Transfer Case issues

[nlindsay]

Hi All
I am new to the forum. I am a farmer over here in N.Z who is at the present having difficulities with my trusty landcruiser. I have a bog stock 78 landcruiser 3b diesel engine and 4 speed trans.

The Problem
It seems to be stuck in the low box but only in 2WD. Which to me points to a problem with the transfer case. (I think) Do you guys have any hints for me or any idea what the problem could be. Is is serious do you think?? ANy help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Nick

 

[Poser]

Welcome.


Get under the truck and make sure the transfer case control linkage is still attached to where it is supposed to be, and that it is moving the range selection lever and the front drive actuator rod on the front output nose cone.

 

[nlindsay]

Hi Poser
Thanks for those comments yes it does seem like it could be linkage related hopefully anyway. That way it wont be such a serious fix. I'm going upto the other farm this week so i will investigate further then. Another question is it a big job to remove the transfer case. Just incase it is something more serious.

 

[Martian]

I spent a few days working on it when I replaced my transfer case, but I removed the transmission and transfer case together following the procedure in the factory service manual. I've heard others have been able to remove the transfer case with the transmission still on the truck, but I think it ends up being harder that way than just taking both out and separating them outside the truck.

 

[nlindsay]

Okay guys thanks to all of those who have commented so far this is all very helpful. What are some guys other opinions of the removal issue the whole thing gearbox and transfer case or just the transfer case. I would really rather leave the trans in if i can but if it is going to be a real mission to just remove the TCase then i will rip the whole lot out. Can anyone perhaps help me out by scanning a few pages of there service manual on the removal of these things and email them to me perhaps?? To buy a service manual over here would cost me $100 new zealand dollars and i dont really want to fork out that much grass

 

[fj404life]

Pull both at same time.

 

[Martian]

PM'd you

 

[beejay42]

I rebuilt my transfer case (link) by leaving in the trans.
If I had to do it again, I would do it the same way.
Removing the Tcase and getting it back on under the truck was doable, if not a little annoying. But I did this all by my self, no help lifting anything, no tranny jacks, no slings, just muscle power and a bag of swear words- all out on the dirt driveway lying on my back with my truck parked on 4 big logs
Alternatively, when rebuilding it, I ended up replacing my entire gear set, and I had a donor tcase attatched to 5 speed trans- pulling it apart- breaking the staked nuts etc, was a lot harder to do with it off the truck than on (nothing to resist against) (one could of course make sure to do this before removing them). I needed help to lift and move the Tcase/Tranny assembly, and help at times to break it down.

I made sure to take photos of every single step, every time I removed something. It helped immensely.
Some of the photos I uploaded to a photobucket album, which you can view here.

Alternatively, for the wealth of great photos and info, I found Hugh's rebuild thread to be of the greatest help to me.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/188968-split-case-rebuild.html
You can download the entire manual dealing with all this.
Downloads Index - Page: 1
(it is in there somewhere, not sure what page, but the file name is "H41,H42,H50,H55F_Pub36237E.pdf", you might as well download the 3B manual from there too if you don't already have it)

So my vote would be, unless you have a set up ready to deal with the wheight of dropping and lifting both, pull only the tcase (saying that, even if I had such a set up, I would still only pull the tcase). Once you have it all cleaned up and you have figured out how the big metal jigsaw puzzel goes together- getting it back on under the truck with the tranny in place really isn't that hard- if I can do it, anyone can.
Good luck.
Hans.

btw, I also managed to do all this with no pullers, no press, just carefull prying, levering, tapping and hammering (cushioned with wood or copper), a bit of ingenuity, on my work bench and woodworking vice. A puller would have been nice though- a press less necessary IMO.

 

[65swb45]

Considering that 2 lo is the ONE POSITION you COULD NOT GET the t-case into from the factory, SOMEBODY must have made SOME MODIFICATION to the vehicle, even if it was just removal of the gate the prevents the 2 lo position.

If they did not properly secure the shift lever after removing the gate [the gate acts as a 'stop' for the lateral motion of the lever] it is possible that the shifter slid part way off the shaft and is bound up.

You might want to surf the site for some linkage pics and then compare them to yours.

Best

Mark A.

 

[beejay42]

Good point Mark, I was assuming that he was in 4Low- and stuck in it- but only 2 wheels were engaging. Not actually sure what the situation is...


Nick, here's a few pics of my shift linkage from the top at the gate (before the rebuild).
2H

4H

N

4L

If your gate is different to mine, ie if the top right (2-Low) of yours is able to be reached (where mine can't) and is in the position, then that would explain the 2Low drive- but not why it is stuck.
If you are in the 4low position- and the rest of your linkage is actually working, and you are only getting 2 wheels driving, then it would seem there is a problem.

When my T-case crapped out, under heavy load it would slip and grind out of 4low into 2low, even though the gate should have stopped it. My rear output bearing, amongst other things was toast. First I tried dealing with linkage issues, which once looked at seemed possible- the gate didn't seem to be actually holding the shifter in the right positions, so i moved it a little, and the whole linkage thing was a bit loose and wobbly- fixed that with a washer, tightening things and a few other things- in the end it didn't work, thus the rebuild.
Hopefully your problem is much simpler than a rebuild.

If you do end up needing a rebuild- it was worth my while shopping around for different kits- not even different shops but just different suppliers within the same shop- I think I paid around $180 for a rebuild kit, all bearings, seals, gaskets- instead of the $300 and something the first and most obvious supplier was asking.
Good luck.

 

[R2HKS]

No one has mentioned this yet but have you checked the oil level in the transfer? If the seal has gone between the gearbox and transfer you may find your gearbox is over flowing with oil and you don't have any oil in the transfer case.