Questions about shifting the transfer case

[bobbyo]

So not only am I new to Jeeps (4 months into ownership of my first one, a 2000 Sport) but I'm also new to 4 wheeling, having never done it before. I was playing around with the transfer case in my gravel driveway and I think was wasn't doing things quite right. I've read the manual (and on-line as well) on how to shift into 4L and 4H but still have a question.

Moving about 10 mph or so and while in Drive I shifted from 2H to 4H with no problem. For the heck of it I then shifted to "N" on the transfer case while I was still in Drive, as best I recall. Again no problem. But trying to get it back into 4H and then 2H it was difficult and the gears in the transfer case made a grinding noise. Guess it was a case of "if you can't find'em grind'em". So there's probably a procedure to get out of "N" in the transfer case back to 4H and then 2H. What would I need to do, or should I say what did I do wrong?

 

[tnjeepguy]

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...ifting-transfer-case-while-off-roading.35720/

Search is your friend.

 

[jjvw]

Think about how the front and rear driveshafts are rotating relative to each other inside the transfer case. Then think about how the engine is rotating the transfer case.

In order to shift from one mode to another, the rotations of the moving (or not moving) parts need to be in synch with each other.

A hint to explain why you can shift from 2H to 4H at highway speeds is because the front driveshaft is always (with rare exception) spinning in synch with the rear axle, regardless of the transfer case mode.

Unpack that and you will understand a lot of what is happening in the transfer case.

 

[machoheadgames]

Put the transmission in park. The engine is driving the transfer case input in drive which is why you can’t get back into 4H or 4L once you’re in neutral. You need to be stopped, in park or neutral, and then you can shift. I would prefer park because sometimes neutral can spin up the transmission and still make the shift difficult.