Builds 1988 BJ74 “Number 1” (7 Viewers)
- Thread starter FJBen
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FJBen
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- Thread starter
- #643
H55f 5th gear extension housing. Looked like some leaking there. The Sumo tcase rebuild kit has the gaskets for this. Pretty easy to pop off. You pull the 5th gear decent ball/spring and tap it off. clean up, gasket and sealant back on. Lining up the 5th gear shifter was a little bit of a pain but i did get it after about 15 mins.
the front half of the t-case is on. I didn’t have silicon FIPG for the idler shaft o rings so I decided to stop there for the night and get some tomorrow.
this has a tcase/tranny hose for when the seal blows out. Any thoughts on leaving that in for insurance or just pull it off and don’t use it?
the front half of the t-case is on. I didn’t have silicon FIPG for the idler shaft o rings so I decided to stop there for the night and get some tomorrow.
this has a tcase/tranny hose for when the seal blows out. Any thoughts on leaving that in for insurance or just pull it off and don’t use it?
Last edited:
PabloCruise
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Should we take a stab at this tonight?
So did you just pull the skid plate and disassemble this off the back of the tranny while still in the truck? And is that how you're re-assembling it? Pretty straightforward?
FJBen
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- Thread starter
- #647
Correct, dropped skid plate, pulled driveshafts and started taking the TCase apart. I was told it’s easier to rebuild it by dropping tranny/tcase together and working on a bench, and I believe it...but I just don't have the tools/space/ability at this point. Last time I pulled the tranny/tcase to fix the input seal on the H55f, that was a pain and took a bit to line it all back up and install myself.
Hindsight always 20/20, I should have rebuilt the case then. It lasted another 5,000 miles until it started leaking, but sure would have saved me all this right now and been easier.
So far it's been very straight forward. It would be much easier if I weren't doing it away from my shop and full tools, but it's been good. I have a feeling the hardest part is coming with lining up the high/low shift lever though.
before cleaning up.
Good stuff. My transfer case is currently lubricating the entire underside of my truck... and it's worsening. I'm debating an on-truck reseal vs. going "all-in". All-in would be remove bell housing, tranny, transfer case... and replace rear main seal, resurface flywheel, replace clutch, reseal tranny, reseal/rebuild transfer case.
Given my trucks history, "all-in" seems smart... but an on-truck reseal will get done much sooner...
Given my trucks history, "all-in" seems smart... but an on-truck reseal will get done much sooner...
FJBen
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- Thread starter
- #649
All-in is the smart move. I guess it depends on how bad the other issues are and how you feel about rebuilding re/sealing the tcase 2 times? Add to that list you might need d-shafts/u-joints and possibly find a pinion seal leaking a little
I "probably" should have resealed/rebuilt the H55f, but it shifts fine, my clutch is new, rear main is new. With the miles on my H55f, it's probably better to just replace with new, and thats just not in the cards right now, which is why I decided to just redo the t-case.
FJBen
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- Thread starter
- #650
@PabloCruise came over again and we worked on it. Huge thanks my man! 
Good to catch up, chew the fat and wrench.
Had a few little gotchas putting the rear case on. I was watching @orangefj45 rebuild video on the split case making sure I didn't mess anything up.
#1 His video doesn't show a PTO gear on the case. Mine has one, and the manual is, lets just say less than clear on which way the PTO gear faces. Well, in a 50/50 guess, it was wrong. After getting that shifter finally lined up and putting the case on with a few bolts, it became clear it was binding and would tighten up. The culprit, the PTO gear needed flipped. Once we did that the case slid on much nicer and sealed all the way.
#2 getting the H/N/L shifter lined up took a little monkeying around, but wasn't too bad. Being under the vehicle, an extra set of hands really helped with this.
#3 Make sure to spin after each step, helps catch if something is binding or wrong.
#4 The kit has parts/seals for a manual shift t-case as well, no you aren't forgetting anything
Slight moment of panic.
The hard part of this is all done. Now it's just rear main shaft support bearing, cover that, PTO cover and check pre-load, fill, driveshafts then test drive. I'm going to finish cleaning some of that hard dirt off of the bottom of the case, really a hot/tank/vapor clean would have been the best idea.
Good to catch up, chew the fat and wrench.
Had a few little gotchas putting the rear case on. I was watching @orangefj45 rebuild video on the split case making sure I didn't mess anything up.
#1 His video doesn't show a PTO gear on the case. Mine has one, and the manual is, lets just say less than clear on which way the PTO gear faces. Well, in a 50/50 guess, it was wrong. After getting that shifter finally lined up and putting the case on with a few bolts, it became clear it was binding and would tighten up. The culprit, the PTO gear needed flipped. Once we did that the case slid on much nicer and sealed all the way.
#2 getting the H/N/L shifter lined up took a little monkeying around, but wasn't too bad. Being under the vehicle, an extra set of hands really helped with this.
#3 Make sure to spin after each step, helps catch if something is binding or wrong.
#4 The kit has parts/seals for a manual shift t-case as well, no you aren't forgetting anything
Slight moment of panic. The hard part of this is all done. Now it's just rear main shaft support bearing, cover that, PTO cover and check pre-load, fill, driveshafts then test drive. I'm going to finish cleaning some of that hard dirt off of the bottom of the case, really a hot/tank/vapor clean would have been the best idea.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Great work man!
PabloCruise
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Let’s fix that intake leak!
And then new tires...
FJBen
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- Thread starter
- #654
@PabloCruise cam and helped again, thanks man!
got her all back together. Only thing left to do is fill with oil, but I’m waiting until tomorrow to let some seaLant cure more. Preload seems alright, checked with scale. Some of the videos we watched were a little vague but I think we got it.
issues:
front driveshaft is done. Needs rebuilt, the slip is really sloppy. It’s on the future list, $350 for shop to rebuild, I’ll see if I can find a used one in better shape. It will work fine for now, not like I’m running over 45 in 4wd at the moment.
4wd light stays on. Pretty sure the sensor bit the dust or has something on it. 4wd works as it should, push the button and front driveshaft doesn’t spin. Push off 4wd button, you can spin front driveshaft. Unhook sensor, light goes out and you can still push button on/off and 4wd works.
real test will be tomorrow’a test drive.
got her all back together. Only thing left to do is fill with oil, but I’m waiting until tomorrow to let some seaLant cure more. Preload seems alright, checked with scale. Some of the videos we watched were a little vague but I think we got it.
issues:
front driveshaft is done. Needs rebuilt, the slip is really sloppy. It’s on the future list, $350 for shop to rebuild, I’ll see if I can find a used one in better shape. It will work fine for now, not like I’m running over 45 in 4wd at the moment.
4wd light stays on. Pretty sure the sensor bit the dust or has something on it. 4wd works as it should, push the button and front driveshaft doesn’t spin. Push off 4wd button, you can spin front driveshaft. Unhook sensor, light goes out and you can still push button on/off and 4wd works.
real test will be tomorrow’a test drive.
FJBen
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- Thread starter
- #655
Test drive this morning. All seems well. 
Colorado is pretty clear this morning, the drive was nice. No leaks as of yet. Everything feels smooth in the t-case, shifts in and out of low just fine. Oh, and the 4WD went out as soon as I backed down the driveway.
Light now working properly.
A few takeaways,
Rebuilding while still in the truck wasn't that bad at all. I would have no issues doing this again and felt like it was easier than dropping the tranny/tcase together. However, if you need to pull tranny, rear main, clutch any of that and you have no idea when t-case was rebuilt, I'd rebuild the t-case
If it's dirty, it's worth it to hot tank/vapor blast it. I spent a lot of time cleaning, and it still needs finished some, I was over it.
The pressing bearings OFF of the main shaft was a bit of a pain. We didn't have the right puller so it took a little longer and creativity to get them off. The right tool would have made this a few minute job.
Colorado is pretty clear this morning, the drive was nice. No leaks as of yet. Everything feels smooth in the t-case, shifts in and out of low just fine. Oh, and the 4WD went out as soon as I backed down the driveway.
Light now working properly. A few takeaways,
Rebuilding while still in the truck wasn't that bad at all. I would have no issues doing this again and felt like it was easier than dropping the tranny/tcase together. However, if you need to pull tranny, rear main, clutch any of that and you have no idea when t-case was rebuilt, I'd rebuild the t-case
If it's dirty, it's worth it to hot tank/vapor blast it. I spent a lot of time cleaning, and it still needs finished some, I was over it.
The pressing bearings OFF of the main shaft was a bit of a pain. We didn't have the right puller so it took a little longer and creativity to get them off. The right tool would have made this a few minute job.
Test drive this morning. All seems well.
Colorado is pretty clear this morning, the drive was nice. No leaks as of yet. Everything feels smooth in the t-case, shifts in and out of low just fine. Oh, and the 4WD went out as soon as I backed down the driveway.
A few takeaways,
Rebuilding while still in the truck wasn't that bad at all. I would have no issues doing this again and felt like it was easier than dropping the tranny/tcase together. However, if you need to pull tranny, rear main, clutch any of that and you have no idea when t-case was rebuilt, I'd rebuild the t-case
If it's dirty, it's worth it to hot tank/vapor blast it. I spent a lot of time cleaning, and it still needs finished some, I was over it.
The pressing bearings OFF of the main shaft was a bit of a pain. We didn't have the right puller so it took a little longer and creativity to get them off. The right tool would have made this a few minute job.
View attachment 2464225
Great summary... I've been watching attentively. I need to just commit to getting this done.
Good to see you back on the road in CO where you belong.
FJBen
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #657
Great summary... I've been watching attentively. I need to just commit to getting this done.
Good to see you back on the road in CO where you belong.
Thanks! I will say it's pretty straight forward and not hard at all to do. Minimal tools can get the job done, an extra set of hands is helpful when lining the shift fork back up, but not necessarily needed. If you don't have a press or the right puller, just find a machine shop and give them the specs, super easy for them to knock out. Other than that, most of the time was cleaning, reading, double checking, watching videos. Honestly hoping I don't have to touch this for A LONG time.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Test drive this morning. All seems well.
Colorado is pretty clear this morning, the drive was nice. No leaks as of yet. Everything feels smooth in the t-case, shifts in and out of low just fine. Oh, and the 4WD went out as soon as I backed down the driveway.
A few takeaways,
Rebuilding while still in the truck wasn't that bad at all. I would have no issues doing this again and felt like it was easier than dropping the tranny/tcase together. However, if you need to pull tranny, rear main, clutch any of that and you have no idea when t-case was rebuilt, I'd rebuild the t-case
If it's dirty, it's worth it to hot tank/vapor blast it. I spent a lot of time cleaning, and it still needs finished some, I was over it.
The pressing bearings OFF of the main shaft was a bit of a pain. We didn't have the right puller so it took a little longer and creativity to get them off. The right tool would have made this a few minute job.
View attachment 2464225
Ah yiss! Good to see that 74 back on the road!
And the 4WD light is behaving again - Win!
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
