Transfer case slips out of gear..

[Jason Mills]

NP200, I can feel the lever (2-4 wheel drive, not the hi-low range lever) creeping just about as soon as the truck starts up any type of hill. . .

as far as I know the transfer case was 'good' 15 years ago when I drove the truck home..(10 miles) but it has been sitting since then.. and it is in a different truck, with different mounting brackets.. and now it acts up in the first 100 feet.

could it be an adjustment issue, or mounting issue? or does this sound like something has gone bad inside the case?

[712edf]

Since you say it's in a different truck more than likely an adjustment issue. Something got disturbed or not put back the same during the swap.
I don't think laying dormant so long could have caused this, unless it was submerged under water of something. It make leak now though. Over time seals/gaskets shrink/harden/distort and cause problems.

Bucky

[Frank Irons]

NP200, I can feel the lever (2-4 wheel drive, not the hi-low range lever) creeping just about as soon as the truck starts up any type of hill. . .

as far as I know the transfer case was 'good' 15 years ago when I drove the truck home..(10 miles) but it has been sitting since then.. and it is in a different truck, with different mounting brackets.. and now it acts up in the first 100 feet.

could it be an adjustment issue, or mounting issue? or does this sound like something has gone bad inside the case?

There is a spring loaded ball that locks into the shift rail on your transfer case. There should be a definite feel when your axle is in the engaged position or disengaged position. If your levers aren't adjusted correctly you could be in the wrong position on the shift rail. Disconnect the levers, move the shift rails in and out to feel the detents and re adjust your levers per manual.

Frank

[Jason Mills]

If your levers aren't adjusted correctly you could be in the wrong position on the shift rail. Disconnect the levers, move the shift rails in and out to feel the detents and re adjust your levers per manual.

Frank

I had forgotten about the detents in the shift levers, and when making some adjustments yesterday I don't remember feeling a detent.. so I will revisit the adjustment.

Thanks for your suggestions..

[Cheyenne Dave]

You may also want to check your cab mounts. An improperly/losely mounted cab can crowd the shift levers where they pass through the center floor pan.

C.D.

[Jason Mills]

You may also want to check your cab mounts. An improperly/losely mounted cab can crowd the shift levers where they pass through the center floor pan.

C.D.

The cab has been removed, and so I will look at that aspect as well. Good suggestion. My feeling is that I don't have the shift levers adjusted correctly, and actually the transmission cover/ floor panel may be contributing some..

[Charles Talbert]

If the case sit for 15 years unused, it is a very good possibility the detent spring may be at fault. sitting in the compressed postion that long may well have done it in, I've changed many that looked ok upon visual inspection, however the tension was no longer sufficient to do the job. If you find adjustments in linkage, etc are not the issue, probably a new spring and ball will fix you up.

[Gordon Maney]

Good thread.... thanks all.

[Jason Mills]

Good thread.... thanks all.

YES. I have a nice list to take to the barn tomorrow afternoon and investigate. actually looking forward to seeing what turns up.

[Jason Mills]

I am thinking that the next step is to replace the detent springs.. as adjustments did not show any changes.. funny thing is that it is the low/high range shift lever that creeps out of gear.. OBVIOUSLY I don't understand how the transfer case actually works. as I am baffled as to why such is the case... guess this also means I don't understand how transmissions actually work ether.
Thanks for everyones suggestions.

Jason

[Frank Irons]

I am thinking that the next step is to replace the detent springs.. as adjustments did not show any changes.. funny thing is that it is the low/high range shift lever that creeps out of gear.. OBVIOUSLY I don't understand how the transfer case actually works. as I am baffled as to why such is the case... guess this also means I don't understand how transmissions actually work ether.
Thanks for everyones suggestions.

Jason

Once you disconnected the shift levers and manually moved the transfer case shift shafts did they move easily?
Normally it takes considerable effort to move the the rail between detents, there should be a definite click when it is in place. If you don't have the click the spring behind the ball detent could be defective as Charles described.

Frank

[Jason Mills]

Once you disconnected the shift levers and manually moved the transfer case shift shafts did they move easily?
Normally it takes considerable effort to move the the rail between detents, there should be a definite click when it is in place. If you don't have the click the spring behind the ball detent could be defective as Charles described.

Frank

I could not feel the detent specifically in the front lever, taking the lever off the shifter rod and moving it manually was a challenge. was able to feel the detent when pushing the shift rail in to the inner position. could I say for sure that I was feeling it in the outer position, I am not sure. I think so. . . I don't remember hearing a click when the shift lever was not attached, then again I may have been too focused on the effort required to move the lever.

In putting the lever back on the shift rail, and making some adjustments so that the lever did not hit the transmission tunnel/floorplan, I was able to notice the click like action when the shift rail made it into the rear or 4 low position.. the forward or 4 high position was less obvious, although after playing with it for a bit, was able to sort of feel it click into place...

WAIT.. the inner position on the shift rail corresponds with the forward position of the shift lever.. right? and that was the one I was more easily able to feel (but did not notice a 'click').. I may be contradicting myself..?
might need to go back out and re-investigate.

[712edf]

I am confused too. In the first post you mention the 4wd engagement lever jumping out of gear. In post # 10 you say its the HI-LO lever jumping out of gear. Could you describe what's going on from the beginning please?

Bucky

[Jason Mills]

I am confused too. In the first post you mention the 4wd engagement lever jumping out of gear. In post # 10 you say its the HI-LO lever jumping out of gear. Could you describe what's going on from the beginning please?

Bucky

My bad. I was wrong in my first description. It has been 6 or more years since I had paid any attention to which lever does what (it has been a long time since the truck was together enough to not be called a pile of parts).

so to start over, when driving the truck up a hill or any type or incline the forward-most transfer case shift lever pushes backwards until the transfer case slips out of gear.. adjusting the shift levers does make the detents more noticeable, but it does not seem to help the shifter rail to stay in gear.

[Frank Irons]

At this point Jason, if it was me, I would disconnect the shift levers at the transfer case and drive the truck as you described and see if it still pops out of gear. This will eliminate the question Dave proposed about cab and floor pan interference. If it still slips out of gear I would do as Charles suggests and check the springs behind the ball detents for possible damage or wear. The springs can be accessed from the top of the transfer case just above the shift rail. You will probably have to use a pick or a magnet to retrieve them once the cap is removed. The spring is fairly short and small in diameter, but could be broken or fatigued as Charles suggests. The spring and ball detent are all that positions the gear in position and normally take quite a bit of effort to move.

Frank