I have heard the saying many times that a transfer case cannot be refurbished to work properly again in the long run. For this I used to say that, before we declare that something cannot be refurbished, let us look a little deeper into things first and only then give an opinion. Obviously, there are cases when it is not worth starting the rebuild of a transfer case. By this I mean broken, cracked houses or shredded transfer cases that shattered themselves inside. In such cases it is obviously more cost-effective to start in a different direction. In general, however, I have to refute the sceptics because indeed, a transfer case can be rebuilt for long-term use. Of course, this requires the right parts and the right expertise. Let us split the thing in two at this point. By proper parts I mean and mean only OEM parts. I’ll tell you why.
I have come across a number of parts that have been properly installed but during use have run a fraction of the OEM parts in terms of mileage. It can be a transfer case chain from an unknown or lesser-known manufacturer or, for example, a bearing row. If we are serious about rebuilding, this perspective must be ruled out and we must stick to OEM parts because this is the only way in the long run to start repairing a transfer case. Every single part has a role to play, even if it seems insignificant. If all parts are working properly, the transfer case will also work properly. This can only be achieved, I emphasize once again, by incorporating the right quality part into the transfer case. The other thing is the expertise that one acquires through experience. To do this, of course, you need to disassemble and put together a few pieces…
We try to help with this with videos, exploded-view and other drawings on our website. Or for some parts with pre-installation information that may be helpful. For example, details about soaking the coupling flaps in the transfer case in the correct specification oil for a few hours before installation! Or, for example, the adaptation and calibration of control motors (stell motors), which is essential for trouble-free operation. When replacing newer types of control motors, for example, many car models also require the coding of the particular car according to the chassis number (vin code) before attempting to commission the stell engine. All in all, a specialist with solid references can rebuild a transfer case from OEM quality parts that will be in working order again in the long run.