I've used a 4X4 in a Liberty and that was pretty straight forward. I mean like, I didn't mess up using it or anyone. In my Cherokee though, it seems a lot tougher to get it to what I want it to do. *I have read the manual on how to engage and everything*
first lemme explain what's happened so far: I wanted to get it into 4lo. I did a slight roll like the manual explains then out it into neutral and pulled it into 4lo. All good. Put it into drive, *GRIIIINNNNDDDDD* gear lever is shaking and there's a loud grinding from the gear box. Quickly through it into neutral again. I don't know what happened there but I tried again but just the car stationary and in neutral. That's fine. I put it into drive and 4lo starts working as normal.
I try it a couple more times and it looked like it was in 4low, but when I pulled it back a tad more (it felt like it could go more) it grinded really badly and I quickly put the 4x4 into neutral and tranny into neutral.

That was the end of today's experience. What am I doing wrong? Is there a part that's loose possibly?
​​​​​​while I'm here. None of the 4x4 lights come on. Any ideas?

'94 Cherokee sport with Command-Trac

 

The stock shifter linkage is janky and maybe needs adjustment.Have you checked the fluid level in the t case ?

 

This^^

Bad motor mounts and trans mount can complicate things also. Check them.

 

Sounds expensive and hard to fix?
How do I check transfer case fluid? I imagine it does need to be changed and topped up. I'm just hoping it's nothing too serious. When I was test driving this truck it worked fine thus why I bought it. I'm not ready for major 4x4 repairs haha.

 

Shift linkage probably needs to be adjusted. I think the right way to do it is loosen the linkage nut, shift the t case into 4lo from underneath with a big screw driver, (trans in neutral and make sure to use the Ebrake or chock the wheels) pull the shifter into the 4lo position and then retighten the nut. I think that's how I did it on an 89 XJ once that wasn't shifting into 4lo. Took about 20 mins for a first timer and all you need is a big screw driver and a 13mm or 1/2" wrench or socket.

 

Hm guess I'll check it out next time I'm doing work under it. Any way to tell if that's the actual problem? Or is it just guess work?

 

It's a lot easier to adjust linkage than it is to replace engine or trans mounts. There's videos of it Youtube. So I suppose I'm guessing but without actually trying some simple stuff first, no one will know what's wrong with it.

FWIW my XJ shifts into 4wd better than my KJ....

 

Alright I'll look into it at some point. Hopefully it's just the simple linkage.

Really? Lol. My KJ shifts into its 4x4 settings like a breeze. Maybe the xj just needs to be used more.

 

Changing the fluid is easy. There are two plugs on the NP231 t-case. A drain plug and a fill plug. The fill plug is above the drain plug. Always open up the fill plug first. This way if the drain plug fails to come out, you didn’t just drain all fluid with no way to get fluid back in.

After removing the fill plug, remove the drain plug and allow the old fluid to run into your oil pan on ground. After it has drained, replace the drain plug. Now fill the the case through the fill hole with DEXIII fluid. Keep filling until the fluid starts to run out of the fill hole. Place fill plug back in it’s hole. Make sure you are doing this on level ground or you risk not filling it up to the proper level.

 

Dexiii transmission fluid? The transmission also takes that right? If that's the case I'll buy a couple bottles and do the transmission at the same time.

 

Yep, you can technically put pretty much any ATF fluid into the transfer case but the AW4 transmission must take DEXIII. It best just to put the same fluid in the t-case as the tranny. So you don’t have different bottles of stuff laying around.

 

My KJ has the NP242 so it has a bit different of a shift mechanism than anything NP231...not a direct link really unlike the 231.
I'd also add wrapping both plugs in plumbers tape so the steel and aluminum don't corrode much together, or get hex plugs for it where you can use a normal socket.

My 96 takes that, I thought to use ATF+4 in the tcase, but they're not really picky if you don't mix. Definitely Dex for the trans though.

 

Nice. Tonight maybe I'll go buy some (brand recommendation?

 

Most places around me have the Valvoline DEX/MERC

Don’t really think any brand is superior.

 

Valvoline is just fine. Walmart carries it.