4x4 low issue

[Nathanael Rusciolelli]

I've been having issues getting my TJ to engage 4-low. 4-high works just fine but it just wont seem to let me select 4-low. I was reading online about how to adjust the linkage so I tried that this morning but now when I try and put it in 4-low I get this bad grinding noise. I feel like maybe it's not fully engaged or something. Anybody ever had this issue? It's not the end of the world since I don't use 4-low that often I would just like to have it in the future.

 

[dylansalrin]

I've been having issues getting my TJ to engage 4-low. 4-high works just fine but it just wont seem to let me select 4-low. I was reading online about how to adjust the linkage so I tried that this morning but now when I try and put it in 4-low I get this bad grinding noise. I feel like maybe it's not fully engaged or something. Anybody ever had this issue? It's not the end of the world since I don't use 4-low that often I would just like to have it in the future.

the grinding noise is your linkage now being off, it probably was not the issue to begin with. I cannot tell you what the initial problem way (hopefully someone like Jerry or Chris chime in) but I can tell you that I had the same noise and it was the linkage.

 

[Chris]

I agree that it's probably your linkage that's not allowing you to get fully into 4 Low.

The stock linkage on the TJ is garbage. You can try adjusting it, but I highly, highly, highly suggest one of these:
https://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/shifters/sk2x/sk2xc

Going from my stock linkage to one of those Novak linkages was incredible. My stock linkage was always getting stuck and felt so notch. My Novak shifter shifts smooth as butter, and there's no more guessing if it's engaged or not.

For the small price, it's definitely worth it. It should solve all your shifting woes.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Even when the linkage is properly adjusted, 4Lo can grind when selecting it in some conditions. FIrst, you can't pull it into 4Lo at speed like you can 4Hi, 4Lo is not synchronized. You have to be either stopped or at a dead-slow crawl to be able to shift into 4Lo. Mine will occasionally grind a tad when the gears aren't aligned so I'll occasionally go into a dead-slow crawl and then pull it into 4Lo. A little grinding at time is normal since, again, 4Lo's gears are not synchronized like 4Hi's gears are.

But it is possible/likely the linkage has slipped out of adjustment as only one bolt holds it in adjustment. The bolt with the 1/2" head circled in the photo below is the only thing that keeps the linkage in adjustment. If the rod that bolt holds slips out a little, it makes selecting 4Lo impossible. The fix for that is to use a 1/2" wrench to loosen the bolt, slide the rod back up and tighten the snot out of that bolt. You may be able to see marks on the rod where the bolt was positioned on the rod by the factory.

 

[Nathanael Rusciolelli]

I've been trying to adjust that rod, but I cant get it to move forward any. How will I know how far I should adjust it?

 

[Nathanael Rusciolelli]

Chris, I'll have to keep that in mind for the future, but right now it's not in the budget.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I've been trying to adjust that rod, but I cant get it to move forward any. How will I know how far I should adjust it?

The rod is attached to the transfer case toggle which has notched positions... its' not going to move except to shift into a different gear. The bracket the bolt is in is attached to the shift mechanism... so move the shifter which will move the bracket, not the rod. Adjust its position to the point it starts working correctly, there's not a whole lot to this adjustment.

 

[Ogre77]

I've been having issues getting my TJ to engage 4-low. 4-high works just fine but it just wont seem to let me select 4-low. I was reading online about how to adjust the linkage so I tried that this morning but now when I try and put it in 4-low I get this bad grinding noise. I feel like maybe it's not fully engaged or something. Anybody ever had this issue? It's not the end of the world since I don't use 4-low that often I would just like to have it in the future.

i have the exact same issue

 

[hear]

i have the exact same issue

Advice from 2016 remains the same today: get a cable shifter.

 

[AndyG]

First, the jeep needs to be in neutral and stopped or barely moving to engage normally into 4lo.

Then you move the shifter from 2 hi or 4 hi, either mode, to neutral then to 4 low.




Do not force it. It will mesh right in if the shifter is set right.

Lube the linkage, chock the wheels, loosen the 13 mm rod bolt and roll the actuator toward the front and down if a sport or x and up and toward back if a Rubicon- once it jumps in, have someone hold the lever all the way up and snug the bolt.


Notice @JMT s post below that you can shift to 4 high at any speed- This is the shift on the fly feature.

 

[Zorba]

Double clutching when the T-case is in neutral but the main tranny is in "a" gear can help.

 

[JMT]

No need to be in neutral to shift from 2H to 4H. The ratio is still 1:1 so the gears will mesh by simply shifting while driving in any gear (up to 40mph). When going to 4L the ratio changes to either 2.72:1 (231J) or 4:1 (241J), so you need to slow down to less than 5mph and shift to neutral before going from 4H to 4L and vice versa.

 

[jjvw]

... (up to 40mph). ...

Up to infinity. The 1:1 ratio doesn't change at 41mph.

 

[Ogre77]

Advice from 2016 remains the same today: get a cable shifter.

yes, good advice. Put the cable shifter in and so far works like a charm.