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JK Transfer Case is the biggest pain in the ***...

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#21 ·
:D thats everso true and I've been doing it for 35 years, it's got nothing to do with the brake--just R/D/R/D/R-BINGO you're out !!

him said:
It really shouldn't take much force if you are in neutral.

That would suck. How are you going to rock to get moving in snow or the like if you've got to hit the brakes? The only semi-reasonable argument I've ever heard for an automatic transmission is that they are easier to rock back and forth in snow.
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:laugh::laugh: JIMBO
 
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#23 ·
I had problems going to 4-LO when I first got mine, but that was because I was doing it wrong.

Maybe I am just not getting what you are saying so don't get offended. It's hard to explain stuff with just words. If you're stopped its hard to get into and out of 4-LO regardless if you have problems with your transfer case. Sure you can get lucky and everything aligns right but its the meshing of the gears in rotation that changes your vehicles operating conditions. Your transmission lever should be in N, then shift your transfer case lever from 4H to 4L. I really don't know why there is a N position on the transfer case maybe someone more knowledgeable than I can explain it. I don't see any purpose for it other than confusing people as to what lever should be in N.

Anyways, I have no problems doing it now. You may have some grinding until you can feel what slow roll speed for your vehicle allows you to shift smoothly. Just practice wheeling it, or go with someone who knows what they are doing to watch you.
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
1222 said:
For me, I just put it in neutral while at a stop and then firmly put it in 4low. If for some reason I didn't quite get it shifted all the way then it will grind. In that case I just wait for the rpms to return too normal and give it another try.
:cheers2:
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absolutely 0 chance of going into or out of 4-lo when stopped for me...

If you miss and get stuck at neutral, ur gonna get some serious grinding to get it back to 4wd or 4-lo.

Every time i go to 4-lo, it just feels like im doing damage to the t-case.

Coming from a KK that has the nice electronic transfer...
 
#26 ·
Sandlapper3396 said:
I really don't know why there is a N position on the transfer case maybe someone more knowledgeable than I can explain it. I don't see any purpose for it other than confusing people as to what lever should be in N.
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You need 'N' if you want to tow the Jeep behind another vehicle, like an RV.
 
#28 ·
:rolleyes: Whats the use of flying in an airliner, witout a parachute???

If you'd thought ahead, you wouldn't have been stuck in the first place-

Choose your TC range BEFORE you take any chances !!

:laugh::laugh: JIMBO
 
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#29 ·
It's relatively easy to get it to go in 4-lo it jsut takes some practice. It took me one or two wheeling trips to get it right mostly because I was used to the electronic pushbutton engagement of my old rig. The trick I found to going into 4-lo is to have the trans in neutral while rolling very very slowly and then in one smooth motion go go from 2hi to 4lo, but you have to be firm with the shift lever...you gotta move it like ya mean it. It pops right in for me every time with no grinding whatsoever but I need to be moving ever so slightly for it to do so, it will not engage smoothly when I'm stopped. I never have the need to go from 4hi to 4low b/c pretty much all of my wheeling is done in 4lo.
 
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Discussion starter · #30 ·
SlvrJK08 said:
It's relatively easy to get it to go in 4-lo it jsut takes some practice. It took me one or two wheeling trips to get it right mostly because I was used to the electronic pushbutton engagement of my old rig. The trick I found to going into 4-lo is to have the trans in neutral while rolling very very slowly and then in one smooth motion go go from 2hi to 4lo, but you have to be firm with the shift lever...you gotta move it like ya mean it. It pops right in for me every time with no grinding whatsoever but I need to be moving ever so slightly for it to do so, it will not engage smoothly when I'm stopped. I never have the need to go from 4hi to 4low b/c pretty much all of my wheeling is done in 4lo.
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It always makes a quick burp type noise no matter how smoothly i throw it into 4-lo.

Getting out of 4-lo, takes a lot of force.
 
#31 ·
jstrubberg said:
Ok.

So what's the use of a TC that I can't get into 4LO when I am STUCK??

I'm amazed at what people will put up with and call "normal".
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I'm a little puzzled by something. Several things actually.

1) Why do you think it is abnormal/a unique property of this transfer case?

Every transfer case from the simplest manual shift TC to the fanciest electronic TC has the same limitation...if the gears aren't aligned to mesh, the gear teeth will interfere and block the shift. That's why every one of them recommends rolling forward at about 2.5MPH to shift the TC.

2) Why do you think you can't get into 4lo when stuck?

The only thing that stops the TC from going into 4lo is the gears being misaligned. The correction for misaligned gears is to spin the drive train a little further forward. Normally that would involve rolling forward but it can be done while stuck as well.

3) Why would you switch to 4lo if you are stuck?

If conditions called for 4lo you would already be in 4lo. If they don't, switching to 4lo won't unstick you.

To answer your question, though....

1) It can be used as a granny low for starting heavy loads.

In many cases the low speed gearing of the TC is considered a working gear, not a special "recover me" setting.

2) It can be used to slow the useful speed range of the vehicle when higher speeds would result in damage or loss of control.

With my Rubicon the useful speed range is about 2.5 to 90 MPH in normal circumstances. With 4lo that becomes 0.625 to 22.5. There are many roads, not to mention trails, washes, etc, where even 2.5mph is faster than my suspension can safely handle.

3) It can help align the power band of the engine with appropriate travel speeds.

This is useful for climbing hills and other power-intensive applications.

Need I go on?
 
#32 ·
JFD140 said:
It always makes a quick burp type noise no matter how smoothly i throw it into 4-lo.

Getting out of 4-lo, takes a lot of force.
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Hmm that's interesting. Like I said it took me a little while to perfect the motion and method of getting it to go in and out w/o grinding. The key with mine at least was to have the trans in neutral while rolling ever so slowly.
 
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#34 ·
him said:
I'm a little puzzled by something. Several things actually.

1) Why do you think it is abnormal/a unique property of this transfer case?

Every transfer case from the simplest manual shift TC to the fanciest electronic TC has the same limitation...if the gears aren't aligned to mesh, the gear teeth will interfere and block the shift. That's why every one of them recommends rolling forward at about 2.5MPH to shift the TC.

2) Why do you think you can't get into 4lo when stuck?

The only thing that stops the TC from going into 4lo is the gears being misaligned. The correction for misaligned gears is to spin the drive train a little further forward. Normally that would involve rolling forward but it can be done while stuck as well.

3) Why would you switch to 4lo if you are stuck?

If conditions called for 4lo you would already be in 4lo. If they don't, switching to 4lo won't unstick you.

To answer your question, though....

1) It can be used as a granny low for starting heavy loads.

In many cases the low speed gearing of the TC is considered a working gear, not a special "recover me" setting.

2) It can be used to slow the useful speed range of the vehicle when higher speeds would result in damage or loss of control.

With my Rubicon the useful speed range is about 2.5 to 90 MPH in normal circumstances. With 4lo that becomes 0.625 to 22.5. There are many roads, not to mention trails, washes, etc, where even 2.5mph is faster than my suspension can safely handle.

3) It can help align the power band of the engine with appropriate travel speeds.

This is useful for climbing hills and other power-intensive applications.

Need I go on?
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:tea: Well said.
 
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#36 ·
JFD140 said:
i guess i should... i hate leaving it at the damn dealer.
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No kidding. It sucks, especially without a loaner.

I put it in and out of 4-lo at least 30-40 times and its no different...

it shouldnt make that burp type grind noise when it catches i assume...
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Shouldn't but can.

Between 4H and 4L at very low speed or stopped it *should* go in without any burp, but it's easy to mess that up. Even the push-button systems can grind and clunk. However, if you shift the transmission to neutral and coast along (feet on the floor) it shouldn't be hard to shift out of 4L.

Are you still having problems shifting to 4H while stopped? You should be able to click it into 4H at anything from a dead stop to 55+MPH without any hitches.
 
#37 ·
JFD140 said:
i guess i should... i hate leaving it at the damn dealer.
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Isn't there anyone around you with a Jeep....a Jeep Club....someone from this forum....that can check out your Jeep and your technique?
 
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#38 ·
Gotta be honest - Whether or not I can get into 4-Lo is not on the top 10 things I worry about while on the trails or in the snow. I've never had a problem. In fact, I prefer to be completely stopped, as opposed to rolling slowly, in order to eliminate the potential for gear grind.

Seriously, I usually come to a stop, push the clutch, and pull down to 4-Lo. With an Automatic, make sure the transmission is in neutral.
 
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#39 ·
I guess I've been lucky with mine. None of the mention problems, and in this case in particular, I have had no issues in going from 2 hi to 4 hi to 4 lo from a stop. If you want to meet and check it out, let me know.
 
#40 ·
JFD140 said:
absolutely 0 chance of going into or out of 4-lo when stopped for me...

If you miss and get stuck at neutral, ur gonna get some serious grinding to get it back to 4wd or 4-lo.
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If you can't move the Jeep to align the gears, move the other side of the TC:

1) Start with the TC and transmission both in neutral
2) Shift transmission to drive
3) Shift transmission to neutral
4) Pause so the shaft between the transmission and TC stops spinning
5) Shift to 4-Lo or 4-Hi
6) Repeat 1-5 if the gears are still not lined up.

This procedure has never failed for me when the vehicle is stopped.
 
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