The shift lever for 4 wheel hi-neutral-low wont budge. Is it a tough fix, and how much will it improve my gas mileage if I can get it to neutral and drive 2wheel?

 

have you tried jercking the xj back and forth while pulling the lever

 

Probably not...don't know what the xj is

 

What year/engine etc? Sounds like a linkage problem. DO you have 2wd? or just 4hi-n-lo? Most likely sounds like you have the np249 t-case which is full time 4wd.

 

Neutral is neutral, NO drive, TC is disconnected from wheels and tranny, ALL Transfer cases. Your linkage is jammed or out of adjustment. Is easy to adjust. Get a Haynes or Chilton's manual for instruction. Unless you have a 242 TC and it is stuck in 4FT, do NOT drive on pavement. 4HI is for loose surface ONLY. 2HI is the 2wd setting.

 

me bad wj/zj back and forth while jerking on lever

 

I guess its 4wd all the time. Nothing anywhere I look says anything about 2wd. I just thought that if I could unlock the front axle that I could avoid the wheel-hop on turns, etc. I bought this for when the dirt roads that I live on were bad in the winter. Had another car that I drove most of the time but the 250lb deer totaled it. Now I drive this gas hog.

I was told that the front could be disconnected and....voila! its a 2wd. not so huh?

 

Just disconnect the front driveshaft. (Take it completely off)

 

The "XJ" is your Jeep.