231 Transfer Case

[bigmerc34]

I have recently replaced my 207 transfer case with a 231. Now I cannot get the truck to engage in 4 wheel drive. The transfer case engages and the drive shaft will spin but there is not engagement in the pumpkin/housing. I removed the coverplate and drained the gear oil and there were no metal shavings to indicate the bearings where damaged.

Could it be something with the diff case? Any suggestions, please let me know!

[Pete M]

Behind this cover on the passenger side of the axle is your CAD (central axle disconnect). Inside is a little fork that slides a collar over to engage the passenger side axleshaft. Jeep, in all their wisdom, came up with this problematic contraption to try and save some gas (which it doesn't). There are a couple of methods to keep the fork engaged all the time and should fix your problem. That's what this link was for:

---> viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12795

 

 

[bigmerc34]

Do you know which way i should slide the collar and will I be able to keep it in 2h then put it in 4h,4l hope this works ty for all the help :cheers:

[BLHTAZ]

When you pull the cover, it will be obvious which way it needs to go, but it is to the left (driver side) so the collar will permanently keep the two shafts connected. Everything else will operate as it always did. :cheers:

[bigmerc34]

:cheers: Just want to say I did what you said to do and it works great! thanks alot for the help! But what would make it not slide over? Anyway on mine it has vacuum hose's that go to it and I traced them and they went up into hood. I took some pics to show I have to up load them. Again, thanks alot :bowdown:

[Pete M]

Probably the vacuum line is broken or when you swapped in the new t-case something didn't line up right or maybe the fork or the little vacuum shifter was sticking in place. Either way, if you do the mod to keep the collar slid over all the time, you won't need the vacuum lines anymore. :thumbsup:

[bigmerc34]

Again thanks it is working now,that won't hurt anything when I drive it everyday on the road :dunno:

[Pete M]

No, shimming the CAD won't hurt anything. It makes it like you've got a one-piece axle shaft on the passenger side, that's all. No Jeep since '95 has had a CAD and they all work fine. :D

Just don't drive around on dry pavement in 4wd. That's bad no matter what.

[bigmerc34]

:banana: Pete you are the man thanks was just at your site nice site great pics

[Eagle]

Probably the vacuum line is broken or when you swapped in the new t-case something didn't line up right or maybe the fork or the little vacuum shifter was sticking in place. Either way, if you do the mod to keep the collar slid over all the time, you won't need the vacuum lines anymore. :thumbsup:

He got a late-model 231 from an XJ with the electric speedometer. That means it came from one of the years that didn't use the front axle disconnect, so the transfer case has no port to actuate the vacuum to the the disconnect.

 

What I can't figure out is how the transfer case went into an '86. The '86 was a 21-spline, the newer one should be a 23-spline. Bigmrec34, did you swap only the transfer case, or did you swap the transfer case and transmission together?

[Pete M]

I thought the 231s behind AX-5s remained 21 spline. :dunno:

[Eagle]

I thought the 231s behind AX-5s remained 21 spline. :dunno:

Dunno. If so it's the first I've heard of it, but I don't know much about the later 4-cylinders.

 

Where's BLHTAZ when we need him?

[bigmerc34]

When I frist bought the jeep it had a bad transmission and it came with one in the back of the truck so I swaped them out and put that in the jeep which still had the 207 t-case and down the road the t-case went bad on me so I got a 231 which was a 23spline like the 207 was but like I said the 207 was a cable speedo and the 231 is not

[Pete M]

The 231 is capable of taking a cable speedo, you just need to get one from a cable 231 (87-90). Of course, I'm assuming that the 207 one won't fit in there. I've never checked. You might need to swap the plastic gears on it though. Some years had long ones and some short.

 

[Eagle]

When I frist bought the jeep it had a bad transmission and it came with one in the back of the truck so I swaped them out and put that in the jeep which still had the 207 t-case and down the road the t-case went bad on me so I got a 231 which was a 23spline like the 207 was but like I said the 207 was a cable speedo and the 231 is not

The 207 was not a 23-spline box, it was a 21-spline box.

 

I'm still confused. My age must be catching up with me. Sorry. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain in the corner ...

[BLHTAZ]

OK...after reading over this a couple times now...I too am confused as to how it had a 23 spline 207. Obviously we don't know what the tranny & t-case came out of, but I thought it should be 21 spline as well... :huh???: