Electric Transfer Case to Manual Transfer Case Swap

[kozak]

Well I got it all done this weekend. It sucks working in the cold. I got the shifter lengthened. Made a new gasket out of black rtv, bolted it all up, filled the transfer case with fluid. I started the truck up, and locked the hubs, shifted it into 4 hi and I got a big clunk. I went for a drive, tried out the 4 lo, and it started making weird noises, and seemed like it was randomly shifting from 1-2 or 2-3 or something. So I put it back into 2 wheel drive, and drove back home. Then I remembered I forgot to check the transmission fluid level, and of course it was a bit low, so I topped it up. I hope thats the reason it was acting up. Although I have had vehicles run on lower tranny fluid then that before and be fine. I am going to test it out on some off road areas tomorrow.

 

[kozak]

After work today I took it to a near by river where there is gravel, sand, steep hills an such. Tried out the 4 lo again. Had it in first going up a hill, gunned it a little bit, I dont know what is inside a transfer case, but it sounded like a chain came off its gears in the transfer case, and just spun until I let off the gas. 4 Hi seems to work good. I am hoping the transfer case isnt screwed.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

there is a chain inside the transfer case, it drives the front tires. but the chain spins anytime the truck is in 4wd..low or high so if the problem only occures in low range then you probably have a fried planetary gearset.

 

[kozak]

Is there a way to fix that, or is it something that cant be fixed.
Is it possible that I may have to adjust the shifter ?

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

you can try adjusting the shifter. usually a mis-adjusted shifter will just pop out of gear.

adjust it by loosening the pivot bolt, shifting into 4-low, then adjusting the cam plate up till its 1/4-1/2" from the shifter shaft.

if it is the transfer case planetaries, you can replace them, but you'll likely need a donor case anyway, so it'd be easier to just swap in a new (used) case.

 

[kozak]

I have a 1354 electric one that worked perfectly fine. Could I use that as a parts donor?

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

that should do.

 

[kozak]

I just went out an played around in the snow, I was fooling around with the low range, it was making a weird noise again when I pushed the shifter down to 4 lo. I really reefed and wiggled the shifter back, and I felt it really kick it into 4 lo, it didnt make any sounds after that, and I drove it around and it worked great, it seems to work better then my electric shift transfer case does. So does that sound more like a shifter issue, or can the planetary gears work intermittently when they want ?

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

i dont see how the planitaries would be an intermittant issue.

being that your shifter has been modified, i would take a closer look at that and see what the problem is. im thinking you may have to widen the opening in the cam plate to accomidate the longer shifter shaft.