Won't Go Into 4-Lo Unless Pointed Downhill

[WLDRIDE]

I was out wheeling last week. I have the 4.0 and the auto. I could not get the transfer case to go into 4-Lo unless the TJ was pointed fairly steeply downhill. I still had to be completely stopped, not rolling, but unless I was pointed downhill the lever would stop before the 4-Lo would fully engage. What's up with that?

 

[Steel City 06]

It sounds like perhaps your linkage is out of adjustment. Do you have a factory shifter or a cable shifter?

 

[WLDRIDE]

It sounds like perhaps your linkage is out of adjustment. Do you have a factory shifter or a cable shifter?

Factory shifter. And, yes, I just watched a YouTube video that talked about how a 2" lift could get that rod just enough out of adjustment that it causes a problem. I installed 2" coil spacers and new shocks just a little while back, I'm pretty sure that's what caused the problem.

 

[Steel City 06]

I don’t have links handy, but there are a few threads on adjusting the factory shifter to accommodate changes in geometry.

A more permanent solution would be to install a Savvy cable shifter for the 231 or 241, which is not affected by changes in geometry.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Shift into 4Hi first, then shift your auto trans into neutral while slightly rolling, then shift into 4Lo. If it still doesn't shift smoothly, adjust the linkage.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

2 inch lift on suspension shouldn't affect the shifter... 2 inch body lift will.

I agree about the slight roll, just needs to be under 5MPH, either direction works on mine if it wants to be stubborn.

 

[WLDRIDE]

Shift into 4Hi first, then shift your auto trans into neutral while slightly rolling, then shift into 4Lo. If it still doesn't shift smoothly, adjust the linkage.

Are you saying it should still be slightly rolling when I pull it into 4Lo?

 

[AndyG]

You can be but just ever so slightly... But if it isn't going in to four low you need to go ahead and take care of the issue... The trick is to loosen the 13 mm nut and hold the handle up all the way and roll the actuator on the transfer case into four low before you retighten the nut... Then your lever being all the way up is in sync with the transmission being in four low so that establishes your baseline. The rest takes care of itself.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Are you saying it should still be slightly rolling when I pull it into 4Lo?

Rolling and in neutral. If not, it will grind and not want to shift.Make sure there isn't any rust or crud on the linkage too. All my Jeeps shift "like butta". Adjustment vid.
p.s. It's a BL or t-case drop that binds up the angles of the linkage, not the suspension lift. That's why most BL's come with the relocation bracket.