86 60 won't go into 4LO

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7

72RatCamaro

10 Year 15 Year
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Jan 27, 2009
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So I purchased my 86 this weekend and it won't go into Nuetral or 4LO on the transfer case. It will hit 4hi but not 4lo. Any Ideas? And I will get pictures of it up eventually. Gotta wax it to fully show off the rust.
 
Are you saying that it if you crawl under the truck and try to push the shift lever into neutral or 4 low it won't go? Does the lever move? If the shift lever moves but the truck does not shift, then the problem may be that the high and low inner lever has slipped down and is not engaged with the shift fork.

If this is the problem you might be able to loosen the clamp and pull up on the shift lever to engage the slot in the shift fork, but don't drop the lever into the transfer case.
transfer linkage 2..webp
 
I can't physically move the lever over into the N or 4LO position. Its like it is being blocked...I tried muscling it and just forcing it to no result. I think it would work if I could just get it over into the gear.
 
Looks like it's time to climb under the rig and see what's going on.
 
Climbed under it last night and not sure what I should see. It looks like there is a lever blocking the shifter from moving to the right. Does anyone have a picture of what I should be looking for?
 
FWIW, the xfer case shifter in the 1984 FJ60 I owned was very hard to shift. It sounds as though you have tried brute force on yours. That one of mine, I moved the truck backwards and forwards and really "got western with it" before it would shift. Not sure who I asked about it, but someone said that hard xfer case shifting in those things was not uncommon.

:confused:

HTH
 
Had the same problem when I got my 85. Found that it had just not been exercised forever. I sprayed my linkage underneath several times with PB. Finally got it to move with alot of pull. Just kept moving it back and forth. It is still stiff but shifts fine.
 
have you tried letting the clutch out while you push over on the tc lever
 
2mbb said:
Are you saying that it if you crawl under the truck and try to push the shift lever into neutral or 4 low it won't go? Does the lever move? If the shift lever moves but the truck does not shift, then the problem may be that the high and low inner lever has slipped down and is not engaged with the shift fork.

If this is the problem you might be able to loosen the clamp and pull up on the shift lever to engage the slot in the shift fork, but don't drop the lever into the transfer case.
Click to expand...

2mbb my have same problem on 4Lo too and I drop inner lever and I have hard time to get back?
 
this exploded view is a little difficult to understand. The perspective looking from the to the right side an back. The blue arrow points to the front, and the red arrow points towards the transmission (towards the left side of the truck). There is a shift gate that is mounted to the side of the transmission. It should allow 2hi, 4ih, N, 4lo, but does not allow 2lo. One way to determine if it is the linkage or the transfer case is to remove the linkage from the "high and low outer lever" then see if you can turn the lever by hand.
transfer linkage.webp
 
tigerfj60 said:
2mbb my have same problem on 4Lo too and I drop inner lever and I have hard time to get back?
Click to expand...

If it's dropped completly inside the case you're in trouble. You might be able to open the cover for the PTO gear and fish it out with a magnet or flexible claw, but I don't think you will get it back in. If it's just slipped down, try pulling it up with a strong magnet.

Otherwise, you will have to disassemble the transfer case. this can be done with the transmission on the truck, but I would recommend spending a little extra time and removing the transmission and transfer as a unit, then you can tackle the transfer case standing up, not flat on your back.
 
72RatCamaro said:
Well I got it last night...had to stand on passenger side and pull it like a mofo. Got it to move.
Click to expand...

Had the same problem with my 1983 BJ60, as you said: standing at the passenger side and heaving on the shifter did the trick - at least started the motivation. Keep working it back and forth and eventually it shall work free up for you and keep soaking it (the pivot points) with penetrating fluid.
 
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