2WD to 4WD HI grinding noise when in 4WD

bbiggyz

bbiggyz

New Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2019
Messages
14
Location
Michigan
As the title describes I hear an intermittent grinding noise from the front center of the vehicle when launching in 4WD. I’ve tried combining different techniques but it’s pretty consistent with not wanting to be in 4WD. I saw the instructions are to do the shift when in motion but even then it still grinds.
Is it possible there’s a synchronizer needing replacing or a linkage solution? Not sure where to begin looking and how to even look. Usually if I pause with the clutch in and play with the gas pedal I can get it to go away for a moment or two but it comes back.
Would appreciate any recommendations!
 
I wonder if your linkage is loose and not actually getting into 4WD. It’s a common issue with the factory linkage and could be as easy as adjusting the set screw or swapping out for a cable shifter instead.

did this issue start after recent work (such as a TT or lift)?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 707kevin
rasband said:
I wonder if your linkage is loose and not actually getting into 4WD. It’s a common issue with the factory linkage and could be as easy as adjusting the set screw or swapping out for a cable shifter instead.

did this issue start after recent work (such as a TT or lift)?
Click to expand...

(y) Exactly - and when this happens, you can definitely feel it in your hand.
 
Haven’t done any recent work to the suspension or anything like a lift. I haven’t tried holding my hand on it while it grinds, I usually try to quickly force it into 4 and haven’t kept my hand on it yet so I’ll give that a go. Any help with finding that adjustment screw would be freakin awesome because I thought it felt like it isn’t getting into 4 all the way. I can get it to shift into 4WD and go for awhile in 1st or 2nd, but once just now I gave it a bit of gas when it wasn’t grinding and when the revs went up it started grinding, so I took my foot off and it stopped grinding. Maybe that helps?
 
Just so I understand you correctly, does it grind when you're trying to put it into 4wd or is it grinding when you are in 4wd and trying to accelerate? If it happens when you are in 4wd does the sound change when you go from accelerating to decelerating?
 
reddvltj said:
Just so I understand you correctly, does it grind when you're trying to put it into 4wd or is it grinding when you are in 4wd and trying to accelerate? If it happens when you are in 4wd does the sound change when you go from accelerating to decelerating?
Click to expand...
When I am in 4wd taking off, or during regular driving it will occasionally grind. I can move from 2WD to 4WD okay. It does change directly to acceleration or deceleration. ie reving up the engine in gear will rev up the grinding occasionally, if I let it decelerate it clears up/grinds less.
 
bbiggyz said:
When I am in 4wd taking off, or during regular driving it will occasionally grind. I can move from 2WD to 4WD okay. It does change directly to acceleration or deceleration. ie reving up the engine in gear will rev up the grinding occasionally, if I let it decelerate it clears up/grinds less.
Click to expand...
The first place I would start looking if you say the sound is coming from the front would be the front differential.
 
That's just where I would start looking based on your description of where the sound is coming from.
I ended up having to replace the t-case in my 2006 Dodge 2500, when I put it in 4 high it started popping and grinding under a heavy load. I found out the bearings for the front output were worn out, but the sound didn't seem to be coming from the front. No noise at all in 2wd
 
reddvltj said:
That's just where I would start looking based on your description of where the sound is coming from.
I ended up having to replace the t-case in my 2006 Dodge 2500, when I put it in 4 high it started popping and grinding under a heavy load. I found out the bearings for the front output were worn out, but the sound didn't seem to be coming from the front. No noise at all in 2wd
Click to expand...
Love the help, I'll probably end up taking the diff cover off sometime soon and see if the gears/bearings are in good shape. Talking to my dad he said he's thinking it might be the u-joints, so I'll swing by and have him listen tonight.
 
bbiggyz said:
Love the help, I'll probably end up taking the diff cover off sometime soon and see if the gears/bearings are in good shape. Talking to my dad he said he's thinking it might be the u-joints, so I'll swing by and have him listen tonight.
Click to expand...
U-joints are easy enough to check but again going off your description I doubt they are your problem. If so that'd be a lot less expensive to fix (y)
 
So I just tried it out with my dad. I first took off in 4hi from a cold engine and I was able to go about without a peep. Then once I got a little fast on the gas it started sounding like it was grinding, definitely not a quiet noise it’s noticeable. You can also definitely feel it in the selector. He then told me to try 4lo. It’d instantly grind as I let out the clutch, no amount of babying it was gonna get it to move. He’s saying transfer case is slipping or it sounds like it isn’t engaging the gears all the way, but the shifter feels like it’s moving fine inside, not sloppy or anything.
Again if I baby it around town in 4hi, not a peep. But if I start driving like I would in the summer time on the street it grinds nasty, and in 4lo it doesn’t even move, and grinds the whole time the clutch is out.
 
bbiggyz said:
So I just tried it out with my dad. I first took off in 4hi from a cold engine and I was able to go about without a peep. Then once I got a little fast on the gas it started sounding like it was grinding, definitely not a quiet noise it’s noticeable. You can also definitely feel it in the selector. He then told me to try 4lo. It’d instantly grind as I let out the clutch, no amount of babying it was gonna get it to move. He’s saying transfer case is slipping or it sounds like it isn’t engaging the gears all the way, but the shifter feels like it’s moving fine inside, not sloppy or anything.
Again if I baby it around town in 4hi, not a peep. But if I start driving like I would in the summer time on the street it grinds nasty, and in 4lo it doesn’t even move, and grinds the whole time the clutch is out.
Click to expand...
Stretched chain or bearing slop in the t-case maybe?
 
bbiggyz said:
So I just tried it out with my dad. I first took off in 4hi from a cold engine and I was able to go about without a peep. Then once I got a little fast on the gas it started sounding like it was grinding, definitely not a quiet noise it’s noticeable. You can also definitely feel it in the selector. He then told me to try 4lo. It’d instantly grind as I let out the clutch, no amount of babying it was gonna get it to move. He’s saying transfer case is slipping or it sounds like it isn’t engaging the gears all the way, but the shifter feels like it’s moving fine inside, not sloppy or anything.
Again if I baby it around town in 4hi, not a peep. But if I start driving like I would in the summer time on the street it grinds nasty, and in 4lo it doesn’t even move, and grinds the whole time the clutch is out.
Click to expand...

sounds like the linkage slipping out still, if you can’t get fully into to 4hi, it’s no shock you can’t also get into 4Lo. Is there better engagement between where 4hi is and neutral should be? I’d say this is the tell of if it’s just a linkage issue.

I don’t have my stock linkage to get any pictures, but you could disconnect what’s there and manually get the TC into 4hi to validate fairly easily. On the 241 it looks like this:

image.jpg

Mine has the savvy shifter but the lever it attaches to you can shift by hand (or with pliers) if nothing is attached.
 
  • Like
Reactions: reddvltj
rasband said:
sounds like the linkage slipping out still, if you can’t get fully into to 4hi, it’s no shock you can’t also get into 4Lo. Is there better engagement between where 4hi is and neutral should be? I’d say this is the tell of if it’s just a linkage issue.

I don’t have my stock linkage to get any pictures, but you could disconnect what’s there and manually get the TC into 4hi to validate fairly easily. On the 241 it looks like this:

View attachment 124570
Mine has the savvy shifter but the lever it attaches to you can shift by hand (or with pliers) if nothing is attached.
Click to expand...
I think you're 100% correct. I just went back out to try to take a video of the sound, and I really really pulled on the selector and it didn't make the noise AT ALL in 4hi. Not even when I'm hard on the gas. Then I did the same in 4lo, I really put my back into pulling on the selector and it actually started rolling when I released the clutch, and I did a couple laps going up from 1st to 5th 0-15mph and it didn't do it once...

I think it's the linkage boys!
 
  • Like
Reactions: reddvltj
bbiggyz said:
I think you're 100% correct. I just went back out to try to take a video of the sound, and I really really pulled on the selector and it didn't make the noise AT ALL in 4hi. Not even when I'm hard on the gas. Then I did the same in 4lo, I really put my back into pulling on the selector and it actually started rolling when I released the clutch, and I did a couple laps going up from 1st to 5th 0-15mph and it didn't do it once...

I think it's the linkage boys!
Click to expand...

I hope so! Mine would slip out or fail to engage before I spent some time on it. If you pull out the front half of your console you can see the lever and what it slides through to provide “the stops”.

Under the TJ (above the front drive shaft) you should see the linkage. If I remember right there’s a nut for adjustments.
 
P4140031.jpg
I'm pretty sure based off of google and youtube, this is the adjustment. Just take an impact to it to tighten it down, and spray a bit of PB blaster on the joints to loosen everything up?
 
bbiggyz said:
View attachment 124585 I'm pretty sure based off of google and youtube, this is the adjustment. Just take an impact to it to tighten it down, and spray a bit of PB blaster on the joints to loosen everything up?
Click to expand...

I don’t know if there are multiple linkages, but mine looked closer to this:

1573520028734.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bbiggyz and reddvltj
Top Bottom
Back