Transfer case oil change had metal shard

[Sasquatch]

Found this on the first transfer case oil change, I just changed it for break-in at 300 miles. Hope this is not a bad sign.

 

[Hummingbird Ranch]

Looks most like a needle bearing or possible clevis or alignment pin. It doesn't look like a a shaving from any kind of metal removal process or a piece of cast iron flashing from the casting of the housing. Also it could just be a piece of FOD that got into the transfer case during assembly. Some close up high resolution photos of the debris would be very helpful, as it could show which surfaces were machined and gouged and which surfaces if any are fracture surfaces. This can also be helpful in determining where it might have come from or whether it is foreign to the transfer case. Also, the highest optical magnification, and highest resolution photos of any fracture surfaces would be helpful, as it might reveal crack initiation site and whether it was an overload for fatigue fracture which would be useful. After you have taken the photos, and if you can find a smooth surface, run a file across it to see if it is relatively soft or hard, and see if it will stick to a magnet. If it is relatively soft and does not stick to a magnet, it is likely an aluminum alloy. If it is relatively hard and does stick to a magnet, it is likely a piece of steel alloy, or maybe a piece of cast iron flashing from the casting of the transfer case. If if it is both relatively hard, and does not stick to a magnet, it is likely a CRES alloy. All of these clues might be helpful in determining whether it is a part of the transfer case/gears/bearing roller or a foreign object. Also recommend you send the photos to Jesse@Torqueking, as he probably has the most experience with every single part of the transfer case and may be able to visually identify the part and tell you where to go from there (either use-as-is, or perform some inspection/part replacement) depending on where he thinks it came from.

 

[lost1wing]

If you are not having any issues with the transfer case, I would keep an eye/ear open. I would plan another oil change after running through all of the gears (hi/lo). Looked like a needle bearing to me.

 

[1BB]

Found this on the first transfer case oil change, I just changed it for break-in at 300 miles. Hope this is not a bad sign.

View attachment 14077

Do you have a picture of it from each end?

It would be nice to see if it's round or what shape it is, and that will tell a lot about where it may have come from.

I seriously doubt it's part of a gear, because it's only a 1/4" wide and while I've never taken apart a transfer case in a Roxor, I have rebuilt many transfer cases and manual transmissions, and I have NEVER seen a gear in any of them that's only a quarter inch wide, BUT I could be wrong.

It also doesn't look tapered, so I'm pretty sure it's not part of a tapered roller bearing which is a good thing, BUT it does look like a needle roller bearing, and could be from a thrust bearing.

 

[Sasquatch]

See if this helps @1BB

 

[Sasquatch]

It’s round and it is magnetic.

 

[lost1wing]

I think a needle bearing is missing a needle. Eventually, that bearing will fail. Now on the other hand, I lost a one out of a driveshaft u-joint putting it together. I found it stuck to a tool after the work was complete and test drive was done. I drove it like that for over a year and never noticed a thing.

 

[Hummingbird Ranch]

All the evidence points to a needle bearing. I agree with lost1wing. I think I would just continue to drive that transfer case, and keep an ear and eye on it, unless you just want to tear it down for fun. Could be that needle bearing lasts a good long time before it begins to fail, at which time you will likely feel and/or hear it before it completely fails and you damage a shaft or housing. I think your risk of damage is low and not worth the effort to immediately take it out of service, if you pay attention, and take it out of service at the first sign of noise or vibration.

 

[1BB]

Yes, it's a roller from a thrust bearing. You can see where it went through your gears, because of the diagonal groove in it from your helical cut gears in the transfer case.

It's not any sort of support bearing for a shaft, so running it isn't going to destroy gears and shafts, BUT if more rollers fall out, and they probably will, and get keep getting run through your gears, you do run the risk of starting to chip teeth on the gears, and thus create more objects floating around and running through your gears and creating MORE chips until it gets into your tapered roller bearings that support shafts and then finally a catastrophic failure.

 

[Sasquatch]

So you guys think I should just run it until issues?

 

[txroadkill]

@Jesse Torque King 4x4 we need an edumucated guess here. What say you?

 

[Sasquatch]

 

[1BB]

So you guys think I should just run it until issues?

I wouldn't run it just to be on the safe side, because there may be more pieces floating around in there.

Right now, it's just labor and about a $10 bearing, but if you have issues, issues cost money and good issues costs lots. That's if you can even get a gear or anything special that comes along with issues. If you do have to run it now, stay out of 4WD and don't shift the transfer case and keep it in high range so it's a straight shot from input to rear output shaft, and check it again after a few days to see if any more of the bearing is showing up.

I'm not sure if the drain plugs have magnets in them or not, but I'd swap them out with ones that do or even epoxy a strong neodymium magnet to your drain plugs.

It's a thrust bearing, so it's not supporting any shafts or anything like that, it's just there for end play and when you start shifting and things start pushing against each other when changing from 2WD to 4WD to 4L. If synchro's and gears aren't moving and shifting, then there's usually little rubbing or need for the thrust bearing. You can see they're small bearing and not under any heavy load like a tapered thrust bearing would be.

It's kind of like a throwout bearing in a clutch, it doesn't do anything until you want to shift and you step on the clutch to release the pressure plate and you can shift.

 

[lost1wing]

It is hard to say what you should do. If it was only one needle bearing that fell out during assembly, you will be fine. If there are more floating around loose, it will get worse and create more damage. You just don't know. It is more a question of can you afford to take a chance.

If you pull it out and open it up, you could fine more damage or maybe nothing. It comes down to time and money. If you have time but no money, pull it and inspect. If you have money and no time, run it. If you have both time and money, run it. No time or money, sell it.

 

[Sasquatch]

It is hard to say what you should do. If it was only one needle bearing that fell out during assembly, you will be fine. If there are more floating around loose, it will get worse and create more damage. You just don't know. It is more a question of can you afford to take a chance.

If you pull it out and open it up, you could fine more damage or maybe nothing. It comes down to time and money. If you have time but no money, pull it and inspect. If you have money and no time, run it. If you have both time and money, run it. No time or money, sell it.

It's probably more of a "don't know how" and "don't want to" thing really.

 

[Jesse Torque King 4x4]

The needle bearings are bigger than that, and that length of piece is impossible to come out from where needles live... It could be a rolled off piece of gear tooth, but it's almost too round for that too...

I have been into new transmissions and transfer cases to upgrade out of the crate, and there is always a bunch of powder and splinters in there like they surface grind mating surfaces but don't clean them out before assembly. This looks a little different, it could be a chunk of tie wire they use to lock the range fork bolt but the diameter ALMOST looks too big.

I'd go with a chunk of wire, but drop the bottom cover and take a look at everything. A new gasket for that is cheap, and it's also cheaper than replacing if you do need to change a couple parts.

You can send me/ post here pictures of the guts if you have any questions.

EDIT: here is a link to everything that goes in there with the exception of 3 external shift linkage cotter pins. The product image is not scaled for different items, tie wire is the only thing that looks close unless you did somehow perfectly roll a chunk of tooth. TK2034 Mahindra Roxor Transfer Case Master Overhaul Kit

 

[lost1wing]

The needle bearings are bigger than that, and that length of piece is impossible to come out from where needles live... It could be a rolled off piece of gear tooth, but it's almost too round for that too...

I have been into new transmissions and transfer cases to upgrade out of the crate, and there is always a bunch of powder and splinters in there like they surface grind mating surfaces but don't clean them out before assembly. This looks a little different, it could be a chunk of tie wire they use to lock the range fork bolt but the diameter ALMOST looks too big.

I'd go with a chunk of wire, but drop the bottom cover and take a look at everything. A new gasket for that is cheap, and it's also cheaper than replacing if you do need to change a couple parts.

You can send me/ post here pictures of the guts if you have any questions.

EDIT: here is a link to everything that goes in there with the exception of 3 external shift linkage cotter pins. The product image is not scaled for different items, tie wire is the only thing that looks close unless you did somehow perfectly roll a chunk of tooth. TK2034 Mahindra Roxor Transfer Case Master Overhaul Kit

Watching your YT video and looking at your kit, that piece of metal does resemble a needle bearing. However it is too small for it to be the idler shaft bearing. It also looks to big to be any kind of a wire. Guessing by the picture of it next to the tape measure, it looks to be 1/2 inch long and about .090 dia.

 

[Jesse Torque King 4x4]

Watching your YT video and looking at your kit, that piece of metal does resemble a needle bearing. However it is too small for it to be the idler shaft bearing. It also looks to big to be any kind of a wire. Guessing by the picture of it next to the tape measure, it looks to be 1/2 inch long and about .090 dia.

Factory tie wire is about half of .090, and new needle bearings are over twice that. It could be a dropped needle roller from idler shaft installation that broke and got chewed down in OD during rotation I suppose, in that case a roller could easily be shidd out the idler gear oil holes.

 

[Sasquatch]

 

[Jesse Torque King 4x4]

That looks like a chunk of factory tie wire, probably some trimmings they did not get out. You can confirm this by bending, it should be soft.

My suggestion is remove bottom cover to inspect the tie wire on shift fork to make sure it didnt catch on the big low gear. I would guess the gear teeth are OK.