No Low Range

[pigmony]

The 406 Cruisers - 40's Only Run is coming up next month. I'd rather this not be my third year doing this run without a functional low range. For background, I've got a '78 that has been swapped with a GM 350 and 700r4. I think that the t-case is original to the truck, but it very well may not be. I suspect the experts here can sort that out quickly. Shifting from 2wd to 4wd is easy enough. Lever forward is 2wd and lever rearward is 4wd. The problem is that I can't get into low range.

If I'm thinking correctly, the shaft labeled "2wd/4wd" moves forward or rearward to select 2 or 4 wheel drive. That part seems to work fine. The linkage labeled "Range" doesn't seem to want to move at all.

This photo shows the end of that linkage. It looks like it should move left or right to select the range. I put a pry bar against it and it didn't move, though I didn't try very hard.

Is there some magic incantation I need to say to get it to move? Do I need to apply a Big Funky Hammer? Do I need the gears moving to get it to shift? Is it actually an original t-case?

Any tricks to get it to move? Thanks!

 

[pb4ugo]

You might disconnect the linkage from the arm and see if you can get it to move.

 

[pigmony]

I think that's a good idea. How hard can I leverage that arm on the t-case?

 

[fireflyr]

It should only take a few pounds of force to move that lever. I wouldn’t pry too hard. The rod would have had to be lengthened 6 or 7 inches for the auto transmission but that shouldn’t affect anything. Isolate it by disconnecting the rod and figure out where the problem is like stated above.