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Low gear not staying engaged

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Mr Plow, Dec 29, 2015.

  1. Dec 29, 2015
    Mr Plow

    Mr Plow Member

    Boston, Ma
    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2015
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    193
    Hi All, First post of many to come. I am VERY new to the jeep world... So, I bought a cj5 1956 to have some fun driving and plow the long driveway in winter. Today (when plowing) I could not get LOW gear to STAY engaged. If I push up on the shifter (far right) the jeep moves. Once I let go, the lever slides back ever so slightly and dis engages. Is that an adjustment or a bigger problem? For now, I plow with the front hubs locked, 4 wheel IN and unfortunately in High. Thanks guys! The jeep does have a power take off and that lever is set in neutral.
     
    Mr Plow, Dec 29, 2015
    #1
  2. Dec 29, 2015
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
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    Sep 21, 2002
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    My first thought is that the lever isn't moving far enough to fully engage. Is the lever by chance hitting the cover? Or maybe there is play where the shifter goes in the slot on the shift rail. Does the shifter have any wiggle room as in loose? Or maybe the spring or ball missing on the shifter detent?
     
    Glenn, Dec 29, 2015
    #2
  3. Dec 29, 2015
    Mr Plow

    Mr Plow Member

    Boston, Ma
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    Jun 11, 2015
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    Hey Glenn, There is a rubber boot that obscures the cover. I will run out and check but I think the cover is not in the way. As with all the levers there is a little play but not much. I will check the detent too! Thanks !
     
    Mr Plow, Dec 29, 2015
    #3
  4. Dec 29, 2015
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Glenn is suggesting that the floor cover - part of the body - is interfering with the shifter. The floor cover comes off easily to reveal the transmission shift top. Take the floor cover off and see if the shifting changes. Sometimes the transmission and transfer case move around when the mounts are broken - this can make the floor interfere with shifting.
     
    timgr, Dec 29, 2015
    #4
  5. Dec 29, 2015
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
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    Yeah, I started to say floor cover then got in a hurry to throw my thoughts out. Thanks for mentioning that Tim. :)
     
    Glenn, Dec 29, 2015
    #5
  6. Dec 29, 2015
    Mr Plow

    Mr Plow Member

    Boston, Ma
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    Jun 11, 2015
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    A ha... got it. Will do some exploring. Thank you!!!
     
    Mr Plow, Dec 29, 2015
    #6
  7. Dec 29, 2015
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    Like Glenn says. The body of a jeep that age may have settled or shifted enough to limit the lever motion.
     
    PeteL, Dec 29, 2015
    #7
  8. Dec 29, 2015
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

    At the foot of...
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    Re-reading this closely, I'm thinking you're talking about low range in the transfer case, correct? ("far right" shifter)
     
    colojeepguy, Dec 29, 2015
    #8
  9. Dec 29, 2015
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Spokane Valley, WA
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    If it is an internal problem and not simply shifter boot or floor interference... To get you through the cold season until you can get under it to work on it...
    An old trick we did when racing to prevent the transfer case from popping out of gear: wrap one bungee around the low range shifter and hook it to a hole in the firewall, and wrap another bungee around the in/out shifter and hook it to a seat frame.
     
    ITLKSEZ, Dec 29, 2015
    #9
  10. Dec 29, 2015
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    Wouldn't that put excessive wear on the fork(s), if the detent is not holding?
     
    PeteL, Dec 29, 2015
    #10
  11. Dec 29, 2015
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Spokane Valley, WA
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    Yup.

    If it's getting rebuilt anyway...

    How bad do ya want low range? :cool:
     
    ITLKSEZ, Dec 29, 2015
    #11
  12. Jan 4, 2016
    Mr Plow

    Mr Plow Member

    Boston, Ma
    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2015
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    Hey Guys, thanks for the help! Yes - Low Range in the transfer case - the 'stick' to the far right. I took the boot off and made sure the stick was not hitting the body (I looked from underneath) . Haha - I will tell you how bad I want low the next snow storm! If the problem is internal, what would need to be looked at? I will keep the locking hubs on and keep 4 wheel in unbtil the spring. Then reassess what I want to do next. Thanks guys - very informative stuff!
     
    Mr Plow, Jan 4, 2016
    #12
  13. Jan 4, 2016
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    There would have to be something terribly bad with your xfer case to jeep jumping out of low, the gears involved for low are straight cut so there shouldn't be any force on them to diss-engage if they're fully meshed.

    These diagrams should help you understand the power flow through the case. BTW if you haven't bought a factory service manual yet do so ASAP.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    You might want to check the shifter poppet balls/springs- they're fairly easy to get at with the floor panel removed.

    H.


    EDIT- OK, maybe looking at the diagrams won't immediately cause you to go


    AH-HA! So that's how it works!



    Here's the reader's digest version-

    The xfer case is affixed to the back of the transmission (not shown). The output shaft of the transmission extends into the transfer case & droves the "Main Shaft Gear" (aka "bull gear") (aka "input gear") (Fig 222 #17)

    The main gear drives the intermediate gear (that rotates freely on the intermediate shaft on roller bearings)

    In high range the beveled section of the intermediate gear drives the beveled front portion of the Output Shaft Gear. The output gear, which is free to rotate on the output shaft, is coupled to the Output Shaft Sliding Gear, which is coupled to the the splined section of the output shaft.

    In Neutral, the Output Shaft Sliding gear is moved slightly rearward (this is the position it's shown in in Fig. 222) disengaging it from the output shaft gear.

    In low range the sliding gear is moved further back to engage the straight cut portion of the intermediate shaft.

    The sliding gear is moved by the shift fork linked to the range selector shift lever, the fork/gear are held in position by the poppet balls/springs (fig 26 17/18/19) acting on the shift rod in the front cap.


    Front wheel drive is controlled by moving the Output Shaft Clutch Gear (fig. 222 #19) forward to engage the Output Clutch Shaft. again, as with range select, this is held in position by a poppet ball/spring acting on the associated shift rod.

    H.
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2016
    Howard Eisenhauer, Jan 4, 2016
    #13
  14. Jan 4, 2016
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
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    It's not uncommon for the poppet ball springs to collapse. That would allow the low range shifter to move and jump out of gear. The cheapest and easiest thing to check and fix.
     
    Posimoto, Jan 4, 2016
    #14
  15. Jan 4, 2016
    Mr Plow

    Mr Plow Member

    Boston, Ma
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    Thanks guys! I do have a manual but honestly not sure of half of what I am looking at. BUT I did locate the poppet ball spring in the diagram. Thanks for your input, really appreciate it!
     
    Mr Plow, Jan 4, 2016
    #15
  16. Jan 4, 2016
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    #52 and #53 in the second diagram get worn where the sliding gear engages the teeth of the output gear causing the transfer case to jump out of low. Have had to throw away a LOT of those gears because of this. I would check the poppet ball and spring first though as those can rust in place or the spring can collapse like Posimoto said. Also a common problem.
     
    nickmil, Jan 4, 2016
    #16
  17. Jan 4, 2016
    Mr Plow

    Mr Plow Member

    Boston, Ma
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    Awesome, learning a lot - much appreciated!
     
    Mr Plow, Jan 4, 2016
    #17
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