T-case 1354, toast? Locked 4 lo

[smtcapecod]

Hi all,
Did some searching, went through shift motor rebuild thread. Wondering whether my best course is just to get a used t-case & R/R. Done a fair amount of amateur repair/restoration, but not much with 4x4 driveline.

I was doing very very light offroading, flat area that was very muddy-- actually it was more clay. Was in 4x4....twice the truck seemed to go into neutral of its own accord. This thing only has 70K miles on it...
This happened once before a hundred or so miles ago after some highway driving, but resolved itself after sitting for a while. At any rate, I assume thats a separate tranny issue- maybe the bands?

I was in 4 hi and got into really slick clay, and wasn't going forward (though the wheels were turning). I brushed the brake pedal and put it into 4Lo. All seemed OK, got free and went on my way. Back on hardpacked dirt, tried to go into 4-hi...the lights indicated 4-hi, but the gear reduction was still in full force. Tried to back up a loong way to get it to disengage, with neg results.:roll:

I can hear the computer cycling when I push the buttons.
I checked fuses, all look fine.

After searching, I bought a shift motor. Got under there, unbolted the original one, and found the selector in-between 4Lo and 2H. Tried to move it counterclockwise, and it would only rotate a couple of degrees. It will turn farther clockwise, but clearly isn't engaging or disengaging anything.

So i assume it's bound up in-between two gearsets? Has anyone heard of this happening? Is it likely better/cheaper to get it fixed, or just roll the dice on a used transfer case?

Also- the replacement shift motor -- whats the procedure for transfering the leads that come from the driveshaft area to the plug on the replacement motor?

 

[Maniak]

I've never seen or heard of a transfer case binding like that.. I've only heard of them breaking chains (not often, but we did it to ours after a few hundred thousand miles)..

On the wire.. I'm assuming your talking the ground wire as that is the only one that isn't on a "connector".. I just cut/spliced it. We are in Arizona so I didn't solder/shrink wrap it..

~Mark

 

[Premier]

bummer.. you can get a 1354 manual for a couple hundred bucks, maybe go that route?

 

[IZwack]

Have you tried disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it after a few mins? As strange as that sounds, it has actually worked for a few people on the forum. Also, when you try to manually rotate the shift rail on the transfer case (with a pair of pliers for example), it sometimes helps to have another person rock the vehicle at the same time (an inch or so) back and forth to remove the pressure on the transfer case's gears (just make sure you put a wheel chock a few inches in front and behind the tires so that the vehicle doesn't go out of control).

 

[Maniak]

It sounded like he couldn't shift the transfer case by hand (vice grip method).. If that is the case its not electrical but a mechanical failure.

~Mark

 

[IZwack]

It sounded like he couldn't shift the transfer case by hand (vice grip method).. If that is the case its not electrical but a mechanical failure.

Ah right you are. But if he's under the vehicle with a pair of pliers, then assumed he had the vehicle in Park (not Neutral) which meant there was pressure on the transfer case's gears. Pressure on the gears will make it very difficult to shift the vehicle out of 4LO (which is why we go to Neutral and foot on the brake in normal operating procedure so that the transmission and the driveshaft has some play -- the "backlash" on the ring and pinion).

 

[Maniak]

aha.. good catch.. that didn't occur to me..

It needs to be in neutral or in park with no load on the drive line but as far as I know when in park there is no load on it when the e-brake is on.. I'm not positive when the e-brake is off.

~Mark

 

[IZwack]

It needs to be in neutral or in park with no load on the drive line but as far as I know when in park there is no load on it when the e-brake is on.. I'm not positive when the e-brake is off.

Yeah thats right, there's a load on it if the E-brake is off (or if its weak and the vehicle rolled) because the parking pin is what prevents the vehicle from rolling -- which means the force required to stop the vehicle from rolling is transmitted from the parking pin to the transmission's output shaft, into the transfer case, down the driveshaft, and finally to the axle(s).

 

[turboexplorer]

Yeah thats right, there's a load on it if the E-brake is off (or if its weak and the vehicle rolled) because the parking pin is what prevents the vehicle from rolling -- which means the force required to stop the vehicle from rolling is transmitted from the parking pin to the transmission's output shaft, into the transfer case, down the driveshaft, and finally to the axle(s).

Exactly right! Neutral is always the best bet. My 4406 conversion has to be in neutral for it to go in or out, won't move in park. Neutral is the easiest way to unload the drivetrain.

 

[little x]

It sounds like your range fork is broken. I just ripped a 1354 opened for the first time not long ago. It really isn't hard. If you can do a rear brake job you can rebuild your t-case. I'll try to post up a break down DIY tomorrow for you (I'm on lunch right now and don't have time to). I've been meaning to get that done for a while now anyway.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231858
That shows a few pics of the inside.

Edit: or you just need to shift into neutral.

 

[smtcapecod]

tips

Ah, well, talk amongst yourselves then!

Just kidding- comments right on track. Yes, it was in Park. Doh. Will give it a try...at least snow is coming if it stays stuck! But I need it for other purposes pretty soon..

Have definitely done a lot of brake jobs...I'll check out the pix and see how it looks. I'm just having visions of last time I got into a couple of transmissions, a ZF transaxle and an old Muncile rockcrusher. Wasn't pretty, and the latter was reported to be a fairly easy job..

 

[smtcapecod]

resolved- thank you

Alright, all set! Thanks, everyone for the advice. Putting it in Neutral and rotating the shaft in the right direction got me to 2WD.

Then, with respect to the plug- there is s center locking collar, a little red plastic bushing that surrounds the center ground terminal and locks all of them in place. Pop out the red plastic bushing, use a pick to hold back the clips that hold in the individual terminals, and the wires for the ground and the sensor can be pulled back out of the plug and reinserted in the one on the new motor. New motor was $100, not $300, thanks Rockauto. Put some spark plug release grease on the outside of the plug because I had a heckuva time separating it, and to add water resistance, and blasted the connections with electric component cleaner for good measure. Replaced the rusted bolts that I had to use a pipewrench on, and it seems good to go. Haven't tried to put it into 4x4 yet, but now that I know the transfer case isn't hosed, I think it's likely to be fine. Thanks again for the assist.:navajo:

 

[IZwack]

Alright, all set! Thanks, everyone for the advice. Putting it in Neutral and rotating the shaft in the right direction got me to 2WD.

Good deal! In general, if you can avoid it, try not to use 4LO because its the gear that half the time gets stuck and then you're forced to drive around in LO gear.

 

[yoterunner]

Stuck in 4 Lo also

Guys,

Just today, when out hunting, I also have gotten stuck in 4 Lo. I have read some threads on hear tonight trying to figure it out and have a few additional questions.

I have a 92 ex. It is a manual transmission and push button (electric) shift (I think that is obvious). I put on manual locking hubs this summer. I am currently "stuck" in 4 Lo, and when I push the button, nothing happens and I hear nothing. I have tried shifting to 4x4 High while in neutral with no luck.

1) I read about the shift motor rebuild by Brain. I will probably need to do this, but until today, I have been using 4x4 Hi every weekend and have not had any shift problem (even earlier today).

From what I have described, do you think the shift motor (plastic piece) is the culprit and going into 4 Lo just made it get "lost" like Brain and Rocha describes???? Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.