This is a long post so if you don't want to read it all, skip down to cliffs. Long story short, I changed the gear fluids yesterday on my jeep, switched into 4x4 just to make sure each gear worked (was on my driveway when I did this) then ended up breaking my transfer case shift rod. The car unfortunately was stuck in 4x4 part time (I have NV242) but thankfully not in 4lo.

Went to a shop and asked them if they could weld the pin head back together. They told me they could do it. I went and got the car, and despite it being stuck in 4x4 part time...I drove about 8 or so miles to the shop (very slowly...under 40mph at all times) and kept the car as straight as possible and minimized the turnings as best as I could (obviously I had to turn at some point...had to do a u turn and the car hated life as it was doing that).

What was supposed to be a simple job turned out to be disaster. The guy at the shop got the rod out, then told me he had to fabricate a new part and that it would take him awhile. I said that's fine and asked them to put it into 2wd if you can so I can atleast drive it and I'll come back to you guys in the morning. This is where everything fell apart. The guy (despite knowing his transmissions) didn't know **** about transfer cases or 4x4s in general. The first time he popped it back out of 4x4 part time...THEN went to 4lo and drove the car off the lift and told me it was in 2wd. I can tell just by standing outside and staring at the car that it wasn't in 2wd and when I got in I verified because the light was still on and that it's no driveable on the street like this. And he was like well let me see if I can get it out again. Then the second time he disengaged the axles so the car was pretty much not connected to the drivetrain....then (stupidly) when I realized this I put the car back into park and heard a really loud grinding noise from the transmission. I told the guy you disengaged my axles, and he said no I didn't and I showed him the car was in drive but it wasn't moving and he was like well. The transmission was spinning, that's why it was grinding when you put it into park (which makes sense).

Basically, in the end he got the car stuck in 4lo tried to tell me to drive it around to let it disengage and then convince me that it will go back to 2wd and I told him I know this car like the back of my hand and it's in 4lo and it will not get out unless the lever is not out of 4lo. He just walked away and said I can't help you. So I got the rod back and had the car towed out of there to another shop (this time one I can actually trust to do the damn job).

Basically, I am just concerned about the transmission grinding and my transfer case. I didn't drive it in 4lo, but I drove it enough to know that it was in 4lo and kept on trying to see if it was going to disengage.


CLIFFS:

-took car to tranny shop for a simple weld
-tranny tech explained to me he needed to fabricate a new part
-told them to put it back to 2wd so I can atleast have it
-tech disengaged axles, tranny grinded as a result
-tech got it stuck in 4lo
-took part back from tech
-had car towed to another shop
-possible damage to axles/tranny/transfer case????

 

I doubt you hurt it any. The grind you heard was the shift pawl trying to catch.
That little bit of driving in 4hi shouldnt of hurt it either.

 

climbe under there and shift it your self
it should be poinying foward

 

Should be fine. I've heard mine grind several times before I swapped to my Novak shifter because it liked to pop out of 4lo. Unless you have a front locker it won't hurt to drive in 4 hi. The locker would make it hard to steer.

 

yeah it sounds like your transfer case is in neutral and the grinding was the parking paw like the other guy said you just need to get the transfer case shifted into 2wd and you should be fine

 

It's at my brother's friend's shop right now.

Good to know all is well.

 

Yup, mine made that noise when my front axle disconnect wasnt working. Front axle was still spinning when I tried putting it in park.
Girlfriends 96 made a nice noise when she tried pulling me out of a ditch in 4wd and it popped out of gear (also when putting it in park)

 

So just for reassurance, you guys think everything is okay with the car? Nothing I need to be weary of?

 

should be fine

 

Fortunately the jeep was built idiot proof...

 

When your tech "disengaged" your axles.. What he actually did was put the transfer case into neutral. Since the remainder of the driveline is not connected.. the transmission spins fairly freely, and is still spinning when you shifted into park causing the grinding.

 

I know. I just hoped I didn't damage anything by putting it into park like that. I was pissed off because I have invested too much time and effort into this car to have some idiot ruin it all in 5 minutes.