I'm going to try and explain this the best I can. Ive searched through the forum but haven't found anything similar to my situation. I just bought this jeep and the po said it works but you have to hold the 4x4 lever up to keep it engaged. Anyways to start off in order to get the jeep in 4hi I had to pull the leaver to the right then down and sometimes I couldn't even get it to engage but when I did I had to pretty much hold the leaver to keep it in. 4lo was pretty much impossible to keep in. I crawled under the jeep and found a little green bushing that was hanging on the very end of this rod. (Sorry I'm not sure what the name of these parts are) I messed around with the linkage and finally got it straightened out to where I can just pull up on the lever and it will engage no problem but it doesn't feel very solid when putting it into 4hi just real soft feeling. Back to the bushing....I know where it needs to go but I've tried to push it back onto the tapered rod but I can't get it completely back to where it needs to be because when I push the rod over it hit the side of the frame. Almost like its too long? I don't know much about this jeep I believe the motor has been replaced not sure about anything else. When I pull the lever into 4x4 I believe it binding up because of this bushing not being in properly which is why it has real sloppy engagement. Here is a picture of what I'm talking about I hope it helps a little more of what I'm trying to explain.

 

Try adjusting it and putting a new bushing in. I had the same problem and just got a whole assembly off a parts jeep. Good luck!

 

Autozone sell the bushing as for the rod is the tranny mount good maybe trannys sitting crocked if not after bushing install cut a little of the end if still hitting .

 

I bought a new bushing but after looking at the diagram and the issue I think the bushing is on backwards?! Correct me if in wrong but that's the only thing I can think of. U don't know how it could of got on there backwards but I think that's my problem.

 

What years this were looking at ? and bushing stick in bracket then rod sticks in it .

 

It's a 1997. This is how it was when I bought. So im guessing someone took this apart prior and put the bushing in backwards? I believe this is the cause of my problems. How much of a pain is it to get the rod out I'm sure there are other things I need to take off in order to get it off

 

Im gonna guess the bracket that bushing goes into is bent thats the reason rodx seems to long . It takes a 10 mm wrench to take small btacket of body then you can remove arm . The rods will pop out of the arm then bushing can be inserted into bracket using pliers to squeeze it into hole of bracket. Then id see if bracket can be bent over closer to tranny. Then insert rod back into frame bracket then pushed into green bushing .

 

Thanks ill give it a try.