Transfer Case Noise

JCross

New Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2021
Messages
20
Location
Michigan
Hi everyone
My sons Jeep (99 Sahara) has a slight pinging noise while in gear and driving.
To me it sounds like the TC is not fully in 2H and the gears are just slightly touching to shift into 4H.
I haven't tried it in 4H to see if does it or not because I just thought of it while writing this!
I cannot check it because I am waiting on the RTV on the trans pan to set.

The Jeep has a 1" body lift, but the new bracket was installed. It also has about a 4" suspension lift. It looks like there is a 1" spacer put between the frame and the skid plate so that should relocate the trans down an inch, meaning the bracket that relocated the shift linkage pivot down 1" should probably be a bracket that moves it down 2" right? Just thinking through all this...

I put in a picture showing the skid plate spacer (it was put in by the PO, so I don't know why).

Any thoughts?

Jeep skid plate.jpg
 
Hi everyone
My sons Jeep (99 Sahara) has a slight pinging noise while in gear and driving.
To me it sounds like the TC is not fully in 2H and the gears are just slightly touching to shift into 4H.
I haven't tried it in 4H to see if does it or not because I just thought of it while writing this!
I cannot check it because I am waiting on the RTV on the trans pan to set.

The Jeep has a 1" body lift, but the new bracket was installed. It also has about a 4" suspension lift. It looks like there is a 1" spacer put between the frame and the skid plate so that should relocate the trans down an inch, meaning the bracket that relocated the shift linkage pivot down 1" should probably be a bracket that moves it down 2" right? Just thinking through all this...

I put in a picture showing the skid plate spacer (it was put in by the PO, so I don't know why).

Any thoughts?

View attachment 217929
Get a Savvy TCase Cable Shifter.
 
I was looking at those after reading up on other TC issues. So those take out the issues caused by lifts and worn bushings, etc?
I’m not sure what bracket you used to replace the stock piece of junk. As you know, the body lift causes misalignment and you either have to adjust the stock bracket or go with some kind of aftermarket product. The cable shifters are the best solution, but you may be able to adjust the bracket you have now to make it work. It sounds like it’s just not getting into gear. Was this a problem before the body lift? Or is this a new issue with the body lift?
 
ok, so here is the video and a picture of the bracket that relocates the shift linkage down an inch.
The noise it is making is from something rotating as the noise increases with speed increases.
It does while in Neutral on the trans and TC.
To me it is like it's not quite in 2H or completely out of 4H, but the fact it does it in N is very confusing.

Any help would be great. My son turns 16 on Monday and I told him this would be ready by then

pivot bracket.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0857.mov
    12.8 MB
Could be chain slop causing that. Or shift linkage is F-ed up. Disconnect the linkage at the case and manually shift it into 2H. Then confirm that the shifter is fully in 2H in the cab. Then see if you can reattach the linkage WITHOUT having to adjust or move either the linkage or the transfer. If it doesn't line up then manually shift the trans to 4L. Move shifter inside cab to 4L and see if it lines up now. If it still won't line up you know for sure that the linkage is out of adjustment. Adjust the linkage to fit now (while in 4L). Then go up top and confirm that your shifter can engage all positions. It can take a bit of up in then down under to make sure all the shift points line up with where the transfer wants to be in that gear.
OR get a cable shifter. Install once and never deal with a 💩 linkage again.
 
Could be chain slop causing that. Or shift linkage is F-ed up. Disconnect the linkage at the case and manually shift it into 2H. Then confirm that the shifter is fully in 2H in the cab. Then see if you can reattach the linkage WITHOUT having to adjust or move either the linkage or the transfer. If it doesn't line up then manually shift the trans to 4L. Move shifter inside cab to 4L and see if it lines up now. If it still won't line up you know for sure that the linkage is out of adjustment. Adjust the linkage to fit now (while in 4L). Then go up top and confirm that your shifter can engage all positions. It can take a bit of up in then down under to make sure all the shift points line up with where the transfer wants to be in that gear.
OR get a cable shifter. Install once and never deal with a 💩 linkage again.
Thanks for the reply...I think I am going to order him a cable shifter just to avoid any more headaches with it.
If it is chain slop, is there a way to tighten it or does it need to be replaced?
 
I had a very similar sound earlier this year, ended up being the centering stud on the rear driveshaft. Have you removed either driveshaft to see if the sound goes away?
 
I had a very similar sound earlier this year, ended up being the centering stud on the rear driveshaft. Have you removed either driveshaft to see if the sound goes away?
Can the Jeep be driven without damaging anything until I get the new centering stud and replace it?