Transfer Case 101 for a newbie

[TJ1978]

Well you put it almost vertically little forward and disconnect the rods and put the brackets straight down that would be neutral.
The shifter should have a detent and should hold on neutral so if you are close enough and linkage is disconnected you'll find it.
At this point you adjust the linkage to hook up to the bracket.
To make it easier you could just disconnect one and adjust to make the brackets lign up when in neutral.
I think your last post show that you were not able to get to low gear because of the adjustment.
Low loc is almost laying down forward.

Youre saying lo loc is more forward than this?
Because I was able to force it forward to damn touch the floor.

 

[imiceman44]

Youre saying lo loc is more forward than this?
Because I was able to force it forward to damn touch the floor.

View attachment 319260

This is not low loc.
It's either neutral or more likely low.
Low loc should look funny almost to the floor yes

 

[imiceman44]

Yesterday for whatever reason I was able to get the Tcase basically almost laying down towards the dash. Once I pulled it back, I couldn’t get it to do it gain. Thats when all the gears seemed off. And no matter where I put the Tcasr shifter, the truck would not move Forward or Reverse.

You saying Tcase shifter needs to be close to laying down this still applies with the Tcase being part time now?

If so, this gives me a vision of how the Tcase shifter should look when Lo loc engages. I had a hunch I was in low based on detent . And every gear going to the driver seat engaged.
Thanks that clears a lot up.

I searched for images of this Tcase in each gear and pictures of it, couldn’t find it.

The fact you're able to occasionally get it in low loc, the adjustment is not that far off.
I think one position back from your last picture should be neutral and then go down and disconnect the linkage and adjust

 

[TJ1978]

This is not low loc.
It's either neutral or more likely low.
Low loc should look funny almost to the floor yes

That is what I assumed, I was in -lo- From this position in my pic I could get four detents going to the driver seat.

Now nothing engages after getting it into lo loc that once.

Ive read body lifts can make shifting difficult, how can you tell if you have a body lift?

 

[Fordum]

Actually, what they are saying is, the lever might actually be going low enough towards the floor, but the linkage under the truck is not.
Its been a really long time since I drove or even rode in a truck with a 203, but I remember my cousin Baitfish2 having to lean over and really push to get it into Low Loc to try to get us out of a bog without having to winch.

And @imiceman44, I don't remember his actually getting it into Lo (edit: I meant to say Lo instead of Loc, so I changed it.) in this thread. I may be wrong.
I also vote for either trying to move it with the hubs turned, as a quick and easy way to see if the thing is in any gear, and to check to see if the rear output is working.
But the best is still going to be pulling the cotter pins, dropping the shift rods, and pulling them into position.

Quick question: I know, I think, that the range rod is in high when all the way forward, but which way is Loc on the other one?
I still have a sneaking suspicion the conversion kit has failed, and he has no rear drive. So he needs to be in Loc with the hubs turned to be sure.
Also, its starting to sound like something is self adjusting because he does not seem to have the same results he had before. Maybe one of the adjusting nuts is stripped?

 

[imiceman44]

That is what I assumed, I was in -lo- From this position in my pic I could get four detents going to the driver seat.

Now nothing engages after getting it into lo loc that once.

Ive read body lifts can make shifting difficult, how can you tell if you have a body lift?

Now I know for sure your problem is in the shifter, definitely out of adjustment but also possibly some play in the mechanism.
I would suggest you take it off and try to make sure it is tight and moves freely when not connected.
Then see if the tcase works the way it should.
The loc can not engage or disengage unless the other bracket is either in hi or low fully engaged.
You managed to get it in loc and now it's probably stuck in loc, and it will not let you go in any gear.
Start from the basics.
Disconnect, align the brackets and adjust to connect.

 

[imiceman44]

Actually, what they are saying is, the lever might actually be going low enough towards the floor, but the linkage under the truck is not.
Its been a really long time since I drove or even rode in a truck with a 203, but I remember my cousin Baitfish2 having to lean over and really push to get it into Low Loc to try to get us out of a bog without having to winch.

And @imiceman44, I don't remember his actually getting it into Lo (edit: I meant to say Lo instead of Loc, so I changed it.) in this thread. I may be wrong.
I also vote for either trying to move it with the hubs turned, as a quick and easy way to see if the thing is in any gear, and to check to see if the rear output is working.
But the best is still going to be pulling the cotter pins, dropping the shift rods, and pulling them into position.

Quick question: I know, I think, that the range rod is in high when all the way forward, but which way is Loc on the other one?
I still have a sneaking suspicion the conversion kit has failed, and he has no rear drive. So he needs to be in Loc with the hubs turned to be sure.
Also, its starting to sound like something is self adjusting because he does not seem to have the same results he had before. Maybe one of the adjusting nuts is stripped?

You missed the post, it's towards the end

 

[6872xtc]

That is what I assumed, I was in -lo- From this position in my pic I could get four detents going to the driver seat.

Now nothing engages after getting it into lo loc that once.

Ive read body lifts can make shifting difficult, how can you tell if you have a body lift?

Since nothing engages after shoving the shifter forward, this is why I said to disconnect the shifter. It may have skipped internally somewhere. Those shifters are not a direct link like a 205 shifter, and after 40 years, it can have lots of wear and problems. You can't assume that the shifter will work even if properly adjusted, you have no idea what time, wear and previous owners have done to it!!

If one of the rod adjustments was stripped, it should show by not having both nuts against the pin tab.

I doubt that you have a body lift as the shifter is too close to the floor, and even if you had one, this shifter is bolted to the transfer case. The only possibility of interference is if the stick hit the floor, and yours is protruding through the floor at a normal height.
A body lift is spacers on top of the body mounts.

 

[TJ1978]

Ok, When I get off work Im going to take the linkage off the shifter and see if I can get the Tcase in gear by pulling on the linkage. Correct? Just the outer linakage, Or both?

I will take the shifter off and check the levers make sure nothing is messed up. I only sprayed break clean, then PBteflon lube. Nothing changed in the shifter.

But before I do all that, I will lock the hubs and see if anything engages and the truck will move.

Yes, after that intitial push and the Tcase shifter went into LO LOC, The detents seems off and no matter what detent I put the Tcase shifter in, the truck does not move.

I will try and video as best I can.

Whoever had this truck before the guy I bought it from. Put it to use, there is no doubt it was beat up. You can tell by the body, what was removed and modified.

 

[blazer74]

Hi Loc thru lo Loc. 5 positions. No part time kit installed.

Hi loc

Hi

N

Lo

Lo loc

 

[TJ1978]

^ now when mine shifter went into possibly LO LOC
My shifter was even closer to the floor. Probably half way between where yours is and the floor.

Thank you for taking the time to post that.

 

[blazer74]

I can assure you this is Lo loc on my 74
I can turn my front driveshaft by hand in all positions except when I am in Hi loc and Lo loc as per my pics.

No part time kit installed in the Tcase but I do have locking hubs installed.

 

[TJ1978]

“If you haven't yet, lock the hubs. First, to make sure something else doesn't creep in, find a setting where you can turn the front drive, lock the hubs, and try to turn it again. ”

Ok test one complete. I found a gear in Tcase that allows me to spin the front drive shaft by hand Hubs Unlocked.
In the same gear in the Tcase if I then lock the hubs, I cannot sping the front drivae shaft. Also in this gear (i dont know which one) when I shift the Tcase I only feel 3 detents, hubs locked

 

[blazer74]

Have to be later

 

[TJ1978]

Test 2: i was told to unkook the outer linkage and check for gear engagement here is that video:

 

[TJ1978]

Test 3; both linkage unhooked and moved by hand. My oldest was filming so.,,

 

[Fordum]

OK, hang on. The outer rod should have three positions. The inner only two when both are unhooked.
However they are interconnected inside the transfer case, In one position of the inner rod, you probably will not be able to move the outside to all three positions.
If so, move the inner to which ever of its two positions that lets you move the outer to three positions.
Then, pull the outer all the way out, move the inner to the other position, and it should drive off.
If so, move the inner back, then push the outer all the way in and then move the inner back and it should drive off very slowly.

 

[Fordum]

I want to explain what is going on. The outer rod is the range rod. It shifts the transfer case from Hi to Neutral to Lo. Three positions.
The inner rod only shifts from Loc to Unloc. When it is in Loc, the range rod is not able to shift. When it is in Unloc, the range rod can go to all three positions, but the inner rod cannot move when the range is in Neutral.
By removing the rods from the shifter, you have eliminated any possible problems with the shifter its self, and you are shifting the transfer case directly.
Grab the outside rod and see if it will go to all three positions. If its locked and will not shift, the inner rod is in the Loc position. Note where it is, and move it to the other position. That is the unloc position, and the range rod should then be free to move.
If the transfer case is OK internally, you should be able to leave the inner rod in the unloc position and drive the truck with the range rod either all the way in or all the way out. As long as the hubs are locked.

 

[TJ1978]

OK, hang on. The outer rod should have three positions. The inner only two when both are unhooked.
However they are interconnected inside the transfer case, In one position of the inner rod, you probably will not be able to move the outside to all three positions.
If so, move the inner to which ever of its two positions that lets you move the outer to three positions.
Then, pull the outer all the way out, move the inner to the other position, and it should drive off.
If so, move the inner back, then push the outer all the way in and then move the inner back and it should drive off very slowly.

Here ya go inner two positions and it seems outer has 3

 

[Fordum]

Yep, that is exactly what you should have. The outer is Hi Neutral Lo. That is three positions, then the inner moves twice, that is a total of 5 positions.
With the outer all the way out, the truck should drive off.