Transmission Stuck in 4wheel!! ARRRGH!!!

[chinard]

1044671

Okay, we had a small bit of snow today with some slick roads, so i decided to try out 4 wheel mode on my CJ-7.

Being a 20 year old jeep that i have owned only a few months, I havent the faintest idea on how to do certain really BASIC things, so i just guessed what to do.

First i turned all the manual hubs so that i think they were locking (its difficult to tell what position is locked and which is loose)

Then I held down the clutch and popped the right shifter from 2H to 4H until the "4 Wheel" light came on.

I could feel all the wheels gripping, so i guess all is good so far.



I did some driving around, then went back home. Once i got parked i tried putting it back into 2 wheel mode and the damn shifter is STUCK in the 4H position, and the damn 4 wheel light wont go out.

Did I do something wrong here, is my transmission messed up, or is there something ELSE i'm supposed to do to disengage 4 wheel mode.

For now, i've just disengaged the manual hubs and i'm just leaving it parked...



How do I get out of this mess?!?![addsig]

 

[BobJ]

1044674

4wd is controlled by the transfer case, not the transmission...



Does the shifter move at all? Is it in gear when you're trying to move it? Try shifting it as you're rolling forward very very slowly.[addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1044675

Sounds like you are doing what you are suppost to be doing but sometime older transfers just need a bit of harsh shifting to get them to move to and fro 4wd to 2wd. have applied light force to the shifer with the clutch in? I don't want to tell you to really push that bugger but really push that bugger if you get my drift. Could be your Jeep just want more! Good Luck Tug[addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1044676

Sounds like you are doing what you are suppost to be doing but sometime older transfers just need a bit of harsh shifting to get them to move to and fro 4wd to 2wd. have applied light force to the shifer with the clutch in? I don't want to tell you to really push that bugger but really push that bugger if you get my drift. Could be your Jeep just want more! Good Luck Tug[addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1044677

Sounds like you are doing what you are suppost to be doing but sometime older transfers just need a bit of harsh shifting to get them to move to and fro 4wd to 2wd. have applied light force to the shifer with the clutch in? I don't want to tell you to really push that bugger but really push that bugger if you get my drift. Could be your Jeep just want more! Good Luck Tug[addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1044678

Sounds like you are doing what you are suppost to be doing but sometime older transfers just need a bit of harsh shifting to get them to move to and fro 4wd to 2wd. have applied light force to the shifer with the clutch in? I don't want to tell you to really push that bugger but really push that bugger if you get my drift. Could be your Jeep just want more! Good Luck Tug[addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1044679

Sounds like you are doing what you are suppost to be doing but sometime older transfers just need a bit of harsh shifting to get them to move to and fro 4wd to 2wd. have applied light force to the shifer with the clutch in? I don't want to tell you to really push that bugger but really push that bugger if you get my drift. Could be your Jeep just want more! Good Luck Tug[addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1044680

Sounds like you are doing what you are suppost to be doing but sometime older transfers just need a bit of harsh shifting to get them to move to and fro 4wd to 2wd. have applied light force to the shifer with the clutch in? I don't want to tell you to really push that bugger but really push that bugger if you get my drift. Could be your Jeep just want more! Good Luck Tug[addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1044681

SORRY Do not know what happened! Tug I am on my wife laptop!

[addsig]

 

[RayOvac]

1044684

Now thats alot of duplicate posts. Hehe[addsig]

 

[chinard]

1044686

yeah, transfer case... thats what i really MEANT to say...

I've tried giving it a good push with the clutch in, and it just won't budge. I haven't tried rolling it yet, i'll give that a shot tomorrow.



Oh yeah... Also, just so that i know i'm doing things right... Which direction should i be turning the manual hubs to disengage them? clockwise or counterclockwise??

There are no markings on them that would inicate which position is locked and which position is free...



[addsig]

 

[BobJ]

1044688

not sure about the hubs.. but if it's really stuck it's more important that you do it with the transmission not in gear.. the clutch has no bearing on the t-case if the transmission isn't in gear.[addsig]

 

[chinard]

1044709

I tried that thing with rolling it slowly forward in 1st and after a little coaxing, it popped out.



Its still a little tough, to pop in and out, but at least i know the trick now.



I take it that this is something that is common on older transfer cases... If so, is there anything that can be done with it to make it shift easier short of replacing the whole transfer case with a later model?



Oh yeah, and the question about the manual hubs is just for basic refference so that i can easily tell if they've been engaged or not.

My wheels and hubs are still stock and ive been turning them clockwise to engage, and counterclockwise to disengage... can anybody with an older CJ-7 with stock wheels/hubs confirm this?

[addsig]

 

[BobJ]

1044711

for the t-case they should sell a rebuild kit, or it might be something as simple as checking the fluid or sprating some lubricant on the shifter linkage.[addsig]

 

[jeepthrills]

1044725

you are correct in your assesment of the hubs. Clockwise is engaged and counter is disengaged. As far as the T-case being hard to shift, First you may want to change the fluid to something a little lighter like 75W/90, I have even heard of running SAE 30W in extreme cold. If you check with your service manuel you should see the correct weight oil to use depending on temp. Some will tell you that it shouldnt matter, but it does, Just like you change to a lighter engine oil in the winter, same for the T-case, and diffs too for that matter. Thinner oil may make the shifter easier to move, but the gentle coordination of clutch, 1st gear (I perfer reverse), and a little force to the handle is a good alternative.[addsig]

 

[chinard]

1044729

Cool... I'll have to check that tomorrow.



Where is it exactly that you check the transfer case oil on these things? Is it part of the main oil pan system, or does it have its own fluid supply?



Just wondering

[addsig]

 

[jprtroy]

1045000

Your transfer case will be the Dana 300. It's fill plug is located on the back side left of the output shaft. The drain is at the bottom. Yes, it has it's own fluid supply. As far as

making the T/C easier to shift, use will do that. The issue here is that most of the time the vehicle is on the road, and 4 wheel drive is hardly ever used. The more you use it the easier it'll get to shift (wears in)

I wish my T/C in my 82' CJ-5 was "tight again" She's my play toy, and she craves the rock's! She's built for the rocks now, (T18 with granny, ARB (R) power lok (F) welder, air, Warn 8274 winnch, 4:10's 4" susp, 2" bodylift, 33"BFG's and a few other things) My T/C has had some serious abuse, going over the Rubicon, the Duzy, Sierra Trek, over the past decade's. As you've discovered, when the shifter sticks, place the transmission in 1st, or 2nd, and start to roll forward, and as you start to moe , give the T/C a yank back, it'll pop out. The more you use it, the more comfortable you'll be using it, and, shifting it won't be as difficult for you then.

Glad to see ya using it. Do you know of any 4x4 clubs in your area? If so, contact them, I'm sure someone in the club would be glad to help you familarize yourself with the proper operation of your vehicle off road.

Have fun!

[addsig]

 

[83CJ7]

1045086

just wanna add some thoughts.

sometimes when I engage the hubs, I'll just reach under, grab the front drive shaft, and twist it till I feel it lock. if you have open diffs, you know you have both hubs locked then, if your transfer case is still in two-wheel or neutral.

I leave my hubs locked full time, then I can just "shift on the fly" in 4 high.

Before my twin stick, I found it engaged in 4x4 fine, but to pop it back to 2 hi, popping the clutch while downshifting and pushing up on the 4x4 lever at the same time(reading it, it sounds like a circus act, but its not that bad). Took some practice to make sure I didn't go all the way to neutral.

sometimes just pushing the clutch in, then dumping it in the same gear while pushing on the lever would work, or also just stabbing and letting off the gas, basically whatever it takes to get the load off the gears.

I have an '83 with the D300 case.

-keith[addsig]