First post on the forum! But certainly not my first use of this awesome resource.
I had the common "Serve 4WD" light come on. After checking the connections to the actuator, I replaced it. No one should pay the dealer to do this work. It is at best a 20 minute job, 4 bolts. The hardest part is getting the electrical connection off, and the trick to not losing gear oil is to put the truck on a slant, driver's side down. MY ISSUE: I cannot get the new actuator to stop leaking gear oil. I've taken it back off three times to clean the surfaces, second time to put a gasket seal compound on the surfaces, third time to torque it a little more. Still dripping slightly from the mating surfaces. My next step is to make a gasket. The actuator has a very thin rubber gasket that stands up from the surface. I'm also questioning if I tightened the bolts too much for that type of gasket. Reaching out to see if someone has the answer.

 

Are you sure it is coming from the gasket surface, and not leaking elsewhere on the actuator, and just ending up there???

 

Thanks.
I checked the actuator all over with a clean paper towel, and since I've had it off three times, looked carefully for cracks.

 

Gotta be something else going on there then..... The sealer should have done the job.... No clue why it didn't.

 

Hoping someone might tell me the torque specs on the 4 bolts. I did search other forums and only found one answer that was 21 ft/lbs. I was looking for another that would validate that, and I did torque the bolts the first time to 21. Felt like it wasn't enough so I went to 30 the next time.

 

Did you seal the bolt threads as well?

 

Well.....no
but i'll do it.
I can have that thing off in 5 minutes now. Think i'll still make a gasket pattern while it's off and the sealer as well.

 

Worth a shot.

 

An end to this saga. My last attempt to stop the oil leak from the actuator was to make a gasket and apply sealer to all surfaces. Thought for sure this would stop the drip. NOPE! So now I figure there must be a defect somewhere. I removed the rock shield and now saw that the oil was coming from a hairline crack in the plastic. Amazon is coming through again with a replacement on the way before having to return the original part. Truck works fine with the exception of a few drips of oil.