Frozen transfer case shifter

[BrianX128]

There is an old IDI for sale again near my neighborhood, and my dad has been poking at the notion of getting one after driving mine a few times if one comes up. Definitely needs a new truck and does construction so the bigger the better.

We went to test drive it and only had time to do a quick once over as the seller had to get to work (our schedules don't mix well). From a drive it seemed good, it is a 91 4x4 crew cab e4od, dad has bad knee, does not want a stick. Going again soon to give it a better inspection. Seller is a friend of a friend of dads and hasn't listed it yet so we have time.

One concern is the transfer case will only go in 2h or 4h, and 4 wheel drive does work for sure but the transfer case will not go past that point to neutral or 4l. I mean I pulled ******* it too and tried pushing down or to the left, but I'm fairly certain from looking underneath it's a bw1356 and I have two of those in two of my trucks and they just pull straight back. When we got back the seller said he hasn't used 4l in years but doesn't recall anything happening to it. We tried a bunch of wd40 and moving it back and forth but it wasn't budging.

My question is, is there anything inside that can keep it from going past 4h or does that sound like seized linkage somewhere? If it's that then I'm not gonna even factor it in as that's more of a Saturday boredom job but if something could be stuck inside that makes me a bit hesitant to tell him go for it if everything else checks out.

 

[79jasper]

I would still go for it. These tcase are dime a dozen.
Did you look at the pin and detents to make sure nothing was bent?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[riotwarrior]

Couple hours replace a tcase...19 bolts 2 wire connectors and shift linkage bar...

 

[jhenegh]

Is the bricknose (1991) the same as the OBS in that to get to 4 low you have to push straight down on the shifter while in 4H and then pull straight back to get to 4L?

On my 1994 the slide mechanism that allows for the "push straight down" functionality was packed full of rust and road sand and was seized up, not allowing me to get to 4L when I first bought the truck in 2013. I eventually got the aluminum shifter assembly disassembled and cleaned up. I removed both rubber boots, as they evidently only held sh*! in and drilled/tapped for a grease zerk and I just liberally grease the thing about 2X a year to push out any water and junk. 200+ hours billed hours plowing snow since and it still works smooth as butter.

I can take a few pics if needed?

 

[siegler]

Is the bricknose (1991) the same as the OBS in that to get to 4 low you have to push straight down on the shifter while in 4H and then pull straight back to get to 4L?

No, the brick nose trucks have you pull the lever to the left. Could still have had some stuff packed into the mechanism or rust like what happened to you; I haven't seen that happen to any, but it may be possible.

Do you know why 4wd doesn't work? I have had one of the hub lockers get packed full of mud once, causing it to not engage at all.
If the problem is in the transfer case, those are cheap, plentiful and easy to change as others mentioned. Rebuilding is cheap and easy too, only $50 for a kit I think, minus a chain.

 

[BrianX128]

The 4 wheel drive does work in the truck, it just won't go past 4 high to neutral or 4 low.

I really don't know if I'm nuts or not, but in my 89 and 90, I don't pull the lever to the left at all (or at least it's not noticeable to me), but I feel like I just pull straight back. In "Fred" I replaced the transfer case shifter with a m5od shifter and welded it together to give it a "twin stick" look, not cause of that but my grandfather always said he wished it were that way cause he hated reaching down for it and always complained about it so I figured I'd change it so he can have a chuckle up there somewhere haha. Hell I gotta admit though it's non significant I'd rather have it this way lol..

But seriously you actually move it horizontally to the left and then back? I just went outside and yanked mine back and it just worked..

*edit* some contents of this post upon review may have been worded poorly and are hilarious but oh well haha

 

[crash-harris]

Bruiser's t-case is like that (B&W 1345). There must be a bushing or something worn out because the notch in the shifter plate (on the linkage) doesn't force me to move the shifter to the left. I just say it's perfectly worn since from a stand still I can slap it all the way back to 4lo.

When new, yes, they are meant to be pulled to the left and around that little tab/boss on the linkage plate. A safety feature to keep you from accidently jamming it into lo-range while moving.

 

[siegler]

The 4 wheel drive does work in the truck, it just won't go past 4 high to neutral or 4 low.

I really don't know if I'm nuts or not, but in my 89 and 90, I don't pull the lever to the left at all (or at least it's not noticeable to me), but I feel like I just pull straight back. In "Fred" I replaced the transfer case shifter with a m5od shifter and welded it together to give it a "twin stick" look, not cause of that but my grandfather always said he wished it were that way cause he hated reaching down for it and always complained about it so I figured I'd change it so he can have a chuckle up there somewhere haha. Hell I gotta admit though it's non significant I'd rather have it this way lol..

But seriously you actually move it horizontally to the left and then back? I just went outside and yanked mine back and it just worked..

*edit* some contents of this post upon review may have been worded poorly and are hilarious but oh well haha

As crash-harris says, you should have to pull the lever to the left before pulling back into 4lo on a bricknose. If the rubber thing under the lever rots away it may operate as it does on your other trucks.

I would look the the mechanism before condemning the transfercase. The "horizontal" pivoting part may be in need of some WD-40 and quality time with a hammer. Or get one that is not frozen from the wrecking yard. Or cut that tab off.

 

[riotwarrior]

Bruiser's t-case is like that (B&W 1345). There must be a bushing or something worn out because the notch in the shifter plate (on the linkage) doesn't force me to move the shifter to the left. I just say it's perfectly worn since from a stand still I can slap it all the way back to 4lo.

When new, yes, they are meant to be pulled to the left and around that little tab/boss on the linkage plate. A safety feature to keep you from accidently jamming it into lo-range while moving.

U sure??? 1345 is B2 and ranger size

 

[BrianX128]

As crash-harris says, you should have to pull the lever to the left before pulling back into 4lo on a bricknose. If the rubber thing under the lever rots away it may operate as it does on your other trucks.

I would look the the mechanism before condemning the transfercase. The "horizontal" pivoting part may be in need of some WD-40 and quality time with a hammer. Or get one that is not frozen from the wrecking yard. Or cut that tab off.

At what spot on the linkage is this spot? I'm looking on mine trying to identify it so I know what to look for when we go to look at this particular truck again, and I don't see anything that looks like it would slide horizontally under there on mine. Though perhaps it's gone and that's why mine work how they do..

 

[siegler]

I doesn't slide, it pivots, which looks like sliding when in the cab. Look at where the handle attaches under the truck, that arm it attaches has a pivot point closer to the transmission.

Picture may be better:

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[crash-harris]

U sure??? 1345 is B2 and ranger size

1354 is B2 and Ranger size. Pre-97/98 was the New Process cars and the B&W 1345 and 1356. The 1356 has that terrible shifter that you have to press in to get to 4lo.

 

[riotwarrior]

1354 is B2 and Ranger size. Pre-97/98 was the New Process cars and the B&W 1345 and 1356. The 1356 has that terrible shifter that you have to press in to get to 4lo.

Yes my bad ...however the 1356 has had several different itinerations of shifter...the commone one pictured brick style late bullnose style and the freakishly stupid OBS press down style.

 

[crash-harris]

I loath the OBS press down style.

 

[BrianX128]

I doesn't slide, it pivots, which looks like sliding when in the cab. Look at where the handle attaches under the truck, that arm it attaches has a pivot point closer to the transmission.

Picture may be better:

You must be registered for see images attach

So the bolt horizontally facing towards the right, is that where it pivots? I don't know if I see it haha