Poll do you use Toyota Transfer case fluid or other

Man I wish everyone would use the bags. Soooo much easier than a pump. Amsoil and Valvoline are only bags I have seen.

 

The Toyota fluid is hard to find. If it were important, Toyota would make it readily available. Some dealerships don't use it. So I dont try to find it.

Any gear oil that has met the API ratings is the same to me when it's going into a TC or a diff. Only manual transmission fluid do I care about the brand.

I used Lucas in mine. But I don't have any brand loyalty.

 

Totally agree, I’ve started using the Valvoline bags and it’s been life changing.

 

Redline MT-LV for me. They make great products and it's the closest in spec and formulation to the OEM fluid.

 

Red-line for me. Doing it this weekend actually.

 

I bought toyota fluid only because I was not clear on what type of fluid was needed. I'll get whatever fluid is cheapest going forward

 

The 3rd gen Taco is spec'd for the LF fluid; some people reported shifting problems in the winter with 75W90. I don't know if the 5th gen 4Runner is similarly susceptible if you have a stick shift T-case.

6th gen will probably go to WS transmission fluid for the transfer case, like with the 2022+ Tundra.

 

I saw the same cold weather shift comments on Tacomas. Likely we will hear about it on this forum with majority of poll not using the Toyota fluid. I suspect most people that take to dealer for service are not getting the Toyota fluid even if not aware.

I think it's the same transfer case shared between taco and 4runner.

 

^Don't be naive. Most people don't change the transfer case fluid.

 

Your probably right. The masses probably have the lifetime factory fill.

 

I'm going to save one bag once I do the front diff, and refill it for the ATF and the transfer case. It saves SO much time to do it that way.

 

I most recently used Valvoline (in the bags) for the front and read diffs and Redline for the TC. I did the diffs first and found the Valvoline bags to be so easy to use that I transferred the Redline to one of the empty Valvoline bags to use to fill the TC - made it so easy…

Cheers,
Bob

 

I've had good luck with this hand pump, available under various labels at your local auto parts store. Works pretty fast (about 5 strokes per bottle) as long as you trim the hoses to remove any kinks from the packaging:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/performance-tool/performance-tool-transfer-pump/pfm0/w1145

$10 LOZAGU Multi-Use Siphon Pump Fluid Transfer Pump, Siphon Fuel Transfer Pump Kit for Gas Oil and Liquids

https://www.amazon.com/LOZAGU-Multi-Use-Siphon-Transfer-Liquids/dp/B0C5DZ29PR/

 

I replaced the fluid in both diffs and the t-case about 50k ago, I used the same fluid for all 3.

I'm going to be changing them again soon, doing the same.

That hand pump above is clutch, pour the new fluid into a clean gallon container and it makes the job SO much easier.