you on the trail, so that someone can help pull you through any sticky situations.

Good points, I do have a receiver in the back and some probably mostly okay front tow points. It has these hooks that mount where the brush guard mounts to the frame of the truck. So we should be alright on that front.

 

[Stephen Reavill]

Also, I would create a separate thread in the general tech forum asking about compatible transfer cases.

I would try dig around on partsouq, and compare transfer case part numbers between your vin, and US market third gen 4runners. Sounds like its a typical manual shift case, but it has the push button 4wd on the x-fer case shifter. Those were sold in US 4runners as well.

Yeah I should make a post there, this one was basically just to describe why I want to try it out a bit lol.

But yeah I'm not sure what the US versions had back in the day I've never owned one just this Surf and a previous 92 Surf which had no electronic shift. I took some pictures the other day so people can see what setup it uses.

So it has the shifter, and the electronic 4wd button on it, and the lights on the dash to tell you you're in 4 awd if it's just the green tires light up or with the center locker orange light for 4wd modes. But yeah, not to get into it here just incase people were curious.

 

[Mag71k5]

Yeah I should make a post there, this one was basically just to describe why I want to try it out a bit lol.

But yeah I'm not sure what the US versions had back in the day I've never owned one just this Surf and a previous 92 Surf which had no electronic shift. I took some pictures the other day so people can see what setup it uses.

So it has the shifter, and the electronic 4wd button on it, and the lights on the dash to tell you you're in 4 awd if it's just the green tires light up or with the center locker orange light for 4wd modes. But yeah, not to get into it here just incase people were curious.

Looks almost like a center diff lock to me.

 

[Stephen Reavill]

Looks almost like a center diff lock to me.

Yeah if you switch it to 4H or 4L then it turns the center locker on. But I don't have a separate button for it, it's just whenever I shift out of 4H AWD mode that it turns on. Which that then becomes the question of I don't know if these are the same system as the US versions, or, if I changed transfer cases it might not work without the center lock option and throw codes?

 

[Mag71k5]

Yeah if you switch it to 4H or 4L then it turns the center locker on. But I don't have a separate button for it, it's just whenever I shift out of 4H AWD mode that it turns on. Which that then becomes the question of I don't know if these are the same system as the US versions, or, if I changed transfer cases it might not work without the center lock option and throw codes?

I skimmed through this, maybe it'll help

T-case Differences (all years of 3rd gens).. transfer case, AWD, multi-mode - Page 9 - Toyota 4Runner Forum - Largest 4Runner Forum https://share.google/i56GRd5jB5x094HuF

 

[On the RX]

My 01 has a straight shift from 2H/4H to 4L. It has a button on the driver's side that engages the 4H (all wheel drive) and a separate button on the dash to lock the center diff for true 4H.

 

[Stephen Reavill]

My 01 has a straight shift from 2H/4H to 4L. It has a button on the driver's side that engages the 4H (all wheel drive) and a separate button on the dash to lock the center diff for true 4H.

Hmm, interesting. Yeah I guess mine is referred to a J shifter? Well the good news is it seems that the transfer cases for the US specs do have center locks, I guess it's just figuring out if they can plug in and work on my system not having a specific button for it.

 

[On the RX]

My 97 had a j-shift and was manual, but it didn't have a center diff lock or awd button, being a 5 speed. I'm curious if the auto had a j-shift in those earlier years.

 

[C.Gerdo]

My 2000 has the J shifter, 5 speed manual too. It is a true 2wd/4wd and does not have AWD/center diff.

 

[Stephen Reavill]

My 97 had a j-shift and was manual, but it didn't have a center diff lock or awd button, being a 5 speed. I'm curious if the auto had a j-shift in those earlier years.

I'm not sure, But I want to say The JDM market got it sooner, and I think it's limited to the highest trim levels of both JDM and US spec ones. So I think it's only on the Limited's, and maybe an upgrade even after that?

 

[C.Gerdo]

A good friend of mine has a used transfer case, AWD/center diff. Push button diff lock.
He replaced his and this is his original.

“As far as I know it's fine. I replaced it, but when I had it checked out, the tech couldn't find anything wrong with it.”

He’s thinking of a price.

Swapping transfer cases is a pretty simple job.

 

[Stephen Reavill]

A good friend of mine has a used transfer case, AWD/center diff. Push button diff lock.
He replaced his and this is his original.

“As far as I know it's fine. I replaced it, but when I had it checked out, the tech couldn't find anything wrong with it.”

He’s thinking of a price.

Swapping transfer cases is a pretty simple job.

I'll give him a pat on the back and a ride in a Surf, if he wants. But in all seriousness I'd definitely be interested in buying it from him. Worst comes to worst If I can open it up and harvest the actuator out of it I can swap that into mine. I briefly looked on Ebay and it seems they're about 300-400 dollars for 4 runner transfer cases.

 

[C.Gerdo]

“I think it was from when I blew up my CV and or intermediate shaft #1. The t-case wouldn't cycle in or out of 4WD. I thought it was hosed, so I replaced it with a used one. I dunno if it was just stuck while the broken intermediate shaft #1 hadn't been replaced yet or what the deal was.”

“$350. It'd be nice to free up some space.”