4WD system troubleshooting question

Good day all,

I'm continuing to troubleshoot the issues with our 4WD system on my son's 2001 4Runner SR5. I have come to the conclusion the actuator is too far gone to repair because of moister that got into the system. The electrical rings on the inside of the actuator are severely corroded and I can't get them cleaned well enough to make good electrical contact.

In the meantime, however, I just need to get the 4Runner to run in 2WD so we can continue to drive it until I source the replacement actuator. I've watched several videos about the actuator, but one thing I can't confirm is which position the long rod needs to be in for the transfer case to run in 2WD. One video says the rod needs to be "fully out" and another says it needs to be "fully in". They don't really say if that means in or out of the actuator or in or out of the xfer case. So, my clarification is this; to be in 2WD, does the rod need to be inserted as far forward (toward the front of the vehicle) in the xfer case, or pulled out as far as it can go toward the rear of the vehicle?

Thanks for your help!

Jonathan