4WD not engaging after transfer case drop

RayGilSr7

RayGilSr7

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Joined
Oct 29, 2024
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5
Location
Louisiana
I just installed 2.5" RC lift kit and a 1" RC transfer case drop. Now my Shifter is lower and rough to get into 2nd, 4th, and reverse, and my 4wd wont shift down. I have 1992 Jeep YJ, 2.5, all original until this. Can use any advise!
Thanks,
Lana Lift.jpg
 
The best advice I can give you after having dealt with the same thing myself is to support the transmission with a jack stand, take the skid plate off, and adjust the transfer case shifter linkage until you can get it in 4WD without issue. It takes some fiddling with but you'll get it eventually.

The better idea would be to replace the transfer case shifter with a cable shifter unit like the Savvy. Much better design and no more worrying about this sort of crap. Much smoother shifts too.
 
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Chris said:
The best advice I can give you after having dealt with the same thing myself is to support the transmission with a jack stand, take the skid plate off, and adjust the transfer case shifter linkage until you can get it in 4WD without issue. It takes some fiddling with but you'll get it eventually.

The better idea would be to replace the transfer case shifter with a cable shifter unit like the Savvy. Much better design and no more worrying about this sort of crap. Much smoother shifts too.
Click to expand...

Alright so I'm calling it luck because just a guy figuring it out for the first time with a jeep in my garage! I did not try without the TC drop bc I kept overthinking the video about pinion on rear shaft. I was fortunate that my 4WD link was one of the few none rust solid items and I was able to adjust it. I then ordered a new rubber boot off Amazon, and surprisingly the boot was 90% of my restriction being the original and was dry rotted in opposite positions. Back story, the jeep I bought sat untouched in a field for 6 years. Neighbor brought home from his uncles land and was trying to work on. I lucked out and took it off his hands a year later. Thanks for the feedback and ideas. Keeps my noggin turning!
Have a Great Weekend!
Ray
 
Chris said:
The best advice I can give you after having dealt with the same thing myself is to support the transmission with a jack stand, take the skid plate off, and adjust the transfer case shifter linkage until you can get it in 4WD without issue. It takes some fiddling with but you'll get it eventually.

The better idea would be to replace the transfer case shifter with a cable shifter unit like the Savvy. Much better design and no more worrying about this sort of crap. Much smoother shifts too.
Click to expand...

The YJ is very different from a TJ. Nothing changes with a YJ when you install a transfer case drop, aside from the shift lever feeling shorter because it's further below the hole after lowering the drivetrain. As such, there is nothing at all to adjust. You either live with it like that or you put it back to stock height and run an SYE to solve the problem.

There are also no cable shifters for the YJ, because of the way the YJ shifter interacts with the floor boot. To run a cable shifter, you could need some sort of cable mechanism in the cab for the cable to grab the shift lever. There is no easy or clean way to do that. Sticking with the stock linkage is best.
 
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