Embarrassing Transfer Case Shifting Question....

[awesomeissquid]

This might be an easy one for some so I feel a bit embarrassed having to ask, but since I have never had a real 4WD vehicle before I'm hoping to get some slack.

I know to always shift the transfer case selector (High-Neutral-Low) with the transmission in Neutral per the manual, but how should the shift feel?

I was running through the gears yesterday in the driveway just to exercise everything a bit. With the transmission in Neutral the shift from High to Neutral went fine, but going from Neutral to Low it felt like the gears were grinding a bit; almost like the were spinning and it was trying to mesh together which seems weird since I was in Neutral and sitting still. Using a little more force (give it a full hand job instead of just working it with the fingers ) it would click into place and the car seemed to move as you would expect in High vs Low without any abnormal noise or grinding.

So is a grinding feeling normal when shifting the transfer case between High-Neutral-Low?

 

[riffman12]

(give it a full hand job instead of just working it with the fingers ) it would click into place and the car seemed to move as you would expect in High vs Low without any abnormal noise or grinding.

well that escalated quickly

I believe a bit of a grind is normal

 

[js47]

I find that if you coast for a few feet with the transmission in neutral (in order to take the load off) before coming to a stop and shifting the transfer case from H to L (or vice versa), the shift is easy and there is no grind.

 

[flintknapper]

I find that if you coast for a few feet with the transmission in neutral (in order to take the load off) before coming to a stop and shifting the transfer case from H to L (or vice versa), the shift is easy and there is no grind.

^^^^

Agree with this. Although neither of my vehicles grind when sitting still...both of them did (a little) until they had been used a bit then it went away. But if there is an issue AND you can move the vehicle...doing the above will usually make the shift easier.

 

[awesomeissquid]

well that escalated quickly

Figured some might need a little chuckle.

Thanks for the replies all. Makes me feel a bit better that I didn't grenade something. I don't think the previous owner ever used the shifter so maybe it's just breaking in at the ripe age of 21.

 

[hoser]

I was running through the gears yesterday in the driveway....

If it was a cold start and the engine was idling high, you could certainly have grinding between t-case shifts.

 

[Scrambled]

I occasionally have to shift into reverse then back into neutral in order to get it into Lo-N-Hi without forcing it.

 

[flintknapper]

Figured some might need a little chuckle.

Thanks for the replies all. Makes me feel a bit better that I didn't grenade something. I don't think the previous owner ever used the shifter so maybe it's just breaking in at the ripe age of 21.

That's exactly what it is.....and never any cause for embarrassment here when asking questions. You are wise to do so.

 

[IndroCruise]

This might be an easy one for some so I feel a bit embarrassed having to ask, but since I have never had a real 4WD vehicle before I'm hoping to get some slack.

I know to always shift the transfer case selector (High-Neutral-Low) with the transmission in Neutral per the manual, but how should the shift feel?

View attachment 2691403

I was running through the gears yesterday in the driveway just to exercise everything a bit. With the transmission in Neutral the shift from High to Neutral went fine, but going from Neutral to Low it felt like the gears were grinding a bit; almost like the were spinning and it was trying to mesh together which seems weird since I was in Neutral and sitting still. Using a little more force (give it a full hand job instead of just working it with the fingers ) it would click into place and the car seemed to move as you would expect in High vs Low without any abnormal noise or grinding.

So is a grinding feeling normal when shifting the transfer case between High-Neutral-Low?

You do need to be completely stationary. It is also possible that experimenting on hard pavement surfaces may result in some "axle wind-up" in which there is some binding and torsion 'locked' in the drivetrain and which is released when operating the transfer lever, sometimes with a bit of a crunch.

If the transfer case does not get much use, then from time to time suggest operate the transfer case H - N - L a few times on a soft surface, not a paved surface. Do this for a short distance (yards or metres) in both Forward and Reverse. There are two purposes: (1) release any wind-up, and (2) break any slowly forming corrosion in the transfer shifter linkage, thereby reducing the likelihood of parts of the linkage becoming 'sticky' of 'frozen'.

The latter case is a PITA -- best avoided -- see some 'war stories' here:
Stuck low range gear.in 100 series. - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/stuck-low-range-gear-in-100-series.1215542/#post-13169027

If you are new to 4WD systems, the videos at Post #6 in this thread may help:

Total Newbie Needs Help with 2005 100 Series Cruiser

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Brandon Ryder]

The sensation you describe happens in every 4x4 I've had experience with when you shift the t case into neutral before the transmission. If you come to a stop, shift the trans into neutral, then throw the t case all the way from hi to low or visa versa, you shouldn't have any grinding. In some cases, the gears don't align and you have to put it back in gear and roll a few inches and try again.

 

[J1000]

I realize I'm probably going to get dog piled but I shift my t-case to L and back to H all the time while rolling slowly. I slow down to 10mph or less, shift the trans to N and then pull the t-case into L, or into H, and go. Normal to light grinding and if you do it quick sometimes none. That's always how you do it in the Chevy so that's how I do it in my LX.

 

[nukegoat]

I realize I'm probably going to get dog piled but I shift my t-case to L and back to H all the time while rolling slowly. I slow down to 10mph or less, shift the trans to N and then pull the t-case into L, or into H, and go. Normal to light grinding and if you do it quick sometimes none. That's always how you do it in the Chevy so that's how I do it in my LX.

Brilliant logical deduction.

 

[BasedFJ100]

Brilliant logical deduction.

in conclusion:

-a little grinding OK
-good to exercise transfer case (how frequently?)
-transmission to neutral, best to be stopped but a little rolling OK, then shift the transfer case from H to N to L or directly H to L or vice versae
-ideal is to be stopped but some people shift while moving less than ten mph (seems more risky though?)

 

[hoser]

That was sarcasm. It can be done (shifting while driving less than 10 mph) from L to H... but I don't recommend it. Any gear grinding is not good for it. A bit of grinding won't kill it.... but maybe over the course of 25 years. This T-case, like most T-cases don't have synchros.

 

[pavell]

I was actually wondering the same thing today. I also felt a slight grind when going into L