I just picked up a 98 LTD and decided to check out the lo ratio. When it was in it was grinding like hell! I was only going about 2mph max! When I got it out and back up to 2WD it stayed in full time 4WD. Any ideas about getting it into 2? It's got to go in for repair because there is something wrong with the diff but driving in 4WD is costing a fortune. Any quick fixes before repair?

 

You've been driving it on the street in 4wd? You can really screw your Jeep up doin that doesn't it hop around when you turn? I have a 98 XJ & mine grinds when I didn't engage correctly. You have to keep handle pushed over to side til your in 4w lo if I stopped in N & then proceeded it would grind. Also when I 1st used 4wd it would stick in 4wd I changed fluid in t.case & it releases right away now so check fluid. As far as mechanical repairs on t.case I don't know stll learnin myself but you should stop driving on street in 4wd before something else breaks.What kind of t.case are you runin?

 

it's most likely the transfer case. that and depending on what transfer case you have (most likely the 231) you may need to step off the accelerator and then hit the gas again really quick to fully disengage the front axle. it actually has the instructions in your owners manual to do that. give that a try a couple of times and see how that works for you.

if you also have the 231, there is no full time 4wd, only part time hi and lo, along with neutral and 2wd. the 242 has a full time 4wd, with 2, Full time 4wd, part time hi, neutral, and part time lo.

 

Cheers for the responses, I have booked it in for a fluid replacement, and a service so should be cool. I had to drive on 4WD(not lo ratio though) as I was stuck in town, was going rather slow though so as not to damage the car. Got it back into 2WD now and it's fine.

 

I've also read that there's a spring in the case that (after aging) can get stuck and/or finicky. If you stop, put it in reverse, go backwards, then stop, put it back in drive to go forward, it should unstick. Of course all of this is when the selector is in 2 or rear-only. It works for mine.
Good luck.

 

is your jeep lifted? if so does it have a t-case drop kit? my jeep had trouble going in and out of 4 low after I did the t-case drop. I adjusted the linkage changed the t-case juice now all is well.

 

It's completely standard, I only just picked it up the other day, it has only been used a bit for the last three years so I think it was a little stiff from no use. I managed to get it out following the steps in the manual but the level was stiff as hell!

 

If at first you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer.

 

I was considering smacking it with a hammer!

 

Works every time lol

 

Fluid change on everything should def helpout a lot!! That an just working your stuff over a good amoun of times. You said it hasn't been driven much by the previous owners so things prolly just need to be worked an lined back up throughly. Good luck

 

when you say it stayed in FULL TIME 4wd do you mean that's what it actually says, or is it stuck in Part time 4wd. because if so it says FULL TIME 4WD that means you probably have the NP242 in which case driving around in FULL TIME 4WD is okay, like some of the Grands which only have the 4WD option, doesn't ever go into 2WD.

As for getting it into 2wd, sorry man never played with the NP242

 

If you read throughthe posts csmart he said he got it into 2wd lol. Way to read man lol.

 

I read through them, if you read he says in the first post he got it to go up to 2WD but it was still stuck in 4. I see he got it into 2 later, All i was sayin, if he has the np242 its not as big of a problem as it would be for the np231 but thanks for trying to flame me

 

FLAME ON!!!


lol, jk.