Can’t get 4WD shifter into 2H
- Thread starter LDBlover
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First you need to grow a thicker skin if you want to survive around here..
Second, as far as the cap on your driveshaft, has it loosened up or is it just the picture? If it's loosened up then yes there might be an issue with it.
Third No you don't have to replace the WHOLE driveshaft just for the u-joint caps falling off. When removing your driveshafts you want to hold the caps so they don't fall off. I normally use some electrical tape to hold mine on until I'm going to reinstall them. Now you can reuse your old front driveshaft by replacing the u-joint.
As @macleanflood said you can shift the t-case by hand or with a pair of channel locks if you can get at the lever with them.
Ultimately most find they like the cable shifter better over the stock linkage. Keep asking questions and you'll get the help you need but you'll also get some smartass comments and at times worthless info to go along with it. READING 101 isn't always a strong suit for some of us....
Hang around as you'll find a wealth of information here and when facing issues there is a LOT of knowledgeable help here too.
Well, come'n in hot.
First, I'm not piling on, but I don't think you understand that some of what you are saying is not making sense to people who have built, rebuilt, and customized TJ's big time. Maybe tap the brakes, breathe, and try and find out why what you are typing isn't making sense to this whole group.
You have 2 issues apparently:
1. Your Transfer Case seems to be not going into 2H. That "could" be the shift linkage, or it could be that the TC has some issue. What @macleanflood was suggesting.....Look at the Transfer case shift lever. Disconnect the linkage at the TC. Take whatever tool you need, I use vice grips, and shift it. Does it go from 2H to 4H to N to 4L? Can you move it from one to the other, with no linkage, just moving that flat metal between them. Can you get it to 2H, and drive it etc and it seems normal?
If you cannot, that needs to be corrected.
If you can, and the TC is working properly, then yes, I would get the cable shifter and look at dialing that in, it takes some effort but once it a great solution.
2. Your front drive shaft has issues. When you say "cap", do you mean the cap with bearings inside that go on the U Joint? That's the "Old" or Original drive shaft that you replaced. So forget the picture or new DS for a second. Just on the older one, because it seems no one is following you. What "Cap" came off of the old drive shaft? Are you talking about the caps on the U Joint? If it is, you can replace the U Joint and use the original drive shaft. I don't know of another "cap", at least in terminology I've seen used around a drive shaft. SO....everyone is confused as to why you didn't replace the U Joints and keep the original DS. There may be a valid reason, but from what you've typed, it's not understandable.
I have no idea, sounds like many others don't either, in that first pic of your new drive shaft, what is going on. I didn't just buy one, I contacted @Shawn at Tom Wood's He runs Tom Wood's Drive Shafts, and he walked me through their videos, and I measured, and got a new driveshaft. He knows more about Drive Shafts than anyone I know.
Hope that helps some.
Thanks for the responses guys. My skins thick, I’m just sticking up for myself!
Yes, the caps I was talking about are the U-joint caps. I didn’t know you could replace that and save the shaft. I’m going to take off the new driveshaft and swap the u joints into my old driveshaft.
I’ll go in and remove the linkage and see if I can shift the transfer case with a tool. Is this lever the one that is closest to the yoke that the front driveshaft connects to? You are not referring to the lever that the arm with the adjustment screw connects to, right?
Yes, the caps I was talking about are the U-joint caps. I didn’t know you could replace that and save the shaft. I’m going to take off the new driveshaft and swap the u joints into my old driveshaft.
I’ll go in and remove the linkage and see if I can shift the transfer case with a tool. Is this lever the one that is closest to the yoke that the front driveshaft connects to? You are not referring to the lever that the arm with the adjustment screw connects to, right?
This is an example pic I found quickly without going through my pics of my NP231 etc.
What his is measuring is connected to the lever I'm referencing. It shifts the internals of the Transfer Case.
You've worked the shifting connection, so you should have seen this, but that short metal shift lever.
On the Front Driveshaft....yes, now we are on the same page, you can replace those U joints. Should be Spicer 1330x on each end.
That Drive Shaft is a "Double Cardan" drive shaft. You may be aware, if not, look that up. That joint in the shaft up by the TC, that can be rebuilt as well if needed. It is also notorious for over age, going out and if it comes apart, and if it blows it will blow your TC too, happened to me when I was pulling it (when my son had the Jeep in College, ha).
Don't worry about that front drive shaft length, that's not causing this issue. The shaft might be a little short but I don't think it's enough to cause any issues and for sure won't affect the shifting of the transfer case.
Do you have a slip yoke eliminator kit and double cardan rear shaft? If so, which slip yoke eliminator do you have installed? There's a large c-clip that holds the rear output bearing into the speedometer housing. Some SYE manufacturers press the bearing into the housing but do not install the c-clip. I've seen it happen a few times that the customer overlooks the c-clip in the instructions and never installs it. This can/will result in the bearing walking out of the housing a bit which will cause improper axial (in and out) alignment inside the case. This in turn causes the transfer case mainshaft (output shaft) to be slightly misaligned which means when the shift collar slides int position it doesn't quite engage with the gears on the shaft properly.
Do you have a slip yoke eliminator kit and double cardan rear shaft? If so, which slip yoke eliminator do you have installed? There's a large c-clip that holds the rear output bearing into the speedometer housing. Some SYE manufacturers press the bearing into the housing but do not install the c-clip. I've seen it happen a few times that the customer overlooks the c-clip in the instructions and never installs it. This can/will result in the bearing walking out of the housing a bit which will cause improper axial (in and out) alignment inside the case. This in turn causes the transfer case mainshaft (output shaft) to be slightly misaligned which means when the shift collar slides int position it doesn't quite engage with the gears on the shaft properly.
Perfect. Which direction should the lever be pointing once it’s in 2H? Towards the front or rear of the vehicle? Will the 4WD light go off the dash even though I’m manually shifting the tc by hand?
Hey Shawn, thanks for joining us. No, the rear driveshaft is stock. I know you said don’t worry about the front driveshaft length, but it looks like it has spun out of itself or something. I don’t know how to explain it. I’ll send a pic here. This is the part of the shaft right before the u joint. It looks like it’s become separated. To specify, I’m not talking about the part of the driveshaft that stretches and allows you to bring it to the TC. Hope this makes sense. I’m still returning the fucker because I just need to replace the u joints anyway….
Hoping my TC is okay. I’ll keep you guys posted
I think it's forward to the front.
I'm racking my brain, it's been a while, someone that had worked on it recently might have a better recollection.
at like 2:58 in this video, this guy talks about the sensor on top of the TC. Yes, it should have the signal work with the linkage disconnected.
Here's a video example of that...in this case I was missing the front slip ring under the seal housing. You can also see me shifting the case by hand.
-Mac
Hey guys, I’m back. So, I removed the linkage and attempted to shift through all the gears. Got 4L( level pushed furthest back against TC,) neutral, 4H, but it STILL won’t shift into 2H. I even pulled super hard and it won’t budge. It’s stuck or something…
What could be the problem? I did no work at all to this transfer case besides removing it from the back of the transmission to make remounting the transmission easier…. I’m going to give it a few more tugs, but I’m at a loss here boys. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Ranger
What could be the problem? I did no work at all to this transfer case besides removing it from the back of the transmission to make remounting the transmission easier…. I’m going to give it a few more tugs, but I’m at a loss here boys. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Ranger
Transmission in neutral, rotate a rear tire a little, just to rotate the stuff in the TC, then try shifting again. Good luck.
Listen to the wise OldBuzzard. Shifting the transfer case requires slight rotation of one of the shafts (input or output) to run it through all the positions.
I’ve got the jeep in neutral. I roll it backwards then go under and try to shift it into 2H. Am I doing this right? So far it hasn’t worked.
It shouldn’t really ever be difficult to pull out of 4H into 2H, because it’s literally just sliding a collar off of some teeth.
I feel like you have a t-case disassembly ahead of you.
There is also the possibility that somebody went in there before and forgot to put the snap ring on the main shaft that pulls the main shaft rearward, which could keep it engaged in the collar even when in 2WD.
But the fact that the shifter won’t even go into 2WD makes me think you have a bigger issue internally than the snap ring.
I feel like you have a t-case disassembly ahead of you.
There is also the possibility that somebody went in there before and forgot to put the snap ring on the main shaft that pulls the main shaft rearward, which could keep it engaged in the collar even when in 2WD.
But the fact that the shifter won’t even go into 2WD makes me think you have a bigger issue internally than the snap ring.
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