4WD Shifting Problems

Bruce20

TJ Enthusiast
Original poster
Joined
Jun 2, 2018
Messages
313
Location
Pennsylvania
When my Jeep was stock, I put it in 4wd because I have to drive up a grass hill and it was tearing up the grass. It was a bugger to get into 4wd when it was stock. Then I installed my lift kit and now it is stuck in 4wd. No matter how hard I yank on it, it won’t go into 2wd. What should I do?


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Have you checked the linkage underneath? Is it attached properly to the transfer case?
 
The manual list a series of steps to check if everything is installed correctly. Let me find a photo of that page. Just Google "jeep tj 4wd linkage adjustment” and you'll see a couple good videos on YouTube.

Also, do you have a body lift? @Chris or @Jerry Bransford will know if anything special needs to be done to the t-case linkage when a body lift is installed.
 
The manual list a series of steps to check if everything is installed correctly. Let me find a photo of that page. Just Google "jeep tj 4wd linkage adjustment” and you'll see a couple good videos on YouTube.

Also, do you have a body lift? @Chris or @Jerry Bransford will know if anything special needs to be done to the t-case linkage when a body lift is installed.

I actually have the factory manual with my Jeep. I don’t have a body lift. Just rancho rs5000x shocks and 2 inch PC springs. I already watched those videos and they say to take the bolt out and put it into the 2wd location, but I’m in 4wd.


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Last edited:
Dump that crappy stock linkage and replace it with a Savvy cable shifter. It'll shift as smooth as butter and you'll never have another problem.
 
Dump that crappy stock linkage and replace it with a Savvy cable shifter. It'll shift as smooth as butter and you'll never have another problem.

X2 to this. You'll thank us big time. That stock transfer case shifter linkage is just a horrible, horrible piece of garbage.

Not sure if you have a body lift or not, but with a body lift, the stock shifter linkage becomes much more difficult to shift, and to continue to use it, you need some sort of a relocation bracket that some of the body lifts include.
 
I’ll just have to loosen the bolt and see if that helps. I can’t spend much more money on this Jeep currently.


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You can disconnect the linkage and put it in 2wd by hand by rotating the lever on the transfer case toward the front. It will stay there.

It's obvious your linkage is binding . It can be greased and adjusted , and there is a plate rugged ridge sells that helps square it up. It's 35 bucks.

Do the cable when you can.
 
You can disconnect the linkage and put it in 2wd by hand by rotating the lever on the transfer case toward the front. It will stay there.

It's obvious your linkage is binding . It can be greased and adjusted , and there is a plate rugged ridge sells that helps square it up. It's 35 bucks.

Do the cable when you can.

Thanks, I will probably do this due to winter coming up in a few months and it is predicted to be a snowy one, so I need my 4wd to work.


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Typically loosening the set screw will do the trick ...just retighten it after that.