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Transfer case oil alternatives?

Discussion in '5th Gen 4Runners (2010-2024)' started by nimby, May 12, 2022.

  1. May 14, 2022 at 3:54 AM
    #31
    Yoytota

    Yoytota New Member

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    This is the same recipe as Toyota WS but $4 less per quart on RockAuto
     
  2. May 14, 2022 at 4:55 AM
    #32
    TrailGuy2016

    TrailGuy2016 New Member

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    Perhaps I'll use that.
    Only issue with Rock Auto is pay $30 for 4 quarts and then pay $30 to ship it to you!
     
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  3. May 14, 2022 at 5:29 AM
    #33
    ElectroBoy

    ElectroBoy Ad astra

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  4. May 14, 2022 at 6:17 AM
    #34
    7Runner

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    I now have Red Line MT-LV in the transfer case and Red Line 75w85 in the differentials. All is working fine.
    That being said, next time around everything is getting M1 75w90. I'm sure it will continue to work just fine.
     
  5. May 14, 2022 at 6:51 AM
    #35
    Yoytota

    Yoytota New Member

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    Do you pull any weight with it?
     
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  6. May 14, 2022 at 10:28 AM
    #36
    nimby

    nimby [OP] in the drink

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  7. May 14, 2022 at 10:29 AM
    #37
    nimby

    nimby [OP] in the drink

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    Why go thicker? Do you live in a hot climate?
     
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  8. May 14, 2022 at 12:44 PM
    #38
    MAXIM

    MAXIM New Member

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    Yep, same can opener you use for canned pinapples.
     
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  9. May 14, 2022 at 12:57 PM
    #39
    TrailGuy2016

    TrailGuy2016 New Member

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    I would imagine the Runner will swallow that and not bat an eyelash. We're all just so obsessed with perfection!
     
  10. May 14, 2022 at 1:02 PM
    #40
    Yoytota

    Yoytota New Member

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    Nope I'd Walmart before doing that. 0 they didn't charge me that much for shipping. May as
    I was going to say what is this the Great depression that I thought about how much it cost lol
     
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  11. May 14, 2022 at 1:53 PM
    #41
    nimby

    nimby [OP] in the drink

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    Classic!

    I'd have to buy an old timey can opener to use that stuff.
     
  12. May 14, 2022 at 1:59 PM
    #42
    7Runner

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    Nope. Don't even own a trailer.
    No reason. Just seems more convenient. We can hit triple digits around here in the summer but that wouldn't be the reason for my decision.
     
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  13. May 14, 2022 at 2:24 PM
    #43
    MAXIM

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    Just clean the can opener after use but if you afraid of some strange contamination related disease then you can use cheap manual opener or some pair of sheet metal sheers. P.S. you should be more afraid of Teflon and Fentanyl in your drinking water than gear oil on can opener.
     
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  14. May 14, 2022 at 6:04 PM
    #44
    ElectroBoy

    ElectroBoy Ad astra

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    Pineapples? Back in the Stone Age before plastic bottles and screw caps were invented, every oil was sold in steel cans. There were special can-piecing funnels the mechanics used. But most people used the old reliable can/bottle openers that every beer brewer gave away for free. Now they’re considered “vintage” and will cost you $10 on eBay!
    7589B2D5-41D4-418B-A580-63B430730B71.jpg
     
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    #44
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  15. May 14, 2022 at 6:44 PM
    #45
    2112 R

    2112 R New Member

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    T Case: Royal Purple ROY01512 Synchromax synthetic
    Diffs: Red Line 50104 75W85 GL-5 Gear Oil
    Engine: Mobil 0w-20 Synthetic
     
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  16. May 14, 2022 at 6:50 PM
    #46
    Yoytota

    Yoytota New Member

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    I wouldn't mind seeing my wife's face if she walked in on me in the kitchen spinning a fresh can of Toyota 75W Transfer Gear Oil on her fancy auto can opener
     
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  17. May 14, 2022 at 7:24 PM
    #47
    Cisco Kid

    Cisco Kid New Member

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    Take this for what it’s worth. I’ve called several of the local Toyota dealers in my area to ask about the 75W fluid for the t-case and none of them have used it. They use the same 75w-90 gear oil to refill the t-case as they do for the diffs. None of them even had the 75w liquid gold in stock.
     
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  18. May 14, 2022 at 7:54 PM
    #48
    T4R13

    T4R13 New Member

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    Just spend the money. It’s not like ur changing it every 5 k. One of the cans will do it. Calls for more but with one can it was running out the fill hole. Was 50 a can from Toyota direct
     
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  19. May 14, 2022 at 7:56 PM
    #49
    T4R13

    T4R13 New Member

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    Not even close to that price
     
  20. May 14, 2022 at 7:58 PM
    #50
    T4R13

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  21. May 15, 2022 at 9:31 AM
    #51
    MAXIM

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  22. Jul 21, 2022 at 9:56 PM
    #52
    TeslasBigCarbonFootprint

    TeslasBigCarbonFootprint New Member

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    2014 Neglected by the previous owners 2020 is an abused former rental... 2023 New I've been buying above my pay grade ☹️
    First off, I am a massive fan of using OEM everything, minus brake fluid (I use Prestone Dot 3) and motor oil (I use Kirkland by Warren Distribution every 5k). I had a friend who constantly ribbed me that I only used Toyota air for my tires... No, I use Costco's "air" exclusively.

    I use the Toyota parts website to shop out the best prices across the country and get free shipping when I reach $75 in product. Some dealers used to ship transmission fluid, most of them who have the good pricing do not do that anymore. In the San Diego California region, Norm Reeves Toyota has the best pricing overall.

    I learned a very big lesson on using generic "pink compatible" coolant bought at O'Reilly - Zerex by Valvoline, I think... Gelatinous blobs appeared in my cooling system. I'll never do that again!

    I was all set to use Ultra 1Plus 75W-90 gear oil for my front and rear differentials and transfer case but I found some disturbing information out. First was that it has a very short service life. Secondly, they use non-synthetic additives.

    The fully-synthetic Walmart 75W-90 is made by Warren Distribution. They make Mag1, which is sold/used by quite a few dealerships in SoCal. Warren also makes the oil for Amazon and Costco.
     
  23. Jul 21, 2022 at 10:06 PM
    #53
    TeslasBigCarbonFootprint

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    IIRC, I paid $7 and change for Toyota ATF-WS 000289 through their parts website and after shopping through a few different dealerships in the area. If the Aisin at Rock Auto was free shipping, I'd trust it to jump on it.
     
  24. Jul 22, 2022 at 12:42 AM
    #54
    Slopemaster

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    It’s been about 1000 miles since I used Vavoline 75w90 in the transfer case. So far so good.

    C9BB9973-0393-4BF7-8C16-437E54F51FDD.jpg
     
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  25. Nov 23, 2022 at 12:33 PM
    #55
    McSpazatron

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    Can somebody refresh my memory why some people use manual transmission gear oil in the transfer case over the regular 75w90 gear oil?

    Seems the regular 75w90 is fine for diffs and transfer case, but just dont remember the reasoning for the MT oil…
     
  26. Nov 23, 2022 at 12:58 PM
    #56
    whippersnapper02

    whippersnapper02 New Member

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    Some may have required it for the shift on the fly synchros back in the day but I don't think anything modern requires it, certainly nothing modern from Toyota requires it.
     
  27. Nov 23, 2022 at 3:22 PM
    #57
    McSpazatron

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    Ok, the synchros, thanks. A while ago I had decided that for my transfer case I was going to use something along the lines of a Redline MT 75w90, I just forgot the details of why I decided that haha.

    But now that I just bought some gear oil, I’m jogging my memory a bit more, I think what I was worried about was the fact most stores have 75w90 gear oil with limited slip additives, and THAT limited slip additive is what I want avoid putting in the Transfer case.

    I am under the impression the shift on the fly TC of my part time 4wd 4runner has synchros. Anybody know if Im correct? And if so, am I correct that I should avoid limited slip additives?
     
  28. Nov 23, 2022 at 3:53 PM
    #58
    whippersnapper02

    whippersnapper02 New Member

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    I'm sure we have some sort of synchro to make it work on the fly but if manual transmission lube was needed, it would be listed as required.

    The LS additive is a non issue since it's just gears meshing. It only matters to have it if there was a clutch pack in there. Even the AWD case has a gear driven torsen, not a clutch pack so it doesn't matter if the lube has it or not.

    Any off the shelf 75/90 of your favorite flavor will be just fine.
     
  29. Nov 24, 2022 at 6:00 PM
    #59
    FortyNorth

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    Liqui Moly Top Tec MTF 5100 SAE 75W
    I did a bunch of research and shopping around on this for my Tundra. This stuff was what I got. Much much cheaper than the Toyota 75W but meets specs and has been totally fine (1.5 yrs and going strong). In Canada you can order it at Napa, probably elsewhere too.
     
  30. Nov 25, 2022 at 2:19 AM
    #60
    Foothills

    Foothills New Member

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    Last edited: Nov 26, 2022

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