Transfer case
08-31-15, 10:57 AM
#2
no, the only one that will work like stock is from a gx470. I heavily researched this when I had a broken transfer case and ended up getting a replacement GX one.
breakdown:
4runner v8: transfer cases on the outside are pretty identical, but the differences between this and the GX is that the GX has a shifter for high/low, and the 4runner one does not. the 4runner has an electronic selector for high/low and thus does not have the mechanical shift rail to install a GX high/low shifter. you would have to work out all the electronics to replace the high low and delete the lever this really isn't feasible or a good idea.
tundra v8: these are not full time 4wd, as in they have no center limited slip diff, and that also means the case is shorter in length (think rear driveshaft). meaning they are 2wd and when you hit the button they go 4x4 like a real truck which can only be driven on slippery surfaces, you cannot turn like you can in your GX in 4x4.
sequoia v8: pretty similar to the tundra one above. certain years did get full time 4wd but had an open center diff isntead of the awesome lsd the gx470 and v8 4runner came with, and like the 4runner, is completely electronic so you guessed it.. incompatible.
fj cruiser automatic: same problem as the tundra, short cause it doesnt have full time 4x4 so no center vlsd, and while it actually has more levers you would have to accept making your GX into a 2wd and then real truck style 4x4.
Fj cruiser manual: now this is an interesting transfer case. like the 4runner v8, its externally the same case as the GX470. it has the center limited slip diff (lsd) and is the right length. it also is a fully mechanical box, as in there is no actuator to leak from anymore, the mechanical lever on the top (like the gX's high low) has 2 shift rails and actually controls high/low and center diff lock all in the same lever. this is the most beefiest reliable version of the 3 transfer cases because there is nothing electrical on it to break whatsoever.
So thats awesome right lets all swap fj cruiser manual transfer cases in our GX's, get more reliability at a better cost and no seal that can ever leak... right??? WRONG.
because the manual fj cruiser case came on a manual transmission, it has the wrong spline count on the input shaft where it goes into the transmission. so it will not bolt up without making some sort of hybrid with the input shaft and planetary gears from the old case and the new case (they are the same case technically so some sort of hybrid should be possible but I doubt its easy). Also even if you get that working, you need to figure out how to get the shifter in the right position, because I think the fj cruiser manual transfer case has the shifter right on top of the transfer case ("top shift"), where the GX the rod comes out the front of the case and the shifter sits on the back part of the transmission ("forward shift"). so you would have to tackle both problems when doing a "hybrid" of the 2 cases.
I wanted to do that someday with my spare GX transfer case, but for the most part the answer is, you need a gx transfer case for your GX unless you are prepared to do lots of wiring or lots of mechanical hybriding.
breakdown:
4runner v8: transfer cases on the outside are pretty identical, but the differences between this and the GX is that the GX has a shifter for high/low, and the 4runner one does not. the 4runner has an electronic selector for high/low and thus does not have the mechanical shift rail to install a GX high/low shifter. you would have to work out all the electronics to replace the high low and delete the lever this really isn't feasible or a good idea.
tundra v8: these are not full time 4wd, as in they have no center limited slip diff, and that also means the case is shorter in length (think rear driveshaft). meaning they are 2wd and when you hit the button they go 4x4 like a real truck which can only be driven on slippery surfaces, you cannot turn like you can in your GX in 4x4.
sequoia v8: pretty similar to the tundra one above. certain years did get full time 4wd but had an open center diff isntead of the awesome lsd the gx470 and v8 4runner came with, and like the 4runner, is completely electronic so you guessed it.. incompatible.
fj cruiser automatic: same problem as the tundra, short cause it doesnt have full time 4x4 so no center vlsd, and while it actually has more levers you would have to accept making your GX into a 2wd and then real truck style 4x4.
Fj cruiser manual: now this is an interesting transfer case. like the 4runner v8, its externally the same case as the GX470. it has the center limited slip diff (lsd) and is the right length. it also is a fully mechanical box, as in there is no actuator to leak from anymore, the mechanical lever on the top (like the gX's high low) has 2 shift rails and actually controls high/low and center diff lock all in the same lever. this is the most beefiest reliable version of the 3 transfer cases because there is nothing electrical on it to break whatsoever.
So thats awesome right lets all swap fj cruiser manual transfer cases in our GX's, get more reliability at a better cost and no seal that can ever leak... right??? WRONG.
because the manual fj cruiser case came on a manual transmission, it has the wrong spline count on the input shaft where it goes into the transmission. so it will not bolt up without making some sort of hybrid with the input shaft and planetary gears from the old case and the new case (they are the same case technically so some sort of hybrid should be possible but I doubt its easy). Also even if you get that working, you need to figure out how to get the shifter in the right position, because I think the fj cruiser manual transfer case has the shifter right on top of the transfer case ("top shift"), where the GX the rod comes out the front of the case and the shifter sits on the back part of the transmission ("forward shift"). so you would have to tackle both problems when doing a "hybrid" of the 2 cases.
I wanted to do that someday with my spare GX transfer case, but for the most part the answer is, you need a gx transfer case for your GX unless you are prepared to do lots of wiring or lots of mechanical hybriding.
09-01-15, 09:15 AM
#4
no problem, the 3 transfer cases that share the same physical housing with internal differences are the GX470, 4runner v8, and fj cruiser manual case (different input shaft spline count for manual wont bolt up to auto)
GX470 case with high/low shifter and center lock electronic button
notice there is one shift rail at the top for the high low lever.
and there is the plastic actuator box at the bottom with a shift rail for the center lock (The one that leaks)
fj cruiser manual case with high low and center lock on shifter, no electronics.
notice there is no actuator sticking out of the back, but has 2 main shift rails at the top of the case
dont have a picture of the 4runner v8 one but its like the GX one except it doesn't have a high/low shifter or rail on the top, but the plastic actuator box has 2 rails instead of 1 like the GX (cause 4runner has no high low lever). if you look at the pics above you can see the blank space for the second rail on the actuator.
basically the VLSD side of the boxes are very very similar. there are 2 sleeves that slide over the gears, one is for high/low and one is for center lock.
something has to move the sleeves, so you either have the manual rail or the auto rails (actuator). its as simple as that.
GX470 case with high/low shifter and center lock electronic button
notice there is one shift rail at the top for the high low lever.
and there is the plastic actuator box at the bottom with a shift rail for the center lock (The one that leaks)
fj cruiser manual case with high low and center lock on shifter, no electronics.
notice there is no actuator sticking out of the back, but has 2 main shift rails at the top of the case
dont have a picture of the 4runner v8 one but its like the GX one except it doesn't have a high/low shifter or rail on the top, but the plastic actuator box has 2 rails instead of 1 like the GX (cause 4runner has no high low lever). if you look at the pics above you can see the blank space for the second rail on the actuator.
basically the VLSD side of the boxes are very very similar. there are 2 sleeves that slide over the gears, one is for high/low and one is for center lock.
something has to move the sleeves, so you either have the manual rail or the auto rails (actuator). its as simple as that.
Last edited by Ali SC3; 09-01-15 at 09:22 AM.
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