Grinding noise when going in to 4 low

PnchoPwr · 07-21-2005, 12:34 PM

I was messing around with my 4wd the other day because I just got my jeep a few weeks ago, and haven't really messed with it yet. Well I shifted the t-case down to 4 low, and it was grinding really bad, I tried it with the tranny in park, neutral and drive. When I got the t-case shifter into 4 low, the 4wd was not engaged, the jeep just rolled backwards (parked on hill). I also don't know if it works in 4 high either, but, when I shift into 4 high it will move under it's own power. Also there was no light on the dash that said anything.

I put it in 4 high and drove around in a circle slowly to see if it had engaged, but it didn't really feel like it.

Vehicle specs, 86 xj, 2.5 liter, 3 spd auto, command trac 4wd

Just need to know if there is anything I can check before yanking out the t-case and going through it.

XJ99 · 07-21-2005, 01:05 PM

Since you have the command trac make sure your in dirt when you engage 4 wheel drive. Also you can shift into 4hi while in drive. To shift into 4lo you have to put it in Neutral, while rolling 3 MPHs shift into 4lo..

XJ99 · 07-21-2005, 01:12 PM

Here ya go:

HTH

anony91xj · 07-21-2005, 03:08 PM

Sounds to me like you got the Tcase into Neutral, not 4LOW. The grinding was happening because the Jeep was moving too fast, or tranny was in D, or something else was outta whack and the gears weren't meshing properly. Do as the manual says, rolling under 3mph with trans in N, it should slide right into 4LOW.

PnchoPwr · 07-21-2005, 05:03 PM

I tested it going into 4 low at a dead stop. What I get from the manual is I HAVE to be moving to put it in 4 low, is this correct. If that's the case then ok, I will try that, The other 4wd vehicles I had you had to be at a stop to engage 4 low.

ktmracer419 · 07-21-2005, 06:30 PM

same thing happened to me and it turns out the t-case linkage was way off, actually i just got done fixing it about 15-20 minutes ago.

the haynes manual i have says it best, but i will try my best to explain it

first off u gotta pull the lever back into 4-lo, then u gotta get under the jeep and on the linkage there will be a 13mm lock bolt securing a rod, you have to loosen the bolt which should allow the rod to move freely, and you have to slide the rod so it fits nice n' freely.

or in the terms of the manual- "loosen the lock bolt on the trunnion and adjust the rod so it fits freely in the trunnion and the shift lever"

it sounds like it would take 10 minutes, but it took a couple hours due to the trunnion being rusted to the rod, but i got it lossened and it works perfectly now.

good luck

XJ99 · 07-21-2005, 08:25 PM

If it still doesn't go in look at the linkage...

PnchoPwr · 07-21-2005, 10:14 PM

I will take a look at the linkage this weekend if it isn't so damn hot out. Got my lift sitting in my garage, but it's just been to hot latley to work on the Jeep.

AMK · 07-21-2005, 10:51 PM

No light on the dash when the shifter is in a four wheel drive setting tells me there is a vacuum leak somewhere. Even with the transfer case in a four wheel drive setting, it is likely that your front axle will still be disconnected, but that does not explain why it will not go into 4Lo.

Do a search for "vacuum disconnect", "vacuum problem", or something similar and you will get various solutions to either fix the vacuum problem or bypass it completely -- I recommend the latter.