92 Transfer Case issues in high (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Threads
8
Messages
29
Location
Bountiful, Utah
Seems I lost high range in big red today. shifted it in to low to limp home. Question is, is this a do it yourself repair, as in buy a new or rebuilt unit and replace it or do I go alot deeper and try the rebuild myself. I live in the Salt Lake area and need some suggestions where to find a replacement or where to have it rebuilt.
 
What's it doing in high range?
 
It makes a really loud grinding noise whenever its in gear and I can't put it in park while it is in high otherwise it would just start rolling.
 
I'm betting your drive flanges are stripped.

When you put the TC into Low range, the CDL automatically locks, sending power 50/50 to the front and rear. In High, and in gear (R-D-3-2-L), the axle shaft previously connected to the stripped drive flange no spins freely, causing the truck not to move, and generally makes a lound grinding noise.

Clear as Mud?
 
Drive Flanges. . . . .

Hey Red, Sorry to hear about your problem but my guess is it isn't actually a transfercase problem. I believe it is your front drive flanges are stripped out. The transfercase on the 91-92s doesn't have a vc so it will send all the power to the axle with the least resistance. In your case it is sending it all to the front axles because it is easier to turn them than to turn the rear and actually push the vehicle. What happens when you put it into low is the center differential becomes locked so the power is given to both axles equally. Another thing you could do to verify this is lock the center diff button on the dash and see if it works. If it does then you could pull the front driveshaft and drive it in rwd until you have time to get it fixed. . . . . heck you might even pick up a mpg or 2;). Good luck on finding your solution, i hope i helped a little. Good luck on finding the fix too.

p.s. christo slee must be one of the most knowledgable people on the 80 series in the U.S. and he claims he has never seen and 80's transfercase fail so hopefully you aren't an exception. I bet the drive flanges are cheaper too!
 
makes some sense. It would make perfect sense if I had some vision of whats inside the case. Any sugestions to both verify problem and possibly get it fixed.
 
The drive flanges we are talking about are on the front axle. they are what the 80s use instead of locking hubs in the front. to check them remove the dustcap, then the snapring and the nuts and cone washers. check the FAQ for front axle rebuild. this is one of the first steps. the downside of this is most of the time when the flanges strip, they take the birf with it. Not a hard job but a pain to find the time.
 
motorsarget, thanks for the clairifcation on the drive flange issues. After doing some fact finding today, pulling the front drive line is a little like changing a tire when your out of gas, worthless. looks like this will be an expensive fix. The birf bearings are 670.00 ea! Not sure about the the other parts that need to replaced as well.
 
I don't know that that is right. I picked up one birf and drive flange, and seal kit for both sides including trunion bearings from Cdan for about $750 dollars. The birf is toast most likely, but that doesn't mean your bearings are shot. I reused mine and they were in decent shape. Talk to Cdan from American Toyota (i think). He will hook you up.
 
p.s. christo slee must be one of the most knowledgable people on the 80 series in the U.S. and he claims he has never seen and 80's transfercase fail so hopefully you aren't an exception. I bet the drive flanges are cheaper too!

I'm pretty sure I killed my transfer case this weekend.
i blew the passenger side drive flange off and it sheared all bolts. the flange flew about 10 feet away. So I dropped the front drive shaft to limp back to camp. I had the tcase in low and going up hill lost all gears, even park.
Towed it home, now with the front dirve shaft in, it will only move if the front locker is locked and the tcase in in Hi and CDL is not locked. hmmmm, it might be just the CDL in the tcase. but all gears in high or low will grrrrrr if the CDL is locked.
What could that be? It's too cold to do anything so it's just sitting for now trying to determine where to start.
 
^^^^
Dude!

I would have said that deserves its own thread. :eek: :lol:

Hang in there,

Curtis
 
I'm pretty sure I killed my transfer case this weekend.
i blew the passenger side drive flange off and it sheared all bolts. the flange flew about 10 feet away.

Before that, when last did you check the drive flange nuts? That is what happens when they are loose. You probably enlarged the dowel holes as well now. So you might need to re-drill that hub and then replace the dowel pins.

So I dropped the front drive shaft to limp back to camp. I had the tcase in low and going up hill lost all gears, even park.

With CDL locked?

Towed it home, now with the front dirve shaft in, it will only move if the front locker is locked and the tcase in in Hi and CDL is not locked. hmmmm, it might be just the CDL in the tcase. but all gears in high or low will grrrrrr if the CDL is locked.

That is weird. Are you sure on the CDL? Normally with CDL open, and front diff open, if you can't move, but will move with front locker locked, you have a broken birf/axle shaft.

What could that be? It's too cold to do anything so it's just sitting for now trying to determine where to start.

It would be the first Tcase failure I have heard off.
 
If it does wind up being the transfer and Dallas isn't too far away, I have one for a 91-92 on my garage floor. You won't ever see it for sale in the classifieds though.
 
too cold to diagnose right now...
I'll start another thread and link back to this one.
But yeah Christo, everything is correct, very weird, with the CDL unlocked and the front locker locked, it will move. Once i engage the CDL, grrrrrrrrr in all gears. Odd indeed.
I was humping rocks all day though, kinda like i broke my rear axle shaft last year, so i would not doubt that the tcase is blowed up.
David at urban has seen a blown up tcase in these earlier 80's and oddly enough that wagon blew both drive flanges like one of mine did as well, so maybe I prevented the second flange from blowing by dropping my front drive shaft immediately upon hub explosion.
Oh joy.
I have a transfer case locally that i gotta pull myself for $150... beat that price and shipping and you have yourself a deal!
 
Dropping the fron drive shaft wont gain you any MPG. I dropped mine last week and locked my CDL in order to save wear on my BIRFS til I have time for a rebuild. No milage gains but my clicking on turning sharp is gone. Handles like crap too.
 
Dropping the fron drive shaft wont gain you any MPG. I dropped mine last week and locked my CDL in order to save wear on my BIRFS til I have time for a rebuild. No milage gains but my clicking on turning sharp is gone. Handles like crap too.

You get used to it. Kind of like not having a/c.:doh:
 

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