Bent transfer lever

[jm599]

Anybody know what causes the intermediate shift lever to bend in transfer case?
I rebuild this case 10 years ago from a parts 40, and went to install it today.
Couldn't get the shifter to work with the gate. Finally removed some parts from a working rig and noticed the bend.
Nothing was noted in rebuild. Should I be worried?
Anybody seen this before?

 

[pardion]

Any photo's?

 

[jm599]

Sorry they didn't upload

 

[Downey]

As I recall the gate merely keeps you from going into low range until you are in 4WD. Many abort the gate so that they can use low range without being in 4WD. When doing this, however, you have to respect the amount of power going to the rear axle only, could snap a pinion shaft or ???. If you remove the gate your bent lever should work ok.

 

[Living in the Past]

Is this bend or a three speed and a early four speed shift linkage in the picture?

 

[Living in the Past]

Or possibly one was bend to try and make it.work without changing the piece on the T case when switch to a four speed.

 

[Strait Cruisin]

RHD vs LHD?

 

[65swb45]

Or possibly one was bend to try and make it.work without changing the piece on the T case when switch to a four speed.

That's what I 'm thinking John.

 

[Living in the Past]

That's what I 'm thinking John.

Just on my phone can't edit or delete but as soon as posted my first post realized that would be the reason. Someone adapting a three on to a four speed and not using the longer shaft for the 4WD shifter does.

 

[65swb45]

We have seen a lot, haven't we?

 

[jm599]

Y'all have seen everything!
Thanks for responses.
If I was gonna bend it back to function as oem, so the gate worked...
It's cast? Heat to cherry red then bend?
Or will it likely break?
Appears to be 1/2" off

 

[Living in the Past]

Y'all have seen everything!
Thanks for responses.
If I was gonna bend it back to function as oem, so the gate worked...
It's cast? Heat to cherry red then bend?
Or will it likely break?
Appears to be 1/2" off

I would search for a good used one first. I was surprised to see a cast piece being bend. Bending back would probab weaken more. If it broke not as bad as a steering or brake part breaking. But you never know. Shortly after buying my 68 I noticed it would pop out of low range. PO used the handle brake handle to hold the lever below the dash from moving. Found the bracket for the hi/long that bolted to passenger motor mount was loose by a number turns. Tightened it and all seemed find. Going a steep high in low range the thread that was loose snapped off and the transfer case slipped into neutral. Funny if I had wrecked it instead of being to control it would probably changed my wholelife. Doubt I would have bought another FJ40. Instead I still have it and a dozen more. Funny I bought 70 a few years back and one of the first things I did was go thru the transfer case shift linkage.

 

[1911]

Now would be a good time to convert it to twin sticks, assuming you are not going for a restoration.

 

[Living in the Past]

Now would be a good time to convert it to twin sticks, assuming you are not going for a restoration.

Leaving the gate off you can do anything a twin stick can.

 

[1911]

Leaving the gate off you can do anything a twin stick can.

True, though the leverage is much better with twin sticks. The main reason I even mentioned it was because his stock linkage may be bent and may need replacing anyway. If it needs replacing, personally I would rather put the money toward twin sticks than to spend money replicating the stock linkage (unless it is a restoration). YMMV.

 

[jm599]

Got the bend orange with torch and eased it over. Saw slight flaking on very outside surface, similar to the way a hot set horseshoe does. Let it cool, and made it all orange again for another cycle. Seems strong, dropped it onto concrete, no cracks,and leaned on it with a pipe, doesn't seem brittle. Will keep my eyes open for another one though.
Twin sticks does sound cool.
2 low also.

If like on a steep boat ramp with hubs unlocked, one puts transfer into 4 low for lower gear, does it hurt anything to go 100 feet with hubs unlocked? I almost been tempted before to see. Not wanting to get out and trust the ebrake and clutch.

 

[Living in the Past]

We have seen a lot, haven't we?

So true but you have had to deal with them while a larger number of these hacks while a larger percentage of mine were during my years of searching junkyards. Which in itself is a whole other story the reason the need for spare parts got out of hand.

True, though the leverage is much better with twin sticks. The main reason I even mentioned it was because his stock linkage may be bent and may need replacing anyway. If it needs replacing, personally I would rather put the money toward twin sticks than to spend money replicating the stock linkage (unless it is a restoration). YMMV.

I haven't followed the availability of that part or the cost of the twin stick setup. Just thought a used stock part would be cheaper than a new twin stick kit which would be even harder to used. I run this type in my 68 and have never had a problem ut when I switched to a four speed I used all the correct parts and didn't modify anything.

 

[1911]

I haven't followed the availability of that part or the cost of the twin stick setup. Just thought a used stock part would be cheaper than a new twin stick kit which would be even harder to used. I run this type in my 68 and have never had a problem ut when I switched to a four speed I used all the correct parts and didn't modify anything.

Oh yeah, leaving it stock is almost certainly cheaper, especially since he bent back the one he had. It's been a few years, so I don't remember what my twin-sticks kit from Georg cost, but it wasn't dirt cheap. The only reason I did it was because the stock linkage had badly bent the little low-range lever on the top of my Orion case. I guess my Orion was tighter and shifted harder than stock.