whitebomber

Suddenly my 4 wheel drive won't disengage. Goes in fine and the indicator light goes on. When going back to 2 wheel drive the indicator goes off but it stays in 4 wheel. The only way to get it back to 2 wheel is to stop and go into reverse. Or sometimes if you stop quick it will disengage.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

jd4x426

your transfer case linkage might be off a little you can adjust it a little and see if that helps just adjust a little then try it alot of trial and error

whitebomber

Still having the issue above. Wanted to get an opinion from some experts! I have a friend with a lift, and we put the Cherokee on the lift and the 4w to 2w worked just fine. Seems only when down on the pavement does it have the issue.

He though maybe it had to do with the fact that the front tires are new and the back have maybe 50% tread left. That they would in essence be screwing up the 4wd because of the slight size difference.

Does this make sense?? Just wanted to get a feel before I sprung for new tires...

Thanks!

Programbo

That`s the only way I`ve ever been able to get mine to go back into 2WD since I`ve had it..I thought that was the way it was suppose to work

xjbones

i would adjust your linkage first b4 the new tires. i had the same problem when i first bought my xj and that fixed it for me. your jeep being on the lift is prob stressing the unibody. prob far enough to get your linkage where it needs to be or close. when you let it back down it all goes back to where it was. just some advise

4.3L XJ

Experts. "X" is an unknown, "Spurt" is a drip under pressure. You figure out the rest.

The New Process transfer cases for the most part use the linkage to engage it into 4WD. The synchros engage and then also if you have a vacuum disconnect, which it sounds like you do, the axle locks and you are into four wheel drive. But when you shift out, there is nothing but a little spring inside the case that pushes it out of gear. When you are in 4WD, there is small differences in dire diameter, steering around objects and so forth that puts torsional pressure on the drive train. as long as this pressure is there, that little spring will not push it out of gear. When you back up, it reverses the actions that put the torsion on the drive train in the first pace and when the twist is gone, that little spring slides it out of gear. What I have always done is to just push on the lever and decelerate or even tap the brake just slightly and it just slides out and I don't even have to hardly slow down.

xjbones

just sharing what fixed mine...not saying im an expert!!
some of this is taken way to serious

4.3L XJ

I just say I am unknown, but definitely not a drip.

xjbones

whatever thats supposed to mean
im going to the ''other site''

New2Jeeps42

Um i know alot of people who have to shift into 2w and reverse and then back forward and it pops out fine. I think this is actually very common with older transfer cases. I almost bought a S10 that had the same thing going on.

whitebomber

Thanks for the replies... Went ahead and replaced the older tires and it works flawlessly. In fact it's very quiet now. It always was louder in 4wd. My tire maintenance is awful and in retrospect I think I was screwing up our old Grand Cherokee too.

So live and learn...