Dana 20 Shift Pattern Incorrect And Walking Out Of 2wd??

Got a tricky one. With everyone's help here so far i have been able to get a lot done. Recently I installed a rebuilt T14a transmission with accompanying Dana 20 which also looks in great shape. Transfer case. Installed seemless but for some reason my shift pattern is not correct. From the bottom it's 4lo up to 2wd or what I think is 2wd then neutral then 4hi. Which doesn't even seem to engage the front driveshaft. I have put it in what I think is 2wd and got it up to about 35 mph then it walks out 2wd into neutral while im driving. I have to fully stop and put it back into 2wd. Transmission is smooth but it seems to struggle a little like really low gearing to get to that speed and there is a wining coming from the drive drain. I wouldn't dare take it to 40 mph like this. Any suggestions? I do assume the springs need to be replaced which is why it's not holding.

 

What year? Should be a '72-75 with the T-14. Looking at your profile, it's a '73. Helpful to put that info in your sig.

If it whines, that seems like it's in low range. The low range gears are straight-cut and will whine. The Dana 20 was marketed as the "silent" transfer case, and is quiet in high range.

All the way forward is 4WD, then one notch back for 2WD high, and another notch back for neutral. You should be able to shift between 2WD high and 4WD high at any speed when the hubs are locked. 4WD low is all the way back, with the shifter knob almost touching the tool box (it will touch when you shift). You can put the shifter in 2WD low between neutral and 4WD low, but it's not officially there and it's not marked on the knob

<<<< Forward ... 4WD high ... 2WD high ... neutral ... 2WD low ... 4WD low

The shift pattern is shown in the TSM. The TSM will help you a lot - PSA - Which Manual Should I Buy?

 

It's a 73 sorry I will do that. I understand the original shift pattern but mine doesn't seem to be that way. I have it pushed forward as far as it will go from how i can tell. Maybe it's not going into 4hi at all and what I think is 2wd hi is 2wd lo. Maybe I need to adjust the linkage further or drop the transfer case pan and have someone shift it into gear while I watch. I will upload some pics of the shifter rails on various positions.

 

4lo position

 

Up one into what is 2wd hi I assume or maybe 2wd lo

 

Up one More to neutral

 

Finally what should be 4wd hi. Front driveshaft not engaging.

 

It looks ok to me, but I have not looked at the linkage in a long time.

Go here Jeep® 1974 TSM online and look at the '74 TSM, chapter 8. There are very few changes '73 to '74, and no changes to the transfer case.

I could walk you through it, but you can look at the manual and see it for yourself. Check out which shift rod connects to which gear, and what they do. The rear output select (plus neutral) is on the left, and the front axle select is on the right. Figs 8-1 and 8-2 are backwards. Fig 8-3 shows position of the gears in each mode.

If the rods are moving to where they should be, and you don't get high range, then something is put together wrong.

 

Maybe I see what's wrong. Who replaced the shifter arm with Heim joints, you or the PO? That link, made of two back-to-back Heim joints, is likely too long to work with the shifter. Look at Fig 8-16 - the "shift lever to shifting lever rod" has been replaced. That part is available aftermarket. JEEP CJ5 CJ6 TRANSFER CASE SHIFT ROD LINKAGE 999652 1972 1973 1974 1975 NEW! | eBay - it's Jeep PN 999652. Notice the replacement is shorter than the homemade rod you have now. Maybe you can shorten what you have. Look at the picture in the manual.

 

I replaced it as the other was none existent. I will take it apart remove the nuts and shorten it up a bit. If I have success with that likely I will order the part you sent me from barneys. I bet mine may be off 1/2" or so causing the rods to not fully set.

 

All you need between the joints is a piece of threaded rod, no nut required. The levers will keep the ends from rotating.

Like I wrote above, the length need to be so the knob comes all the way back to the tool box when you shift into 4WD low. The knob will be about 1/2" away from the tool box in 4WD low, and it will touch when you shift. The longer rod stops you from moving the lever forward into high range, I betcha.

Also, the rod can't be too thick. When you move the lever forward, it stops when the rod hits the pivot of the shifter. Too thick a rod will stop the forward movement too early.

 

Thank you so much for your help. It worked perfectly. Runs excellent now smooth as can be. I guess I found the secret 2wd lo

 

Excellent!

 

Good job Tim!

 

You can run it, but as soon as you will have some load it will pop out of gear.

The rear shift rod is built with some ramp for the detend ball to slide easier, so it's easier to disengage the 4wd on low. But when you put in 2low the ramp make is easy to pop out of gear.