Some advice on the transfer case actuator gear/motor deal

[Crowz]

I just changed the wife's 2005 3.0 x5 actuator motor assembly with one I bought off amazon for $132.

https://amzn.to/2KR3y8p


After doing the change in 20 minutes and knowing how easy it is via this method I cant see doing the gear only swap. Sure the gear is $10 to $15 or so its just not worth it to me vs the hassle.

20 minutes and its ready to drive with no warning lights.

If it was $200 or more sure but with my prime account having no shipping cost and $132 for the entire unit aka new motor, seals and gear it just seems the best solution to me.

Anyways just wanted to throw that out there for anyone that runs into the actuator failing/gear stripped problem.

[andrewwynn]

Nice so you have 4wd once more ? What about the special set resistor does that go in the actuator (gets moved over) is is that separate?


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[Purplefade]

I think it just comes down to the buyer and is a dollars and cents thing...

I totally agree with you - $132, arrives in two days and is installed in 30 minutes or less - and is totally brand new. Seems to me I would worry about that less than an old actuator with a flipped gear, but hats just me.

[dkl]

Thanks for the update - will definitely do this swap when I get that dreaded warning!

[andrewwynn]

can you drive with the part removed? The thought i have is, if you can take it off and take your time with the part on the bench, i personally would probably do the refurbish route, but if you consider, had you hired a guy to do the '30 min job' the labor would be as much as the amazon part, do the labor yourself the $130 part is practically free. Our X5s are too old don't have the part. No 'optional' front drive for us.

[crystalworks]

Good to know it's so cheap Crowz. Thanks for posting.

I'm running a replaced actuator gear on mine. Is there a downside to doing the gear only? Mine has been fine for 3 years now and was unaware there were other failure points to the motor. It give me a warm and fuzzy thinking that what's in there is OE vs an aftermarket as well. Please keep this updated from time to time. If the aftermarket part is reliable I may just order one to have on hand for the next time.

I don't think I could ever just flip my gear unless in an emergency situ out of town or something.

[Purplefade]

I don’t see any down side to just replacing the gear.

I think it’s all in do you just want to pull the old actuator and bolt in a new one or take the time to do some disassembly and swap the gear - all personal preference, no one right or wrong - but I definitely think from all of the experience on this site alone that your totally solid just replacing the gear.

Nice run on sentence eh

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

Good to know it's so cheap Crowz. Thanks for posting.

I'm running a replaced actuator gear on mine. Is there a downside to doing the gear only? Mine has been fine for 3 years now and was unaware there were other failure points to the motor. It give me a warm and fuzzy thinking that what's in there is OE vs an aftermarket as well. Please keep this updated from time to time. If the aftermarket part is reliable I may just order one to have on hand for the next time.

I don't think I could ever just flip my gear unless in an emergency situ out of town or something.

From my understanding the car reverts to 2wd on failure of the gear. Based on the OE part being plastic clearly it doesn't have enough force on it to require being bronze etc, just some bad luck gets some of them to fail (after dozens of years and 100s of 1000s of miles), pretty amazing IMHO.

If you can drive 2wd, there isn't much reason to flip the gear like mentioned above other than if you have to put the part back together to drive 'might as well' while waiting for the new part to come. If you can leave the whole motor off, I would have the assembly on the bench and drive in 2wd (or borrowed car) while waiting for the part.

The advantage of swapping the whole assembly is just in not having to take it apart and spend the time, but also minor risk in introducing a seal failure etc, all pretty minor. If it takes me 90 minute to refurbish I can rather spend that 90 min. on billable work and it will more than cover the cost difference of the gear vs the assembly, so opportunity cost comes into play.

[Crowz]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Nice so you have 4wd once more ? What about the special set resistor does that go in the actuator (gets moved over) is is that separate?


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The mini sensor just bolted back to the case on the new motor.

She had 4wd the whole time. The actuator doesn't effect having 4wd just the torque split on front vs back bias.

[Crowz]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

Good to know it's so cheap Crowz. Thanks for posting.

I'm running a replaced actuator gear on mine. Is there a downside to doing the gear only? Mine has been fine for 3 years now and was unaware there were other failure points to the motor. It give me a warm and fuzzy thinking that what's in there is OE vs an aftermarket as well. Please keep this updated from time to time. If the aftermarket part is reliable I may just order one to have on hand for the next time.

I don't think I could ever just flip my gear unless in an emergency situ out of town or something.

I don't see a downside to the gear replacement other than you don't get a new motor, new seal and the hassle of the rebuild. Otherwise the gear swap is fine. With the prices so cheap now Id rather have all new.