4x4 not working on my TJ

[Lumpster]

Ok guys here's the deal. Pulled the plug(front differential) everything seems fine, no metal in the oil. Did some more testing and found that low range seems fine. Drove the jeep for quite a distance in low range and except for the fact that you can't drive very fast in low range (duh) low range is working fine. So the problem lays in the high range 4x4. The binding and the lockup. Does that help Rio diagnose the problem? And offer a solution. I sure hope so!
The previous owner sure abused this jeep, When I first got it...... it was covered in dirt inside and outside, under and over. Took me months to clean all the dirt from under the skid plate using a power washer. To this day there is still dirt in this thing. He sure had fun with it, but now I'm trying to sell it because I bought a newer TJ (see gallery). I like to have fun also but I like my jeep to look clean after the fun is over.
Thanks for all the advice.

[Rio_Grande]

Hmm Sounds like the Tcase, I just haven't figured out what. Unles it has a bent shifter fork that is not enguaging compleetly, but that dosen't explain the complete lockup........I am gonna have to think for a bit, But if it were me the next step I would take is putting it in 4wd and slowly getting it to bind while holding the shift lever to see if there is any pull on it. See if I could put some feel in the symptoms. If it is predictable where it will bind have someone else drive it and get down where you can see what is going on... See if there is some Binding. I guess in theroy a really bad front ujoint could bind to the point of causing a problem like this..... I am in guess zone here cause I don't have my hands on it.... For me problems like this are like hunting. One clue leads to another leads to another and so on....

[Lumpster]

Ok Rio thanks for the help. I'll try holding the lever while testing and see if I feel anything moving.
I guess I could try driving it at 50 miles an hour then pulling the lever and see what happens that should make something happen. Look in the rear view mirror and see if anything is left on the road. No wait that's a bad idea.

What if I get the jeep up to 5mph engage the 4x4 lever with the tranny in neutral? then let the wheels rotate.... would that do anything to diagnose the problem?

[DoubleClutcher]

You could put it up on floor stands and see what happens when you let the wheels spin. That would give some idea of whether it is gear or shifter problem.

Have you tried it in 4 low on dirt. If it is a lock up from mismatched tire sizes or differential ratios your should be able to slide a tire.

[Jim_Lou]

When you had it in low range did you confirm that it also was in 4 wheel drive? You can't always believe what the position of the shift lever is telling you.

[RRich]

The binding feeling, then the backing up to free it --

Could it be one end (axle) is going into Lo, the other Hi ranges? If the T-case fork internally was bent or broken, that could happen. Could even be the shifter causing it.

But that doesn't explain the left pull - unless there a locker or limit slip in one of the axles, front or rear.

[CJDave]

The 231 transfer case uses a stationary outer gear;.... the Low Range Annulus Gear.... that is actually attached directly to the front half of the case. If the low range planetary is not completely disengaging from the annulus gear before the high range synchronizer ring moved into position it would connect high range solid to the case and the vehicle will not move. This could be a linkage problem made worse by worn shifter forks.

[Lumpster]

Thanks guys & gals,
The problem must be internal to the transfer case, which means that the fix requires the case to be removed. That is something that I am unwilling to do at this point in time. The jeep is for sale and I plan on disclosing to the new owner the problem with the high range 4x4.
In the mean time I will keep my eye out for a Transfer case that will work.

Thanks for all the input.

P.S. the TJ is on the FOR SALE section of this forum.