IslandJim

Transfer Case Removal on a 1999 RX300

Hi everyone,

First I need to say,..... The information in this forum has been great in answering my many questions & helping me to fix up, my latest purchase of someone else’s problems. Thanks for all the help that all of you have already posted.

I have a couple questions that I’m hoping someone can answer.

1) If I pull the driveline can I get the transfer case out pretty easily or am I looking at unbolting the engine, and more to get it out?
2) If I get the driveline and transfer case out could the vehicle be driven while I repair my transfer case?

Lexmex

Welcome to the Club.

Are we talking about the transfer case behind the engine (on an AWD RX) that hooks up to the rear differential?

1. No, you don't need to remove the engine. There are some bolts on the front differential side of the tranny that you'll have to remove and then some bolts on the driver's side of the transfer case.

2. No. The main issue here is there is an axle that goes from the left tire to the right tire on the front and goes throught the tranny (technically the front differential area of the tranny) and then through the transfer case. Theoretically, if you had a replacement axle that was long enough and fit you could get away with it, but you'd have to buy it from the FWD version to do this, but it would be temporary. I'd personally just leave it sit for this and wouldn't even chance something like that. I had some tranny pictures in this thread from a few years ago that may show you better what you are looking at. In addition, the driveline would have a gaping hole where the rear differential is (depending on how much of the driveline you took out).

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...went-bump.html (see toward bottom of page 4 of this thread).

Also here are pictures of the transfer case fluid filling procedure, https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...sfer-case.html

IslandJim

Roger that! Thanks for the info & I won’t be driving it without the transfer case.
Thanks Lexmex for your fast reply, it is much appreciated.

IslandJim

Hi everyone,
Finally I got around to pulling the transfer case from my 1999 RX300, all wheel drive. I thought that I could drop the driveline, unbolt the right side CV, then unbolt the transfer case from the transmission but now I am stuck!

Lexmex, said “You don't need to remove the engine. There are some bolts on the front differential side of the transmission that you'll have to remove and then some bolts on the driver's side of the transfer case.”

The problem is, I have some bolts that I just can’t get my head around and have begun to fear the worst. My fear is that I’m going to have to drop/remove everything, complete and all together.

I just spoke with the head tech at Lexus of Honolulu and he said, “First we drop the whole cradle, then we pull the transmission away form the engine and last we separate the transfer case from the transmission”.

I must mention that I’m working on jack stands, on borrowed land, in the dirt, driving a borrowed car with a time limit! I am stressed!

Q. Has anyone ever pulled “just the transfer case” without out pulling the engine and trans? on a 1999 RX300, all wheel drive?

The two problematic bolts are on the bottom of a ell bracket/mounting bracket. The bracket is (was) connected to a engine mount. I did get one of two bolts loose but it can’t come out, and the other one I can’t even get anything on it to get it started coming out. They can’t come out because they back out into the CV.

I can’t pull the CV because the ell bracket/mounting bracket is right tight on the CV flange, and it even blocks the last bolt that I need to remove holding the flange to the transfer case.

I was going to post photos but I could not upload the files form my computer. Im not sure how to load from a url?

So,...... If you are under the car and look up at the oil pan, along the drain plug side, straight up is two 14 mm bolts holding the bottom of a mounting bracket next to the CV

Please Help!

Lexmex

Just post the url and we can take a look from there.

IslandJim

I don't know how to post the url?

Lexmex

If you click post reply (immediately to the lower left of my post) you see the button, then under additional options there is something called Manage Attachments. I assume you tried that and had no luck.

Best thing is to just enter the URL in your post and I can go to the URL get the photo and try to upload it for you.

IslandJim

The two problematic 14mm bolts are shown here in the center of the photo, side by side. These two bolts are holding in place the bottom of the ell bracket/engine bracket/mounting bracket (call it what you will) that are blocking the unbolted transfer case from sliding out.



This photo is a side view of the mounting bracket with a big #7 stamped in the side of it. The bolts that fasten it to the transfer case are out & you can also see empty holes in the bracket. I am pointing to the bottom of the “ell” where the bracket still has the two problematic bolts connecting it to the engine.



I can’t pull the CV because the ell bracket/mounting bracket is right tight on the CV flange, and it even blocks the last bolt that I need to remove holding the flange to the transfer case. If I could pull the CV, I would have the room to back out the bolts on the mounting bracket. But I can’t do that either.

IslandJim

Help! Help! Help!
Has anyone ever removed just your transfer case? If so, can you tell me how you got it out? I don’t need all the details, I just need to know,…..
1) Did you remove and reinstall your transfer case by completely removing the entire engine, transmission, transaxle, and transfer case all together? (i.e. dropping the cradle).
2) Or did you just remove and reinstall the transfer case solo.
3) How did you get around the bracket that I have posted pictures of.
I just need to know if dropping the cradle is the only way. I really need to know A.S.A.P. because I have stopped all work and I really need to get going again
Pre Thanks Everyone,
Jim

Barryst

Your in deep!

I would have attempt to drop the front cradle. I thought of doing this for my rear main seal. Its a big job, and right now its not worth it to me to go this far. Someone on this forum has dropped the cradle out of the bottom before.- I think he picked up the front end of the car with a cherry picker. You have to disconnect wires from computer behind glove box and pull out through firewall.Antifreese has to be drained. Disconnect AC compressor to leave with car. Driveshaft and exhaust have to be broken. Axles taken out. Support struts. Power steering has to be dealt with. And probably some other things.
- Like I said I have NEVER gone this far yet.

If I did, I would replace the rear main seal and all the transmission seals that I cold get at.
By the way,
What was wrong with the car in the first place!

IslandJim

Thank you for your reply,

The transfer case is done, when I got it the car, the transfer case was empty. It has to come out.

Barryst

-I don't recall that flange having to come off to get CV joints out. Please do a search, I beleive someone removed their CV joints without doing that. I believe they are held in with an expanding snap ring on the internal spline shaft. I think you would have to put tires back on, so torque would be transfered to the ground. Remove center nut from center of rotor, turn steering at sharp angle to wiggle CV joint. You have to get between CV joint and transfer case with something (A big screwdriver?) and without damaging dust shield on CV joint, twist to push apart without damaging anything.They should pop out. I have removed CV joints on other cars, not an RX yet.- Thats just something you might want to look at.(They do make a CV puller, do a search to get a visual, looks like a giant bent screwdriver.)

Good luck and be careful!
Barryst

-Search function can sometimes be a good friend!

IslandJim

Thank you for your reply Barryst

I never have removed a CV before. I never had any car that I needed to pull the CV. I had no idea that they just pulled off. Thank you for telling me that.

So I got all set with some big pry tools and started to disassemble the wheel assembly, because I knew that I would need it out of the way, when I had a bright idea to just remove the top bolt of the two bolts that hold the wheel assembly to the strut. I then just loosened the bottom bolt.

With the bottom of the wheel assembly still firmly bolted and the strut without the top bolt and the bottom one loosened, I now had a lever.

So I simply grabbed the inner CV with one hand and the top of the rotor/wheel assembly with the other and in one real easy tug out popped the CV axel and all.

I then unbolted the rest of the wheel assembly and slid the whole wheel assembly, CV, and axel out easy as pie.

Unfortunately the transfer case is not coming out with out removing all the whole transmission. And I am definitely not going to attempt to pull the transmission away from the engine while it’s still in the engine compartment. That would just be more of the same slow time B.S.

So I will be dropping the cradle in the morning. I don’t mind because its really not that hard, it unbolts easy and then I have wide open access. I will have some screwing around with jacks trying to get it away from the car but, it’s worth it, just to have easy access. With the engine, transmission, transaxle, and transfer case out of the car, things come apart and go back together much, much faster and easier. It will go quick, and I bet I have the transfer case out by mid afternoon.

My only low note is that I just didn’t do it first. I have been knocking myself out trying to get the transfer case out the wrong way. What a huge waste of time and energy.

artbuc

Don't be so hard on yourself. It is never a waste of time and energy when you learn something new and then share that knowledge with others. Keep up the good work!

Barryst

My only low note is that I just didn’t do it first. I have been knocking myself out trying to get the transfer case out the wrong way. What a huge waste of time and energy.[/QUOTE]

Not a waste of time. It was a learning experience!

You will know your RX well after doing this.

Please keep us posted on your job.

A few pictures would be nice!

I would gladly help, but you are a little far for me to drive

If you have any questions, we are here to help when we can.

Have fun!

-Barryst