I recently installed a boostwerks transfer case linkage which I thought would solve my problems of getting stuck in 4wd. It seemed to work fine for a few weeks before I got stuck in 4 again. I am now familiar with the position of the linkage arm in all four 4wd positions. I was stuck in 4wd and got under the Jeep to check the position. Sure enough. It's engaged fully back and up facing the top rear of the Jeep. This tells me the transfer case is in 2wd... So why can I feel the sluggishness of 4wd and feel my front wheels spin on gravel? I just managed to get it back into 2wd driving around messing with the lever and gears a bit. But what is causing this? How can I make sure to get it back into 2wd every time if the linkage being positioned in 2wd is not good enough? More tcase fluid?

Edit 12/03/2022
TLDR:
- Make sure to adjust, adjust, and adjust some more until you find the perfect throw length for each gear for your specific application.
- Change your transfer case fluid- If all else fails, find a surface to spin your tires(mud, dirt, gravel, snow, etc) and this should get your 2wd to lock back into place. Lifting your front/rear axel can also do the trick
- Also I believe I had a bad axle u joint causing me to think my tires were binding when it was really just the u-joint making popping noises. No issues now after they've both been replaced

 

is there any balance problem with your steering wheel ?

 

You must have an NP242, that is one reason I don't like them, hard to get in and out of 4x4 sometimes, try backing up a few feet.

 

He says 4 positions though.

All same size and brand tires?

 

- My steering wheel is slightly off center. It could use an alignment. Very hard to notice, it's only off a bit
- Yes, backing up and messing with the gears while giving it gas in Drive seemed to do the trick. How can the case be stuck in 4wd if that lever beneath the car is positioned in 2WD? So my linkage is working properly, but the tcase itself isn't shifting...
- Yes, I stated four, but I believe there are five: 2wd, 4hi part time, 4hi full time, Neutral, and 4Low Part time. Yes, all same size and brand tires

 

That is one of the quirks of the NP242 transfer case, I had two and both would do that sometimes. Never had that problem with an NP231.

 

Do you think I would be wasting $ replacing the t-case fluid. Is there anything that can be done to improve the likelihood of shifting to 2wd and it actually engaging? No problems shifting into any of the 4wd gears

 

Have you checked the fluid?

 

check the fluid!!

and adopt this method to shift it:

Here's how the factory suggests you shift the transfer case and I've been doing this since these things were new and I worked at the dealership. Quoted from the owner's manual. The suggestions in CAPS are mine.

"To engage, shift the transfer case lever from 2H to 4H while the vehicle is moving at any legal speed". I LET OFF THE GAS, THROW THE LEVER, TAP THE GAS AND LET OFF.

4L position: " To engage, slow the vehicle to 2-3 MPH , shift the transmission to Neutral, then shift the transfer lever to the right and pull firmly rearward to 4L".

TO SHIFT OUT OF 4L, SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL WITH THE VEHICLE STOPPED, SHIFT THE TRANSFER CASE LEVER TO 2H, THEN THE TRANS TO D IF YOU HAVE AN AUTOMATIC, OR INTO FIRST GEAR WITH A MANUAL, AND CONTINUE ON.



Shifting the NP/NV242J Selec-Trac Transfer Case

2WD Position
This position is for driving on hard-surfaced roads under normal driving conditions when 4-wheel drive is not desired.

4x4 PART TIME Position
This position is designed for temporary use of 4-wheel drive when on-or off-road conditions such as deep snow or heavy ice require increased traction. When engaged, both the front and the rear axles are mechanically locked together and turn at the same speed. Do not use 4x4 PART TIME on dry, paved roads.

To engage, shift transfer case from 2WD to 4x4 PART TIME while the vehicle is moving at any legal speed.

An amber PART TIME lamp will illuminate on the instrument cluster when 4x4 PART TIME is selected.

4x4 FULL TIME Position
This is the primary 4-wheel drive position, which offers better traction when roads are wet, snow covered or icy. When engaged, the front and rear wheels axles are permitted to turn at different speeds to enhance maneuverability. Use 4x4 FULL TIME year-round on all road surfaces if you wish.

To engage, shift transfer case from 2WD to 4x4 FULL TIME while the vehicle is moving at any legal speed. When shifting, do it in a swift and firm movement.

When shifting from 2WD through 4x4 PART TIME to 4x4 FULL TIME, two momentary releases of the accelerator may be required after shifting.

A green FULL TIME lamp will illuminate on the instrument cluster when 4x4 FULL TIME is selected.

4 LO Position
This position is designed for temporary use of 4-wheel drive when off-road conditions require added low speed pulling power. Do not use 4 LO on dry, paved roads.

To engage, slow the vehicle to 2-3 mph (3-5 km/h), shift the transmission into Neutral (N), then shift the transfer case lever to Neutral, then to the right and pull firmly rearward to 4 LO.

Never attempt to engage Low Range when the vehicle is moving faster than 2-3 mph (3-5 km/h). Transfer case damage may result.

An amber PART TIME lamp will illuminate on the instrument cluster when 4 LO is selected.

 

Fluid is full, but a bit dirty. I'll add that to the list and use your recommendation for shifting in/out of those gears. Thanks!

 

I would add that I find it most to reliable to also shift the Auto trans to Neutral when making any change in configuration (in my 3 x auto NP242)

That is the case if still or very low speed

At speed, it will normally shift from full-time 4wd to 2wd and back (green lights) without issue, but I have had it shift into part-time 2wd (without the orange light illuminating), which is no good at all on bitumen

they would all have worn linkages at this age

I have found that in every case, I can get the correct range by shifting into forward or reverse, rolling a bit, then into neutral, then TX range, may have to repeat a couple of times

Yours may just need adjustment, as you have upgraded the shift mechanism

 

I had my Jeep out for some offroading this past weekend. I had it in 4lo, no issues. When I got back to a gravel lot, I put it into 2wd and couldn't shake the feeling I was still in 4 high part time. I checked under the Jeep to confirm the linkage was moving to the correct position for each 4wd gear. It was. I adjusted the linkage a couple times to get a better throw. I still feel like I'm in 4part time(the first gear back from 2wd). I have a few questions though. Although I thought the wheel felt a little sticky as if it were still in 4, I was able to get up to speed on the highway, 70-75mph at around 2500RPM. I felt good about that. And I can make 360° turns without binding. Is this accurate for the part time 4wd gear or am I overthinking it?

 

Part Time 4wd? No, the driveline would bind like crazy making the turn. In Full Time 4WD, 70+ and making sharp corners would only be slightly "heavier" in the steering than in 2wd. I never got around to hooking up the FT light after swapping in the 242 and have driven many a mile on dry roads in FT before making a 90° turn and realizing it was still in FT due to the "heavier" steering; you'd never notice the difference otherwise...

Only thing I can ad regarding the Boostwerks linkage is, are you sure the "gate" on the handle inside the cab isn't causing your trouble? I made zero attempt to try and adjust the linkage to match the gate, so at first, it was a PITA remembering to pull the handle sideways to bypass the gate. Removed the gate, life is good... The handle doesn't at all align with the letters on the bezel, but that doesn't concern me.

Also, if the Indicator Light Switch is threaded in to far, it will bind up the "shift shaft", keeping the T-Case from shifting properly.

 

I've been back under the Jeep a few times now. Put the shifter through the gears and it's hitting each of them. I adjusted the linkage to be sure it's locking into each gear. In the 2wd position it feels sluggish like it's in 4. How can I be physically in the 2wd position(shifter and linkage) but still in 4wd? Sometimes I'll engage the 2wd from inside the cab with the shifter and it will bind when turning. Other times it continues to feel sluggish but no bind. So I'm under the assumption I'm getting stuck in 4 part time and full time. Unable to successfully shift into 2wd
edit: I just tried pulling my front wheels up to a curb, stopped, then slowly tried to crawl. My back wheels spin. Front did not. Could I still be in a 4wd gear?

 

If only your back wheels were spinning then you were not in 4wd.