Splitcase & np203 grinding noise (1 Viewer)

[kcustom73]

I've done all kinds of work to the 40 over the winter and at one point I had to take the shift levers for the transfercase/np203 doubler off. Having put everything back together to take it for a quick spin yesterday, started the truck and got some grinding coming from one of the cases. Playing with the levers (twin stick setup on the Toyota case) I got the grinding to stop. I put the tranny (4L80e) in drive but I have no movement in the driveshafts. I think the case (splitcase from 88FJ62) is stuck between 2wd & 4wd? Is this possible?

I'm going to lift a tire on the back and see if I can turn it slowly and see if I can get it to go into gear (2wd). I'll drain the oil and see if anything shows up. I'm hoping the grinding didn't cause any damage. What do you guys think?

 

[boots4]

I grind the 203 case from time to time engaging and disengaging. Sometimes it's easier to just shut off the engine and shift. For the splitcase it wouldn't be the 2-4wd lever it would be the L to H that has a neutral in the middle.

 

[kcustom73]

Boots, it did end up being the 203 that was grinding and not the splitcase. Lifted one of the rear tires of the ground and with the help of friend, we got the 203 in gear. Played around with it a bit more slowly moving the 203 from high, neutral and low and everything moved nicely. Like you said, it might be tricky once in a while, but now that I have a feel for it I should be ok.

Now the only problem is that the splitcase does not want to go into low. Going to have to figure out whats going on there.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I have to rock my splitcase from time to time to go from hi to lo...

 

[kcustom73]

Lambcrusher, I've tried that by hand (lifted one of the real wheels and turned by hand) and still no low. Moves easily from high to neutral but hits a stop when going to low. With the twin stick setup, does the case have to be in 4wd to shift into low (I'm personally don't think it has to but...)

 

[boots4]

By rocking his truck Lambc is moving both wheels which will turn the driveshaft and internal splitcase components. By only raising one side all you're probably turning is the carrier gears in your differential which isn't turning the driveshaft and so forth. It sounds like the shaft and H gear are aligned and that's why Neutral to H isn't a problem but that the L gear's teeth aren't quite aligned so it's stopping the internal sliding collar. Spinning both tires will probably help. Have you also watched the linkage underneath while someone engages the lever on top to see if there is any binding? You do not need the tcase to be in 4wd to shift into low. This is one of the benefits of twin sticks, 2wd low.

 

[kcustom73]

boots, thank you for the info. What you say make sense. I've only been trying to get into low lifting up one back corner. When I go in the shop tonight, I will lock the front hubs, put it into 4wd (I know its not needed with the twin stick setup, but might help get it into low this first time), start the truck and slowly drive the truck back and forth, pushing on the shifter for low to see if I can get it engaged.

One of the first thing I checked was the see if everything could move freely under the truck and everything looks good.

Lets hope I can get to go into gear tonight (really don't want to open up the case being so close to finally driving the 40).

 

[boots4]

No problem, hope it's something simple.

 

[kcustom73]

Boots, no luck last night getting it to go into low gear.

What you have pictures of your setup? It would be nice to compare my setup to a known working setup like yours. That way I can rule out that I didn't do anything stupid (would be the first time ).

Might also send an email to Georg to see if he can give me any pointers on getting this to work with his twin stick kit.

 

[boots4]

Definitely send George an email since it's his kit and my home brew could be different than his kit, I'll look for pics somewhere in my thread.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

drop the rear dshaft. remove the shifter linkage from the hi/lo selector shaft, but don't take the arm off so it can not fall down into the case. put the trans in N and rotate the output flange while trying to toggle the hi/lo selector shaft to the lo position...if the twin stick linkages are binding(you won't really know without undoing it and articulating the arm) then you will have extra difficulty in getting between the gears. rule out the binding linkage first. you really should be able to get it to shift, but you will most likely be having to "rock" the gears back and fourth to get them to mesh. if you can't get to lo gear, then you might have to crack the case open again...

 

[kcustom73]

Well spent a good chunk of time on Sunday trying to get the case to go into low with now luck. Removed the linkage to the twin stick up to see if there was any binding and everything seems to move freely. Played around with the height of the selector to see if it was sitting to high or to low in the case with no luck. High and neutral are really smooth but there's a hard stop to go to low. I'm at the point where I think its time to open the case. Gaskets and new nuts for the output shafts have been ordered and should be here by Friday. Guess I'll work on some of the other items on my to-do list to get the 40 on the road for this summer. I'll let you guys know.

 

[boots4]

Sounds like you've covered your bases so popping the case open is probably the next step.

 

[kcustom73]

Got the gasket set yesterday so I tore into the case. What did I find... nothing (except what is suppose to be there ) There's no damage everything moves freely when apart. The selector ring moves smoothly between H-N-L.

So after having checked everything I could think of, I decided to put the case back together. When I put the back half of the case back in, it slid together real easy which surprised me a bit as I remembered fitting with it the first time I built the case. I put all the bolts in hand tight, installed the detent ball and move the H-N-L lever. Got good engagement in all 3 positions and back. I'm starting to wonder if the back of the actuator arm was not going into its hole in the back half of the case properly. I'll continue to bolt the case back together testing the H-N-L lever at each step and hope for the best.

If this works out tonight, I'm probably 1 week away from getting the 40 on the road after 7+ years of working on it. Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[Gotta be Geared]

Awesome! Good luck, I hope you have fixed the problem!