Manual 4406 stuck in low?

[bronchole]

I was driving down the freeway last night towing a 3000lb or so trailer. Cruise control set to ~60MPH, running a slight downhill section of the 5 for a couple miles. All of the sudden the rpm's shot up to 5K. That caused the CC to turn off. I move over to the shoulder and stop. Play around a bit, its acting like the T-case is in neutral because if I try to put the trans in park I can hear the ZZZzzZzzZZZZ of the parking pawl not getting it. Put the trans back in neutral and try to shift the t-case. ****er moves thru the ranges just fine and the 4X4 shift light seems to work as I would expect. Hmmmm, put the trans back in drive and I got gear, but too much gear, its in low range even though the T-case shifter is in the 2WD position. I fart around a bit shifting the transfer case back an fourth thru the ranges and it seems to stay in low rang the whole time. I'm only about 15 miles from home at this point so I elect to get off the freeway and drive it home in low range.

This morning I go out and verify my situation. ITs stuck in low range and no ammount of shifting the manual shifter will get it out. 4X4 light is on in the 4H and 4L position, out in the 2WD and Neutral position. All positions have the t-case in 4L.

I go in to the garage and do a bit of looking around in my previous 4406 which has a nice break away view (case is broken in half) to check out what is going on in there and the only thing I can think of is that the plastic shifting fork is junk and not shifting the T-case thru its ranges.

I did a bit of searching and found a couple other simmilar instances, but most seem to be electric shift T-cases and the owners not knowing how to shift them.

I'm thinking its time to go look for another T-case to swap in. I was supposed to go on a Death valley trip next weekend, but I think this is going to kill that trip.

I guess I need to also find the list of tools I need to extract one and what vehicle will have the manual shift 4406. I don't need to worry about the tail housing type, I can re-use one of mine if I don't happen to find a 97 with the speed sensor in it.

 

[Turdle]

Wow, this is the first time I have heard of such a thing. I am paying close attention --please keep this updated.

 

[FROADER]

Just thinking out loud here, but could the linkage be jacked? Any way to shift it on the case itself instead of using the shifter?

 

[bronchole]

The shift indicator light is driven by the internal linkage in the T-case so I know that the external linckage is working.

I found 2 T-cases in the local junk yards today. 96 F150 with 110K and a 97 F150 with 300K. $165 each so..... I guess I need to figure out what the list of tools needed to pull them is. I had some vacation time set up to go on a trip later this week so I guess instaed of vacationing I will be pick-n-pulling.

 

[kanuck15]

I know its not the same but my 1356s in my full sizes would do that. Usually means they are shot. Anytime I cracked them open to see what happened the planetary gear was bad and it wouldnt reengage the high gear

 

[bronchole]

Uh, not good.

 

[kanuck15]

Nope, Odds are it needs some hard parts if it wont shift out of low. Will it even it go into neutral?

 

[bronchole]

As far as I can tell it is stuck in 4low, no neutral, no 4H, no 2WD. The shifter will move thru all the motions, the **** indicator works as it normally does for each of the shifter positions, but the T-case stays in 2LOW. The fact that the indicator changes tells me tha the shift linckage is moving the shifter on the T-case and at least is moving some of the internal shifting components.

 

[kanuck15]

Yeah sounds like something on the main shaft isnt moving. Id say you are replacing it. You can normally replace them for cheaper than fixing them

 

[bronchole]

Anyone know what tools I will need to take with me to the junk yard to pull this? I know I have seen this list, but I can't find it with a search. I intend to bring:
- Full set of standard/metric sockets
- full set of standard/metric wrenches
- A few plyers
- A few screwdrivers
- diagonal cutters
- Co2 tank and impact
- Air hammer and cutter tip
- 2 pound hammer
- 2' pry bar
- disposable shop towels
- standard/metric allen wrenches

 

[kanuck15]

holy crap, you are going overboard. For a t case I just take a 12,13,14,15mm wrenches, same sockets as well as a pry bar

 

[bronchole]

Is it that simple? I thought you had to drive the torsion bar cross member out and cut thru the floor to access the top bolts from the case to the adaptor. I just hate being at the junk yard and wish I had ______ tool with me.

 

[kanuck15]

Ive never had to do that? but then again some people say I am triple jointed and have tiny hands so I can contort myself into spots like that

 

[bronchole]

Well I picked up a 4406 from the junkyard last week and installed it last night/today. It was from a 1996 F150 with about 116K on it. I think it had been rebuilt because there is silcone squeeze our where the case halves come together. It appearantly was also filled with either motor oil or thin gear oil.

I just took it out for a test drive and everything seems to be working well and the drive to coast lash seems to be tighter than my previous 2 4406's so I am hoping this is the one.

I re-filled it with AFT. I will change it out again in a couple hundered miles so I can clean out the remaining oil. I will also convert to synthetic ATF.

Removing the 4406 in the junk yard went very easy. This particular F150 had the exhaust already cut out so I didn't have to deal with that. Everything was very accessable and I had the case out within an hour of getting out of my car. The only snag I ran into was removing the rear drivshaft. I couldn't get the bolts to break lose so I ended up dissassembling the u-joint from the flange at the rear end. That was probably even easier than removing the bolts!

I didnlt have to remove the torsion bar cross member. I was able to rotate the case around and get it to drop down on to a stack or inner door panels I had under it to protect it from the controlled drop.

I also picked up the front tow points from the F150.

BTW, when I was dropping out 4406 #2 from the Monsterneer I heard something tinking around inside. Not good! Someday when I eventually get around to breaking it down I'll let you know what happened on the inside. Till then I'm going wheeling!