Transfercase gear question

[BigSur]

So i am putting my t-case back together today and since i am not in a hurry to finish i have been taking my time and looking and double checking everything and today as i stare at the power take off gear i noticed it doesn't touch anything. Is this correct or did the PO do something wrong? To me it seems as though the Power take off gear should be touching one of the gears on the idler shaft. Here is a pic and let me know what you think. I have installed everything correctly...this i know.

Thoughts or am i just nuts?

 

[baldredhead]

in the thoughts category: if you don't have a PTO installed, why would the gear need to touch anything?

 

[BigSur]

I guess i am a lil' confused....please forgive my ignorance. PTO = power take off = what the hell does that do?

 

[FJ40Jim]

The PTO drive gear will engage the input gear of the PTO unit. Your truck does not have the PTO installed, so the PTO gear doesn't drive anything.

Think of it as a big oil slinger.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Think of it as a big oil slinger.

Or, an expensive spacer on the input shaft. What you show is totally normal.

Are you reusing your idler shaft? The one you show, looks like it has a wear pattern.