shifting tranny into neutral before engaging 4 wheel drive?

USA_PRIDE · 05-14-2005, 09:44 AM

i did a search and got a bunch of mixed thoughts, but they were not for the cherokee. new owner of a 2000 cherokee limited

my ? is do you have to shift the tranny into neutral before engaging any of the 4 wheel drive gears, the reason i ask is i drove a suburban that had push button select 4x4 and you had to put the tranny into neutral first.

i gatherd from the manual that you should never engage any 4x4 gears from a complete stop, is this true...

thanks for any help

Magic2979 · 05-14-2005, 09:56 AM

you have to swith into nuetral if you want to go into 4Lo.. but going from 2HI to 4hi can be done while moving..

Scrub · 05-14-2005, 10:53 AM

well it is much easier to shift into 4HI while your driving, as long as your not going over 55 or so, now 4lo should only be done whileeither stopped or moving very slowly (I.E. 1-3mph) and with the transmission in neutral.

-Matt-

USA_PRIDE · 05-14-2005, 11:12 AM

thanks guys that clears a few things up

**XJ99** · 05-14-2005, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrub2k

4lo should only be done whileeither stopped or moving very slowly (I.E. 1-3mph) and with the transmission in neutral.

-Matt-

I have never been able to get mine to go into 4 LO while stopped. I always have to be rolling in neutral to get it into 4 LO........... NP231, command trac...

wipedawg · 05-14-2005, 12:20 PM

depends on where you are trying to engage 4lo.. usually on flat ground i can engage it completely stopped.. but if i'm on a incline or decline.. i usually hafta roll a little.

But yes going into 4hi can be done on the fly.

**XJ99** · 05-14-2005, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wipedawg

depends on where you are trying to engage 4lo.. usually on flat ground i can engage it completely stopped.. but if i'm on a incline or decline.. i usually hafta roll a little.

But yes going into 4hi can be done on the fly.

I've tried shifting into 4 LO while on level ground, and it won't go. As soon as I start rolling I can get it to go in..

Maybe my Jeep is retarded?

XJ-NoDough · 05-14-2005, 01:21 PM

Could it be that because it is partially vacuum actuated that while sitting still you don't have enough pressure to do it? Because mine is the same way, the physical aspect of 4Lo likes to be done at a stop or very slow/ and in neutral. But needs to be rolling for the light to light up and for the front end to engage.

peeweeXJ · 05-14-2005, 02:41 PM

If you are stopped, and attempt to go into 4-lo, it is likely that the teeth are not aligned properly, and will not mesh together. It is best to go into 4-lo at a slight roll.

ta325 · 05-14-2005, 03:00 PM

Make sure you crank back on shifter hard and dont pause in nuetral(t-case) on the way to 4-lo

Fucy · 05-14-2005, 04:52 PM

I dunno what my tcase is but, I can drop it into 4 hi either stopped or rolling in neutral, ive put it into 4lo while stopped, but I have more trouble when stopped and trying to drop it in 4lo so my new trick is to just shut the jeep off then shift it into 4lo and it works with no grinding.

**XJ99** · 05-14-2005, 05:29 PM

I've never tried shutting the Jeep off first. I'll have to give that a try..

badron · 05-14-2005, 06:57 PM

-------------------------------------------
I have never been able to get mine to go into 4 LO while stopped. I always have to be rolling in neutral to get it into 4 LO........... NP231, command trac...
---------------------------------------------
Some times as you put a few miles on the transfer they seem to loosen up a little and just go into 4LO a little easier.
Mine did from the factory, some don't.

R Robinson

05-14-2005, 09:56 AM	#2
Magic2979 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Mass Posts: 776 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	you have to swith into nuetral if you want to go into 4Lo.. but going from 2HI to 4hi can be done while moving.. __________________ MY XJ Wheeling videos [URL=http://videos.streetfire.net/Player.aspx?fileid=0E5262C3-7BEE-4C87-9D80-97C69B36E2B1]Me and F-150[/URL] 2000 Cherokee//3" lift 34s 1988 Cherokee- street xj project

05-14-2005, 10:53 AM	#3
Scrub Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sparks Nevada Posts: 559 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	well it is much easier to shift into 4HI while your driving, as long as your not going over 55 or so, now 4lo should only be done whileeither stopped or moving very slowly (I.E. 1-3mph) and with the transmission in neutral. -Matt- __________________ 89 XJ 4door - Limited - AW4 - NP231 - 180K - 31's - About 5" Lift - Trimmed Red Jeep Club Member #275

05-14-2005, 12:20 PM	#6
wipedawg Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 1,990 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	depends on where you are trying to engage 4lo.. usually on flat ground i can engage it completely stopped.. but if i'm on a incline or decline.. i usually hafta roll a little. But yes going into 4hi can be done on the fly. __________________ Silver Jeep Club Member # 829.3 6 in lift, 35" Interco Trxus MT's, long armed, Bushwacker cut-out flares, Skyjacker coils(powdercoated grey), RE 4.5 extreme duty leaf packs, Tera 1.5in shackles, AJ's Superrails, AA SYE, TW DS, Blacked out all around. and a buncha RE trackbar stuff, and the infamous ZJ tierod :)

05-14-2005, 01:21 PM	#8
XJ-NoDough Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Four corners--Eugene, Oregon Posts: 1,688 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	Could it be that because it is partially vacuum actuated that while sitting still you don't have enough pressure to do it? Because mine is the same way, the physical aspect of 4Lo likes to be done at a stop or very slow/ and in neutral. But needs to be rolling for the light to light up and for the front end to engage. __________________ [SIZE=2][B][COLOR=Blue][B]My DD '89 XJ Limited 204,XXX miles Leather, Loaded[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=Red][B]4L Selec-trac[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=White][B]Automatic[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=Red][B]3"-4.5"ish Homebrew lift[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=White][B]16x8 MB Motoring Rockers[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=Red][B]265/75R16(31[SIZE="1"]ish[/SIZE]"X10.4") Goodyear Wrangler M/TRs[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=White][B]Trimmed w/ Bushwackers[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=Red][B]Stock 3:55 gears[/B][/COLOR][/B][/SIZE] [B][COLOR=White]sans big audio[/COLOR][/B] [B][COLOR=Red]Homebrew intake w/cone filter[/COLOR][/B] "Some people are like a slinky... Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs." :my dad

05-14-2005, 04:52 PM	#11
Fucy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pahrump, NV Posts: 88 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	I dunno what my tcase is but, I can drop it into 4 hi either stopped or rolling in neutral, ive put it into 4lo while stopped, but I have more trouble when stopped and trying to drop it in 4lo so my new trick is to just shut the jeep off then shift it into 4lo and it works with no grinding. __________________ 86' Jeep Wagoneer 4x4 v6 2.8L All Stock "For every Browie made, there's a Browie to be earned"

05-14-2005, 06:57 PM	#13
badron Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 456 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	------------------------------------------- I have never been able to get mine to go into 4 LO while stopped. I always have to be rolling in neutral to get it into 4 LO........... NP231, command trac... --------------------------------------------- Some times as you put a few miles on the transfer they seem to loosen up a little and just go into 4LO a little easier. Mine did from the factory, some don't. R Robinson

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