disengage 4WD

[fendermb4]

I've searched on this issue, but need some help connecting the dots.

 

In order to disengage 4WD on my 88/NP231/AW4/4.0 I need to do the whole reverse, drive a bit, try, neutral, drive, reverse, etc until it will come out of 4WD.

 

I know it isn't just the light because I usually do this in a parking lot, and drive in a tight circle to test and can feel it when it disengages. My tires all have precisely the same amount of air in them.

 

4WD is fairly difficult to engage. It works, but the lever is pretty hard to pull from 2wd to 4hi, don't know if that is related.

 

Most of the threads I read about are related to axle disconnect, but my problem sounds like it is happening inside the TC, no?

 

What can I do to speed up disengagement? New TC? Or is there something else I can do?

 

Its important that I can disengage without messing around too much because I cannot get out of my driveway without 4WD. Even long after the roads are totally dry, I am still using 4WD for a brief run up my driveway. Then, i'd like to disengage to make the sharp turns out of my neighborhood without shuttering.

 

Thanks!

[CWLONGSHOT]

Sounds like you need to do some maintaince on your MJ!!!

 

Drain and change the fluid in the T-case. Should be NICE and RED!!

 

Check you linkage to be sure its not dinding. Have someone get in and shift while you watch form underneath. I would also disconnect it from the Tcase. Not the nut on the tab on the Tcase but rather where the rod attaches to the tab. This way you can shift the Tcase yourself from underneath as well as see if there is any binding from the linkage while ruling out the Tcase itself. Clean and lube everything up for free movement. The lever going thru the body can get VERY stiff from lack of use and our lovely winters here in new england. Soak it with some good penetrating oil.

 

Then there is a good article on one of the XJ sites on going thru your disconnect.

I think its on http://www.madxj.com/

 

Any way they show you how to go thru and clean and repair your disconnect for proper functionality.

 

I had the same problems and mine was entirely the disconnect. I swapped in a posilok and new steel shift fork and have no more problems!!! I also now get 2WD LO range!!! REALLY nice for launching a boat or doing stuff around the yard!!!

 

CW

[fendermb4]

Sounds like you need to do some maintaince on your MJ!!!

 

Drain and change the fluid in the T-case. Should be NICE and RED!!

 

Check you linkage to be sure its not dinding. Have someone get in and shift while you watch form underneath. I would also disconnect it from the Tcase. Not the nut on the tab on the Tcase but rather where the rod attaches to the tab. This way you can shift the Tcase yourself from underneath as well as see if there is any binding from the linkage while ruling out the Tcase itself. Clean and lube everything up for free movement. The lever going thru the body can get VERY stiff from lack of use and our lovely winters here in new england. Soak it with some good penetrating oil.

 

Then there is a good article on one of the XJ sites on going thru your disconnect.

I think its on http://www.madxj.com/

 

Any way they show you how to go thru and clean and repair your disconnect for proper functionality.

 

I had the same problems and mine was entirely the disconnect. I swapped in a posilok and new steel shift fork and have no more problems!!! I also now get 2WD LO range!!! REALLY nice for launching a boat or doing stuff around the yard!!!

 

CW

 

Thanks, that is very helpful.

 

Where do you get this posilok? I've seen it mentioned in some other threads.

[DirtyComanche]

FWIW, both of mine do that. That is, without any of the vacuum BS. Along with every NP231 and 242 I've delt with. They don't engage/disengage if there's any load on them. So, pavement = takes a long time. Dirt = a while. Pure ice = instant.

[Pete M]

My newest MJ was very difficult to shift out of 4wd for the drive home (from the previous owner's house). I had to use a wrench underneath while a buddy pushed the lever. The whole time I was thinking it was a bad t-case (I planned to swap in a 242 so I didn't care), but it turned out that it was just rust build-up in the lever housing in the cab. The rest of the linkage and t-case worked just fine. :D

[CWLONGSHOT]

All of my Jeeps now shift instantinously from or into 4WD. Reguardless of surface conditions.

 

Like I said, This was NOT the case before cleaning and adjusting linkages and disco's. The last one I did was exactly as Pete described. The 4WD shifter itself was the problem, VERY hard to move.

 

Good luck!!

CW

[NHMJXJ]

I may be off topic, but the title is right.  I'm not much of a wrench (not at all in fact).  I have a 2001 XJ and I believe the 4wd hi is engaged.  

 

The indicator light goes on when I lift the lever to engage and goes out when I depress the lever to disengage.  I tried engaging and disengaging at slow speed, at a stop and have reversed after disengaging, but it definitely feels like it's in 4wd.  

 

Is there a way I can tell visually?  Is there someway to disengage it manually from down under?  Help! 

[Marine1Texas]

in 1987 I have never had a issue my self switching. I have the vacuum line too. I slow down to a stop or 1/2 mph in  put trans in neutral then pull from 2wd thru 4wd to neutral and then over to 2wd low to 4wd low. never grinds or even hard to go in. We put the 2wd low mod in about 7 years ago did not even need to replace anything else in case at the time, but fluid. With 400k on it never had any problems switching in to it. Most of the time I leave it 70% of the time when on the farm in 2wd low.

 

Visually the only way to tell is to know the position of the arm from the transfer case. Yes you can push the bar manually however if your linkages are set right it would not make any difference if it is hard to shift, it is a internal issue.

 

If you are stuck in low or high and need to drive on hard road, you can disconnect the front vacuum line that connects to front axle that will un-engage the front shaft. The transfer case will still turn your front shaft however you will not tear it up, or you can pop the front shaft out.

 

NHMJXJ you can put in gear and jack up front with tires off the ground. in 2wd you can spin the front tires with your hands, if you can't then you engaged.

[Eagle]

6 hours ago, NHMJXJ said:

I may be off topic, but the title is right.  I'm not much of a wrench (not at all in fact).  I have a 2001 XJ and I believe the 4wd hi is engaged.  

 

The indicator light goes on when I lift the lever to engage and goes out when I depress the lever to disengage.  I tried engaging and disengaging at slow speed, at a stop and have reversed after disengaging, but it definitely feels like it's in 4wd.  

 

Is there a way I can tell visually?  Is there someway to disengage it manually from down under?  Help! 

 

Visually, no. Put it in 2WD, jack up on front wheel, and see if you can rotate the tire manually. If the transfer case is in 2WD, the driveshaft can turn so you'll be able to spin the wheel. If it's in 4WD, the driveshaft can't run so you won't be able to spin the wheel.

[cruiser54]

Here's how the factory suggests you shift the transfer case and I've been doing this since these things were new and I worked at the dealership. Quoted from the owner's manual. The suggestions in CAPS are mine. 

"To engage, shift the transfer case lever from 2H to 4H while the vehicle is moving at any legal speed". I LET OFF THE GAS, THROW THE LEVER, TAP THE GAS AND LET OFF.

4L position: " To engage, slow the vehicle to 2-3 MPH , shift the transmission to Neutral, then shift the transfer lever to the right and pull firmly rearward to 4L". 

TO SHIFT OUT OF 4L, SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL WITH THE VEHICLE STOPPED, SHIFT THE TRANSFER CASE LEVER TO 2H, THEN THE TRANS TO D IF YOU HAVE AN AUTOMATIC, OR INTO FIRST GEAR WITH A MANUAL, AND CONTINUE ON.

Revised 11/20/2014
 

[sinkrun]

What about spinning the tires in loose gravel or mud see if the front turn. have a buddy help watch go easy.

[NHMJXJ]

Thanks for the feedback folks ... I used Sinkrun's method last night and the fronts didn't break loose.  Still, it feels like it's engaged at slow speed turns from a start, like left-ing across traffic after coming to a stop while on dry pavement.  Feels like  a shudder through the steering wheel.  I don't think the previous owner ever put it in 4WD. 

 

[Marine1Texas]

could your transfer case be in 2wd but your front axle actuator not be working and that is stuck in locked mode? easy way to check lift front of truck on jacks while your truck is in 2wd. turn your front tire and if front drive shaft turns it is not releasing the actuator.

 

It will not hurt your transfer case if you have stuck actuator or sleeve. Many people mod it to stay locked all the time anyway and rid the vacuum lines.

[gogmorgo]

Seems like it only happens in sharp turns? Maybe?

What do the ujoints look like, driveshaft and axle shaft? Could it possibly be the tires rubbing on something, possibly lower control arms?

Having the CAD locked in place won't cause shaking in 2wd if the driveshaft is turning free from the transfer case, I.e. is in 2wd.

[ParadiseMJ]

Last time I was out on a trail I had 4L engaged.  I got back on a nice dirt/gravel road and took it out of 4x4...I thought.  Then I got back to the camp and had to flip a U to back in to my spot.  When I did that it did the wheel hop thing.  So I knew it was still in 4x4.  So I climbed underneath and saw the linkage adjusting nut was loose and the shaft was inoperable.  I just moved the t-case lever all the way FORWARD and disengaged the t-case.  My CAD is locked over already.  Anyhoo, if you can get under there and manually push the t-case position lever forward (I used some channel locks) and headed on down the highway...

[Pete M]

[NHMJXJ]

Right.  What's a trunnion?  

 

Thanks again guys.  The XJ just went through NH inspection which is pretty comprehensive.  The shop I use doesn't up sell and would tell me if there were something worn and when It would need replacement.   I think the thing just needs a good shake down.  As I mentioned, I don't think the previous owner ever put it in 4WD.  At least not often.  My experience is "lack of use can be as bad as abuse". 

 

I'm pretty sure 4W hi is disengaged.  I have (near) future plans to have it lifted, so I expect there will many chances to sort things out. 

 

[sinkrun]

This is on a 2000 cherokee no cad or vacum lines solid axle would have to be linkage or transfer case.

[carnuck]

This is on a 2000 cherokee no cad or vacum lines solid axle would have to be linkage or transfer case.

Did they use Electric motors or just linkages? I know the other guys have issues with the motors sticking when not used often. My wife’s ‘99 Ranger one had to be replaced twice in the year we owned it till it was hit from behind from a Daewoo that slammed it from two cars back. The bed of the truck even dented the back of the cab.


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[Pete M]

all XJs were linkage style activators.