2 Lo Write Up With Pics (1 Viewer)

There has been much talk of 2lo, and how to modify shift gate to attain a true 2 lo without first engageing the front axle via 4hi postition. I hoped someone would tell me exactly how to do it. But that never happend. If you are thinking 2lo would be useful(i have been using 4lo without the hubs engaged and have had no problems) This is an easy mod, takes about an hour depending on wich route you take.

You will need a ratchet, 10mm deep, 14mm deep, a flat screwdriver, a sharp knife(if you choose to not remove carpet), a vise or other way to secure transfer gate while bending.

Remove shift knob

Then you need to decide if you want to take the carpet out to get the transfer shift boot off, my carpet was stretched so tight I could not access the 4 bolts to remove. I opted to not remove the entire carpet, but rather made a small cut side to side about mid way front to back between the 2 shifters(pic 5) This gave me enough slack to get at the 10mm bolts. Remove 4 bolts, then upper and lower boots (keep oriented in same fashion, for reasembly)

next remove the 2 14mm bolts holding the shift gate to transfercase Start with the bottom bolt and lock washer located on the passenger side of transfer case, you can reach it through the hole, but is much easier from under the vehicle. remove the top bolt, putting transfer in 4HI makes it a bit easier..**NOTE** do not shift transfer lever after removing gate can come right off(I did and ended up back under neath hooking it back on )


take shift gate to vise I cut down the groove (with bimetal blade on my 14V cordless sawsall) to allow it more room to bend in picture #2 you can see how I bent it the first time, After test fitting I needed to bend quite a bit more. When testing I just installed the top bolt when inserting the shift gate it was easiest to tilt it twoards the back and hook the bottom then rotate forward. No other combintaion worked for me.
reinstall top bolt, thenl the bottom bolt and washer
picture 5 shows finsihed mod, note how far the tab is bent.

reinstalling shift boots turned out to be the hardest part of the job lining up the bottom boots holes with the top then getting 10mm bolt back in......Put shift knob back on.

tuck the carpet under the rubber lip and you are done. (flat screw dirver)

picture 5 shows finsihed job, you cannot tell where I cut the carpet.

very cool. so to shift into 2Lo you shift right then down?

what do you think the advantages of having 2Lo are?

will it work with a 62?

Actually you only have to shift over to the right..
With the taller tires, 2lo makes hill starts easier ( sometimes the only way to get going again) also most offroad stuff around here can be acomplished in 2lo no getting out and putting in the hubs. I included a picture of what the shift pattern looks like now

interesting. it is deff different with a 62

4Hi (or 2Hi if button off)
!
N
!
4Lo

My understanding is that on a 62 shifting into the low range of the transfer case switches the same mechanism as the pushbutton, therefore engaging 4wd. If you defeat that switch you should be able to obtain 2lo with 4wd only being controlled by the push button switch.

But I could be way wrong here.

good right up. i didnt have the carpet troubles you had and i was able to bend the tab using vice grips and then a prybar against the t-case. didnt take to much. wouldnt recommend it tho cause it felt like i would bend more than the tab if i tried any harder. anyway works great, use it all the time.

I started out trying to bend it attached with vise grips, but got a little worried when I was prying on the transfer with the pry bar. Funny I thought it could be done and you did it..

When I swapped clutches I just removed the whole bracket together..2lo is great I use it all the time.....its fun with a front line lock too.

Great Write up. Got up early this morning before work and did the mod in about 30 minutes. Luckily, the PO had cut each corner, above the bolts, just a tiny bit to allow a flathead screwdriver to lift up the carpet and take out the bolts.

Your advice about moving the lever while the bottom nut is off is well placed. Moved it by accident and had to work a little to get it back in. 2 lo is a lot of fun.

Not to hi-jack, but I do have a question: couild the shifter boots be pushing my t/c out of 4 hi? I took them off yesterday in anticipation of this and drove it a bit to check it out. Had no trouble staying in 4hi and lo. Just wondering.

thanks again for the write up.
tjg

Don't mess with modifing or bending the damn bracket. Just take it off and throw it away! The only purpose for the bracket is to keep you out of 2 low.

Mine came off more than 5 years ago.

If you take the bracket off, do you put the nut and washer back on the bottom to keep shift lever in place, if you don't it will come right off the transfer case.

So how is it possible to get 2lo just by modifying the bracket? So the stock T/C is actually four gears?

Not really four gears, but it shifts between high/low , 2wd/4wd, or if you modify the bracket it does any combination. The bracket was probably designed as a safety against a kid or drunk passenger from accidentally pulling it over to low while moving at speed.

PAFJ said:

So how is it possible to get 2lo just by modifying the bracket? So the stock T/C is actually four gears?

Click to expand...

What's the best option for obtaining 2Lo...remove the bracket or modify it. What...if any, are some reasons to not just take the bracket off, are there any drawbacks to removing it, or are you better off keeping it?

its more work to remove it...

I know several people that dont run it at all....including me.

import silvia said:

My understanding is that on a 62 shifting into the low range of the transfer case switches the same mechanism as the pushbutton, therefore engaging 4wd. If you defeat that switch you should be able to obtain 2lo with 4wd only being controlled by the push button switch.

But I could be way wrong here.

Click to expand...

You are correct, sir.

All you have to do is unplug the Lo Range detection switch on the transfer. Now you have 2LO, and you must use the dash button to shift in and out of 4WD.

Hey, I got a newb question for my new to me fj62, If I shift into 4lo on the shifter it engages the front drive shaft, correct? Becuase the vacumm shift button is shot according to the PO. I never ever use high range 4wd so I am hoping the 4lo engages the front drive shaft...

lowtideride, Yes when you shift it into 4L it engages the front drive shaft. Unless the hubs are locked though, the front axles will not be locked to the front drive shaft. But you probably knew that. The H4 is just a weaker version of L4 or I at least I think thats right

Sweet, cause I am not fixing the vac button for a very very long time then.

thanks for the info.