Transfer case won't shift into low

[chicklin]

Anybody else have this problem? I've searched extensively on here and either couldn't find the same problem or, those that did, never posted a resolution.

It will shift from HIGH to NEUTRAL and back with no problems and does not pop out of gear. But, I can't get it to shift into LOW, regardless of whether or not I'm moving. It feels like it's binding up or bumping into something in the way.

I could maybe understand syncros being worn, but with the truck shut off and the transmission in neutral, it will not shift.

I wonder if years and years of running in HIGH have caused the shift rail or something else to rust or corrode, not allowing it to slide into LOW. I thought I might try and tap on the shift rail a little to see if it will go.

Any ideas?

 

[Stagg]

Is this problem contagious? I just drove my truck from Ohio to KC, and when I got there my transfer case wouldn't shift out of High either!
I heard a "clunck" sound the previous day, but it didn't sound like anything broke. I had figured the linkage jammed, but haven't really look underneath, yet.

 

[chicklin]

Let me know if you figure anything out. My last truck did the exact same thing but I never figured it out before it got sold.

 

[73m819]

Anybody else have this problem? I've searched extensively on here and either couldn't find the same problem or, those that did, never posted a resolution.
Any ideas?

This one of the major problems of search, we really need to say how we fixed a problem besides asking for help ,by giving a fix the others after will see the fix , a lot less asks for help on the same subject

 

[hoop]

Mine did that at first....Swaped out for an air shift.
When I took it apart one of the bearings had come apart and one of the balls had lodged itself into one of the shafts, glad I did not try and force it into low....It would have never gone back into high range.

 

[Aswayze]

Yuck, that doesn't sound like fun...

We're going to look into Staggs truck here in Kansas City this coming saturday during one of our gang maintenance fests in addition to doing some axle seals and general maintenance tasks prior to him running the rest of the way out to Ft. Riley with it. Hopefully, it will be something fairly straight forward.

We'll keep you posted.

 

[chicklin]

Would love to hear what you find out. Disintegrating bearings doesn't sound fun.

 

[wbdodgeiv]

You can diagnose a lot from the top if you take the small 4 bolt cover off the top, be careful the detent spring can go flying. You should be able to see why it wont shift.

When you say stuck, does the fork move at all? Some times the detent ball can get stuck and you can't get the fork to move, there should be some clearance between the fork and the carrier, with the detent ball removed it should easily slide to and fro.

 

[Brad Nitzke]

i herd something that there is a pin or something that can get shoved over some how and block it from going in to low. Just somethin i was told. dont know if its true, but its an idea of what might be wrong.

And dont make fun of me if im wrong, im only 16

 

[chicklin]

You can diagnose a lot from the top if you take the small 4 bolt cover off the top, be careful the detent spring can go flying. You should be able to see why it wont shift.

When you say stuck, does the fork move at all? Some times the detent ball can get stuck and you can't get the fork to move, there should be some clearance between the fork and the carrier, with the detent ball removed it should easily slide to and fro.

Mine is not really stuck. It shifts from HIGH to NEUTRAL easily, it just won't go into LOW. I'll take that top cover off next and see what's going on.

 

[chicklin]

i herd something that there is a pin or something that can get shoved over some how and block it from going in to low. Just somethin i was told. dont know if its true, but its an idea of what might be wrong.

And dont make fun of me if im wrong, im only 16

Your guess is as good as mine. I'll try and take pics if I figure out what the problem is.

 

[chicklin]

Did a little investigation, although it is too **** hot to do much. Pulled the top cover on the t-case to check out the linkage. Although you can't see much, everything looks fine. The safety wire is all in place and the shift rod slides smoothly into HIGH and NEUTRAL.

I wonder about that spring/ball detent. If that thing was stuck somehow, I guess it could keep the shaft from sliding forward any further. But, with the top cover off, the pressure is off of the spring so there should be nothing holding the ball in place and it should slide forward unimpeded. This leads me to believe that the shift fork is what's holding it back, but there's really no way to tell from the top.

I'm going to change the t-case fluid, anyway. Is there any chance I can get that front cover off while it's in the truck?

 

[chicklin]

How about this.....what if I take the set screw out so the shifter shaft slides freely inside the clutch fork? Then I'll know for sure if the spring/ball detent deal is an issue.

 

[chicklin]

Okay, took the set screw out and the shift rail slides easily into all three positions. Crap.

What could be blocking the shift fork down below? I looked at the parts diagram, but it's hard to tell exactly what the fork would encounter first. Is it possible that a syncro or gear could just be stuck from not having been shifted into LOW for many years?

 

[chicklin]

What about a woodruff key popped up out of its slot?

 

[wbdodgeiv]

I'm going to change the t-case fluid, anyway. Is there any chance I can get that front cover off while it's in the truck?

Having made 1 xfer case from 3, I would not take it apart in place. The level of disassembly required would not make it worth while.

There isn't really anything that should keep it from going into gear, usually you have the opposite problem where is pops out of gear. If you have a bad syncro, you could try putting some pressure on the lever and then easing the clutch out and see if it slips into place.

 

[chicklin]

I tried that a bit when I first noticed it. I can feel the teeth try to grab and it will even move the truck a little. I suppose that's the syncro "catching". But it won't engage all the way.

Is there anything that could've dislodged in there that is blocking the travel of the slider gear/clutch fork?

 

[chicklin]

Well, I changed the fluid to see what might come out of there. Does this look like a problem to you guys?

Anybody got a transfer case near Kansas City, MO?

 

[hoop]

That's what I found also...Just keep it in High range untill you get a new x-case.

 

[Aswayze]

We "lucked out" with Stagg's this weekend. Took the top off, everything looks good, changed the oil, nothing came out, put it back together, filled it back up and...

It's fine now... Shifts perfectly. We didn't really "do" anything so I am still suspicious.