Busted Transfer Case (1 Viewer)

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Aug 3, 2022
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kentucky
So I was doing some trails today and had to shift into 4 Low on a section. When I switched back into high I heard some not so great crunching…. My first thought was it was just the gears lining up. But I noticed the truck needed more throttle than normal to get moving. I went back into low and then high with the same result. Then I noticed when in high I put the truck in park it would continue to roll….. indicating the the drivetrain isn’t locked…. The truck will drive in 4 high, I just have to give it lots of throttle to get it going. It drives normally if I have it in 4 low…. Im guessing bad granger case??

Im also getting a really bad cluncking from the front right that makes me think I broke an axle….going up a couple hills I felt like I was only getting “drive” from my rear wheels.

Not a great day. Really was a simple trail too. I guess these things were just ready to give up and chose the trail to do so.

Anyone had similar issues that would make me think something else?

Thanks!
 
So I was doing some trails today and had to shift into 4 Low on a section. When I switched back into high I heard some not so great crunching…. My first thought was it was just the gears lining up. But I noticed the truck needed more throttle than normal to get moving. I went back into low and then high with the same result. Then I noticed when in high I put the truck in park it would continue to roll….. indicating the the drivetrain isn’t locked…. The truck will drive in 4 high, I just have to give it lots of throttle to get it going. It drives normally if I have it in 4 low…. Im guessing bad granger case??

Im also getting a really bad cluncking from the front right that makes me think I broke an axle….going up a couple hills I felt like I was only getting “drive” from my rear wheels.

Not a great day. Really was a simple trail too. I guess these things were just ready to give up and chose the trail to do so.

Anyone had similar issues that would make me think something else?

Thanks!
I'll bet you stripped a RF drive flange.

Place your tcase in LOW until you see the CDL light come on. Shut off the truck. Pull the fuse for the CDL.
Start the truck and place it in HIGH range on the tcase. The CDL light may or may not be on because the fuse is pulled, but the CDL is still locked. You should be able to drive now.

The viscous coupler (VC) allows the truck to move with a lot of throttle. Don't do it a lot or you'll smoke the VC.
 
If you have to drive a long distance another option is to remove the front driveshaft after locking the CDL and removing the Diff Lock fuse as mentioned above.
 
The truck will drive in 4 high, I just have to give it lots of throttle to get it going

I hope you didn't drive it far in that condition...

In case you're unaware, @BILT4ME is referring to the Viscous Coupler, a limited-slip device in the transfer case. People ruin them occasionally by driving with mismatched tires or trying to drive with a broken Birfield/axle/drive flange. If you lock the transfer case (which happens automatically on the 80 series when you shift to low range), you'll be able to move again without damaging the Viscous Coupler.
 
Check the DF
 
Too many TLAs in here (two, or three letter acronym)

As above sounds like you've stripped the splines on a front hub drive flange, and probably the birf/CV axle.

The crunching at the right front suggests this.

Feeling like you're only getting drive from the rear, this is spot on. In high, drive will be all directed to the stripped birf/ flange at the front - no resistance, power takes the path of least resistance.

The fact you have drive in low is because the transfer case locks the centre diff when in low. You have drive going to the rear, but front drive is all going to the stripped birf/flange.
 
Too many TLAs in here (two, or three letter acronym)

As above sounds like you've stripped the splines on a front hub drive flange, and probably the birf/CV axle.

The crunching at the right front suggests this.

Feeling like you're only getting drive from the rear, this is spot on. In high, drive will be all directed to the stripped birf/ flange at the front - no resistance, power takes the path of least resistance.

The fact you have drive in low is because the transfer case locks the centre diff when in low. You have drive going to the rear, but front drive is all going to the stripped birf/flange.
Please spell out birf/CV for us........
 
Well, pretty sure the rest of the world outside USA and mud refer to them as CV axles

A Birfield is a CV joint and a Panhard is a track bar. We just happen to sip our tea with pinkies extended around here.

"My CV broke and it burned out the VC in my TC," gets kind of confusing, admittedly.
 
Thanks for the responses everyone... I was able to get her home today. Fortunately my buddy was able to get it on his trailer for me. Once I got off the trail yesterday I had to drive it in low for about 45 minutes at around 25mph to get back to our cabin. Lots of unhappy noises (clunking/popping) coming from the right front. I'm also now getting the soupy grease leaking all over the knuckle.

Sounds like the group agrees on a drive flange and probably a birf... Just trying to work this out, but would that also explain while when the transfer case is in High and the transmission is in Park, the truck will still roll freely? When in Low and in Park it holds like normal....
 
Thanks for the responses everyone... I was able to get her home today. Fortunately my buddy was able to get it on his trailer for me. Once I got off the trail yesterday I had to drive it in low for about 45 minutes at around 25mph to get back to our cabin. Lots of unhappy noises (clunking/popping) coming from the right front. I'm also now getting the soupy grease leaking all over the knuckle.

Sounds like the group agrees on a drive flange and probably a birf... Just trying to work this out, but would that also explain while when the transfer case is in High and the transmission is in Park, the truck will still roll freely? When in Low and in Park it holds like normal....
Yes.

if you have a lot of popping and grinding, then you probably broke a Birf. it will give the sane symptoms as a stripped drive flange.

The VC makes it so if ONE wheel is off the ground or has no traction, then it will roll or get stuck. in this case, a broke drive flange or Birf will be just like a wheel with no traction.

Lock the CDL and then you can drive it, as you discovered. if it's a broken birf, then it's probably a good thing you kept the speed down as it chews up everything inside that knuckle.
 
Avoid driving it, except to unload off the trailer, and shift it into a shop.
If it's popping and clunking, sounds like you may have busted a birf, which can mean jagged chunks of shrapnel tumbling around in a tight space. The more you drive it, the more damage you'll do to things like spindles, axles, knuckle etc.
 
If you absolutely have to drive it, then:
1) Lock the transfer case
2) Remove the front driveshaft
3) Remove the front drive flanges

This will allow the front wheels to roll freely without turning anything else in the front end.

I'm not aware of any damage that would be caused by driving with the front drive flanges removed. Aside from contamination, obviously. Don't drive through mud like that.
 
She's home in the garage for now. I don't plan on taking it anywhere until I get it fixed. At this point is there any reason to suspect the transfer case has an issue? My plan is to start with the obvious and get that front axle pulled apart to see what I need to order. I was thinking about draining some of the transfer case oil to check for any shavings or anything that might indicate a problem there.

Any advise on where to get the replacements? Looks like Cruiser Outfitters has just about everything I would need.

Thanks again for all the help!!
 
I'll bet your tcase is ok. Not many have broken anything in there.

Front end parts all the time.
 
If you absolutely have to drive it, then:
1) Lock the transfer case
2) Remove the front driveshaft
3) Remove the front drive flanges

This will allow the front wheels to roll freely without turning anything else in the front end.

I'm not aware of any damage that would be caused by driving with the front drive flanges removed. Aside from contamination, obviously. Don't drive through mud like that.
This is a perfectly viable way to drive. Last month my front diff gasket decided to let go in spectacular fashion, and I was a couple weeks out from being able to tear it all down. I did this exact thing (plus installed some 3d printed splineless drive flanges) and it was just like being back in the 60
 
This is a perfectly viable way to drive. Last month my front diff gasket decided to let go in spectacular fashion, and I was a couple weeks out from being able to tear it all down. I did this exact thing (plus installed some 3d printed splineless drive flanges) and it was just like being back in the 60
Doing this would also mean I would have to drive around in Low though correct? Maybe fine for driving around the neighborhood but not really useful to go over 20-25mph. Or am I missing something? Or would this be in addition to BILT4ME's instructions above that would allow me to put the transfer case back in high?
 

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