Advise on a transfercase problem

[Jamieh560]

I recently formed a bad vibration after installing a lift kit.... i thought it was a u-joint, but I put it on a lift today and found that the output bearing on the t-case had 1/8" of play... Its really bad.... The output to the front axle has play to (but not near as bad) I know I can get a rebuild kit and chain for around 200 bucks... Its a borg warner 4405 awd t-case with 142,000 miles.. I'm a college student with lack of funds and this sucks!!! Has anyone rebuilt this t-case... Is it worth rebuilding??? or do i need to a used one?? Thanks for any help!

 

[ExplorerDMB]

My chain inside is fubar (I think) and I plan on rebuliding it this summer. Glacier991 plans on rebuliding one as well. Good luck

-Drew

 

[Jamieh560]

Well.... i just got the transfer case out and will be tearing into it Tues... I will let you know how it goes i guess? wish me luck!!!

 

[Jamieh560]

okay I broke into the case today.... and its not the bearing thats bad... its the case half the outer race of the bearing moves from what looks like the sarface has worn out... Has anyone seen the this??? I've already ordered the rebuild kit... has any bought a case half... How much did it run...

Besides that my 142,000 miles t-case was in great shape the chain isn't streched at all! plantary gearset was in good shape!!

Thanks for any help

 

[adarkang]

I have that same play that you are talking about at the front diff yoke and transfer case yoke! Was your vibrations at highway speeds? Let me know if this took care of the problem! thanks

 

['97 V8]

just buy a used 4405 from a junk yard for 2-300 bucks,

 

[gijoecam]

There are some other members that have had this problem. Replacing the case with a salvaged part is OK, but with the higher driveline angles from the lift, I suspect it's going to happen again. The kicker is that, with the 97, there are other issues to contend with. From the 96 model to the 97 model, they completely changed the front output to the newer design, and then from 97 to 98, they removed the speed sensors for the speedo, so unfortunately, the 97 t-case is a unique (and from what I understand) difficult to find.

Assuming the guts are OK, (or if a rebuild kit is cheap, go for it), you could replace the case halves, and just re-use all the internals. There is a company that beefs up the t-case, but it's not cheap:
http://www.omegamachine.com/html/BW4405_front_case_repair.html
[edit: link to rear half]http://www.omegamachine.com/html/BW4405_rear_case_repair.html

There was some more info discussed here recently:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153840

-Joe

 

[Jamieh560]

I ordered the rebuild kit today its was 120 bucks which include seals, bearing, bushing, and shift fork... Now I need a case half.. I found a case for 50 bucks with something internally wrong... Or I can spend 350 bucks on the omega case which is both halfs! I don't know if I wanna dish that much money on it... I'm going to think about it today... I'm going to keep this truck awhile!

 

[gijoecam]

If it was mine, and like you said, the guts were OK, I'd go with the Omega case. The original one was good for 142K, the Omega re-fit should last at least as long. Just make sure the case has the appropriate hole(s) for the front shaft and the speed sensor.

-Joe

 

[adarkang]

I just double checked the play in my front driveshaft and it seems that the yoke coming off the transfer case wiggles in and out about 1/8", is this normal? The yoke at the front diff seems to be pretty solid (No wiggle) Would an Omega case fix this?

 

[Jamieh560]

I talked to a guy that works at a transmission shop today that said they get the 4405 in all the time.... He said they get a local machine shop to bore and put the sleeves in.. just as omega does.. I'm stoping by there tomorrow and seeing how much they charge...

Adarkang... I had vibrations from 25-30mph... then it got really bad around 65mph... The endplay for the rear output shaft is about 1/8 in inches... according to alldata... The problem these cases is up and down movement... kind of like a worn bearing... but only moves in one direction...

Update tomorrow.............

 

[Jamieh560]

Alright guys.... I bought the rear half from omega and I got everything back together..... Good as new... just time cosuming... No vibrations!!!!! YAY

 

[gijoecam]

I've got to wonder if that's the vibration I've been feeling for a few months now... mine feels like a wheel out of balance, even though the tire shop insists they are balanced.... got me wonderin' now...

Guess I know what to look for on the next oil change!

-Joe

 

[Jamieh560]

well.... how fast is the vibration??? if its a slow(as in every time the tire turns) or faster.... The drive shaft turns 3-4 faster than the wheel.... if that helps??

 

[gijoecam]

It feels like a wheel out of balance.... first order vibration of the wheel on the freeway from about 75-80 mph. It feels like a rear.... might have something to do with the tire back there with 8 (yes eight!!) patches in it.... might have a hard spot or be running out of true now.

I've just gotten used to it.... it doesn;t cause the change to bounce out of the cup-holder yet, so I'm not too concerned.... yet!

-Joe

 

[RKR]

Jamieh560,
I just found out I have the same problem. I would like a little more information if possible about the details.
Where did you get the rebuild kit?
You said it was just time consuming, could you expand on this a little? Any special tools required (dial indicators, pullers, presses or such)? If you used a repair manual, which one? Any tricks I should be aware of?

Thanks

 

[Jamieh560]

Hey RKR sorry it taken so long to respond... I got the rebuild kit from a transmission shop... I means its time consuming as in you need to tear the case apart and make sure you don't need anything else besides the rebuild kit.... then you have to wait for it to come in.... no special tools are needed.. but theres a snap ring on the planetary side behide the seal... that has to come off before the the carrier will come out... Let me know if you need any help!

 

[Jamieh560]

Hey RKR sorry it taken so long to respond... I got the rebuild kit from a transmission shop... I means its time consuming as in you need to tear the case apart and make sure you don't need anything else besides the rebuild kit.... then you have to wait for it to come in.... no special tools are needed.. but theres a snap ring on the planetary side behide the seal... that has to come off before the the carrier will come out... Let me know if you need any help!