Can An Actuator Be Replaced, If Built Into Transfer Case?

2020, Sept/Oct, Bought 2003, Limited, Toyota 4Runner/V8 All Wheel Drive. By ThanksGiving, Not Drivable. 1st DealerShip Advised Salvage Rebuild - After $1,500, In Repairs, Mostly, Neglected Maintenance, I Towed The Vehicle Back To Where I Could Walk To Work, & Wait For A Smaller Business To Get The Part.

Built-In Actuator Can’t Be Reached. Entire Transfer Case, Needed. The Work Was To Take 8hrs. It Took 4, & I Drove Until The Axil Broke - After Spark Plugs Began MisFiring. Battery Is Dead; Interior Is Growing Mold, From Wet Windows, Inside Vehicle, & This Is Where I Sleep, B’cuz KY Is An “At Will” State. Terminated, In Sept, While Other Workers We’re Offered Volunteer Time Off, & My Manager Sent “Perfect Attendance!” Email, To Me.

Can anybody translate this into something coherent? The only thing I understood is, this person bought a piece of junk, can’t afford to fix it and they are living in it. And it looks like the title question has been answered.

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Sorry about your troubles. What do you want us to do?

Gets told by shop 4runner should be scrapped, puts $1,500 into repairs, truck still broke and needs a transfer case and axle.

No job, sleeping in a wet and moldy 4runner

Not really sure what he wants.

The Question Is In The Heading. Why Is An Interpreter Needed? Can An Actuator Be Replaced, Without The Need For An Entire Transfer Case?

Can An Actuator Be Replaced Without The Entire Transfer Case? This Is A Toyota, Not A Mustang. I Don’t Speak Mustang.

What I Want Is In The Heading. Can The Actuator Be Replaced Without The Need For An Entire Transfer Case. Why Respond, If U Don’t Understand The Need?

The best I can get out of this is that the transfer case was replaced so why does it matter now . This thing has many problems that need addressed .

It Matters, Now, Because The Vehicle Is Disabled. The 8hr Job May Not Have Been Done, In 4, Because The Vehicle Is Disabled, & I Need To Know If The Actuator Can Be Replaced Without Buying An Entire Transfer Case.

The cheapest used case online is around $1000. Many places have it at $1800-2000. All the ads mention the shift motor. Either being good/bad. I didn’t know a t-case was $2k in a junkyard. Seems like a gold plated part.
You spent money to get your rig running. But not moving. Such is life.

I don’t care if you don’t speak “Mustang”. I don’t either.

There are 2 different transfer case actuators shown on RockAuto. Both of which look like they install from the outside of the case. You don’t say what the repair estimate is but the transfer case may need to come out to install the shift actuator. One actuator is about $230 and the other is $800. None of the listings say which actuator goes into what truck.

What is the shop telling you the T-case costs? Sounds like if it is more than $2000, given all the other problems you should just give up on fixing this thing.

Thank u. I’m not good at “Giving Up.”, & the estimate to repair is a lot more than I owe. After pay-off, I need shelter. Not safe, among Homeless, in shelter, & income is too low, for housing. Getting a job is a joke, because termination is fun, here. I didn’t know where to look for my answer. Thanx.

Thanx. Life, for me, is running, if I’m breathing, so, this isn’t a life example. I’m learning, from being on this site, that vehicles are bought; sold, & repaired, by too many who no little, to nothing - the way some responded, to my post, with no clue what I needed. U R Appreciated.

The actuators are likely replaceable. They are typically held in with fasteners and assembled at the factory. However, due to labor costs, some things are not economically feasible to repair versus replacing the entire assembly when you are paying for labor. Considering the circumstances, it might be best to ask around for other opinions/estimates. You may want to ask if there is anybody doing side jobs from their homes that can tackle your repair and save some money in the process.

Thank u. Shopping Isn’t My Strong Suit. I Would Pay The Labor, If The Labor Is Actually Done…& I had a steady paycheck. The side job options have cars, “stacked”, waiting for people to pay for labor/parts. Everyone’s in Crisis. Sorry. Thanx.

But you don’t. IF is the biggest word in the English language. I tried to offer suggestions in line with your circumstances. Sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone to lift yourself out of the bad situation. I haven’t had to resort to living out of my vehicle but been in some pretty tight financial spots in my life. You can give up or keep plugging away.

So the guys doing the work should be available then to take on another project. They appear willing to work within people’s means. The nearest shelter may have connections for people in your situation- mechanics that are willing to help someone in genuine need.

Sincerely, best of luck to you.

Thanx. I’ve Been Uncomfortable For Most Of My Life. My Dark Sense Of Humor Is Enjoying The Implication That - Me, Sleeping In A Moldy, Disabled, Vehicle, Is “Comfy”. Your Intent Is Appreciated. Forgive Me. Communication, On This Web Site, Fulfills My “Stepping Out Of Comfort”. I Know This, B’cuz I Resisted Running From Initial Responses.

Yes the actuator can be replaced, A used one is $400, new ones $800 just for the part

Problem is it is inside the transfer case and requires almost complete disassembly of the transfer case to replace, a mechanic experienced in this might be able to do it in 4 hours.

But the way I read your post, what you need now is an axle, battery and a tune up.

I wish you luck.

Thank you. Luck, I Have. It’s 1 Reason I Can Sleep, With Growing Mold. Looking Forward To Paying Off The Vehicle, Early, & Selling The Thing, If I Can Reduce Everything To A “CarryOn”.

Sell it as is? Spend more to fix it and sell it then?