4X4 not working after wheel bearing assembly replaced

J-Raye

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Sep 21, 2021
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Lousiana
Hello all!

Recently had the right/front wheel bearing assembly replaced by a mechanic. (I plan on doing the left myself). After getting it back, my 4x4 does not engage, worked great prior. The dash light does not come on either. Transfer case is 6 months old, the linkage is in tact. Is there a sensor or hose that could have been damaged? I'm going to take it back to the mechanic, but it's a few days before they can look at it.
 
What are your symptoms? 4x4 lights not coming on? Do you know that your front driveshaft isn't spinning? Just can't get the transfer case to shift?
 
oops just read that sentence in the middle about the light, my bad. transfer case shifting is just mechanical linkage, there isn't a sensor that would stop it from shifting.
 
Hello all!

Recently had the right/front wheel bearing assembly replaced by a mechanic. (I plan on doing the left myself). After getting it back, my 4x4 does not engage, worked great prior. The dash light does not come on either. Transfer case is 6 months old, the linkage is in tact. Is there a sensor or hose that could have been damaged? I'm going to take it back to the mechanic, but it's a few days before they can look at it.

Nothing about your symptoms is related to the unit bearing. The light is enabled by an internal mechanism which is evntually tied to the shifter linkage. Meaning that once it's engaged the light should come on. Of course the light could have just come unplugged as well (or bulb burned out). And you'll find plenty of people here who don't have working 4x4 dash lights. Now when you say it doesn't engage, are you just talking about the light, or can you feel it not engage? Unless you added lockout hubs, your front driveshaft will still spin even in 2WD.

I'm leery of most mechanics anyway, but if I took it in to have a bearing replaced and it came back with a 4WD problem I would not have faith in him fixing it correctly this time either.
 
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Nothing about your symptoms is related to the unit bearing. The light is enabled by an internal mechanism which is evntually tied to the shifter linkage. Meaning that once it's engaged the light should come on. Of course the light could have just come unplugged as well (or bulb burned out). And you'll find plenty of people here who don't have working 4x4 dash lights. Now when you say it doesn't engage, are you just talking about the light, or can you feel it not engage? Unless you added lockout hubs, your front driveshaft will still spin even in 2WD.

I'm leery of most mechanics anyway, but if I took it in to have a bearing replaced and it came back with a 4WD problem I would not have faith in him fixing it correctly this time either.
I'm leery of him was well. I loaned my TJ to a friend when their truck was totaled, he took it upon himself to have the assembly replaced by his mechanic. I might bypass him all together and have mine (that I trust completely) take a look.

The 4x4 isn't working at all, I found that out the hard way....
 
oops just read that sentence in the middle about the light, my bad. transfer case shifting is just mechanical linkage, there isn't a sensor that would stop it from shifting.
The 4x4 isn't working at all. Maybe it is in the transfer case, I've gone through two. First one leaked. I loaned my jeep shortly after the second one was installed. I would think that if it was something internal in the case, the light should come on, minus the case of a burnt bulb.
 
The 4x4 isn't working at all. Maybe it is in the transfer case, I've gone through two. First one leaked. I loaned my jeep shortly after the second one was installed. I would think that if it was something internal in the case, the light should come on, minus the case of a burnt bulb.
Check to be sure that the shift linkage isn't slipping underneath
 
I loaned my TJ to a friend when their truck was totaled, he took it upon himself to have the assembly replaced by his mechanic.

There are at least 3 red flags in that one sentence. So you didn't know he was taking your jeep to get a new bearing?
 
Benefit of the doubt for the mechanic - it's just a coincidence. He's not going to want to monkey around with the t-case - he'd have to pull the skid too, just doesn't seem likely. Do you have any lifts installed? The stock linkage would be affected if so.

Might be a good time now to ditch the stock linkage, and move to a savvy or novak cable shifter. You're already having problems with it, and the stock linkage is more mechanically complex vs the savvy linkage.
 
Can you explain how suspension lift will affect the shift linkage?
It doesn't. But changing the relationship between the body and transfer case will affect the shift linkage. Body lifts, raised bellies, and transfer case drops all do that.
 
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Transfer case six months old? Who replaced that? Warranty on their work?

Probably a shift lever issue. Maybe they didn't get a bolt tightened down all the way.

The 4wd light is a simple micro switch so theres no reason that shouldn't come on if the t-case is actually broken. And you didn't mention any noises that I assume would come with a broken t-case.

You said the shift lever is intact but maybe have a friend cycle the shift lever while you look underneath to see what it is doing.