98 Lexus Lx 470 can't engage transfer case in 4L (1 Viewer)

[Tchecki]

After much searching I don't find anything in the 100 series forum (or Google for that matter) regarding transfer shifter not engaging. My rig is a 98 LX470 with 150k miles.
I noticed that when I went to put shifter from neutral to 4L in one of our latest snow storms it felt as if I was pushing the shifter through mud and not at all crisp. It did engage ultimately but it was then on my radar as an issue. Transmission was in Neutral and parking brake engaged in all attempts.
Next time I tried I could not get it into 4L no matter how hard I pulled by hand. Went to passenger side to get better leverage and the best I could do was to get it to grind so i backed off. Have not attempted using a cheater on it. I thought the angle of our street my be the issue so I took to a level spot and still no luck.
Goes back into 4H with no issues but does feel as if your pushing the stick thru very thick mud. Drives as it ever did, fantastic.
Less than a year ago i had Slee check everything out and they changed all of my fluids as I didn't know the history when I bought it 3yrs ago. Fresh transfer fluid, diff's, transmission etc. I had Slee remove the AHC a year prior and put in 1" lift OME kit to replace with OME shocks, springs and torsion bars. No other mods to speak of. Fresh tires last year, Michelin's factory specs.
Anybody have this issue? Closest I found is 92 Land Cruiser and not confident that applies here.
Would love to get it resolved. Thanks in advance.

 

[Sandroad]

One simple thing is to try it with transmission in park and without the parking brake engaged. If the driveline is "locked" with the parking brake, the transfer gears may not be able to move enough to mesh, so to speak. It will go back into the gear you came out of (H in this case), but not into the other gear (L in this case) if the driveline is locked.

 

[jLB]

This issue maybe?

Stiff transfer case selector

 

[Tchecki]

Sandroad, I will try the no parking brake suggestion. Simple, I like that! Thanks

jLB, good link, just what I was looking for. I tried a thousand different variations of my search. Just not that one! If the parking brake release doesn't do it i will study this.

 

[Tchecki]

This weekend I did get a chance to try engaging the selector into 4L and IT WORKED!! BUT only after the car was operating temp. I tried later in the day after car had been idle for several hours and it wouldn't budge. Does anybody know if this is normal? I'm probably going to pull the console and see what i can see.

 

[Tchecki]

So its been a week or 2 and I had an opportunity to pull the center console and dig into the linkage. I didn't find any obvious issues but did lube what linkages I could access. First off I used Tri-flow and honestly I don't know how good a choice that is but I think its a pretty good lube. Not sure about this application. Any thoughts?
Second. Seemed to make little difference. I couldn't disconnect the linkage rear of the "observation well" where the selector comes thru the body and was not sure how to remove the selector itself. My efforts were a little hampered by this to be sure. From below I could only follow the links to the portion behind the selector with my hand and my phone to take video clips.
I am somewhat confident I am lubing the linkage but I am more convinced that the issue may be internal.
This boggles me a little because everything seems to work fine. Once I do get the selector into LOW it stays there, no odd noises. Took it around the block a few times in LOW. Doesn't pop out, no grinding noise EXCEPT when I don't yet have the selector fully engaged. HIGH has never been an issue.
With the boots off the selector I can hear the vacuum actuator engaging the transfer lock (I guess thats what its doing because the transfer lock light comes on following the noise).
I've looked on line at several videos of step by step transfer case rebuilds and haven't found a good one that addresses the linkage. Selector forks being installed sure but outside the case nothing. Not even the main selector lever being bolted into the top of the transfer case.
In the link that jLB sent the Australian guy seemed to be able to remove the linkage pretty readily to polish and lube but I think its a 70 that has better access.
Anybody have other suggestions?

 

[Jim_Chow]

The way I've always shifted to 4L is I put the tranny in neutral, parking brake off, foot off the brake (flat ground), then put the tcase lever in N and to L. When was the last time you changed your tcase fluid? I use synthetic, and even so, notice it needs to be changed at 30K mi whereas the fr/rr diffs can go to 60K.

 

[Tchecki]

Jim thanks. I did all of the things you suggested and that doesn't appear to be the issue, but good looking out nonetheless.

 

[jLB]

I doubt that this is procedural. We've got two 100 series in my house. One shifts smooth and easy, slick as glass. The other one you have to plant both feet in the floorboard and put your back into it. It is my understanding that it is usually caused by lack of use, which allows a buildup of debris and corrosion on the linkage. I've opened the console up on mine and lubed the linkage a bit and worked it back and forth a while (in N, parking brake set, engine off). It helped some, but it still nowhere near where it should be. I'll have to dig back in there at some point in the future.


Stiff Transfer Case Lever

 

[mrahc]

Sorry to dig up this relic, but I'm having the same issue as @Tchecki and just curious if this was ever resolved? I've yet to dig into the assembly and I'm going to have all fluids changed soon, but as of now the shifter absolutely will not budge no matter what I do. In neutral, in park, foot off the brakes, on level ground, at an angle, center lock on and off, even tried reversing and driving around beforehand -- nothin'. I'll try cleaning it out and what not but I'm just looking for tangible, proven fixes.

 

[jLB]

This thread may help:
Transfer case

 

[mrahc]

This thread may help:
Transfer case

Thanks a bunch. I'll work on it this weekend. I'm hoping this, coupled with my up-coming fluids change will alleviate the issue.
New truck and just trying to get all these issues squared away so I can get out on a trail soon.

 

[Tchecki]

mrahc my issue was resolved and I am ashamed to admit that I had to take it to our family mechanic and he fixed it for a few hundred bucks if I am right. AND that has been so long I don't really remember exactly what he did. I took out the center console and could not access any portion of the shifter that helped fix the issue.
I think he dropped the back of the transfer case to lube some of the linkage.
Irresponsible of me to not follow up and worse let som much time pass that I forgot what the fix was. The only thing I can tell you is, its fixed and has been for quite a while ago so ther is hope.

 

[rdambros]

Those that forget history are damned to repeat it.

You should go find out how he fixed it and post the answer. Also, if there is some preventative maintenance that TLC owners can do in order to avoid this in future. Thanks.

 

[rdambros]

The thread above, titled "Transfer Case", is the best solution that I have seen. Along with the PDF posted by the member.

Also, there is a video that is not exactly on point, but has a view of the linkage.

Hope this helps.