BW 1356 woes

[Kevin 007]

I put a different (used) BW 1356 T-case in my 90 idi two years ago as the shift fork broke in my original.
This t-case that I now use always grinds in and out of 4LO, the shift linkage is not bent, didn't want to drop the case again and tear into it so I just shut the engine off when I put it into LO now and don't worry about it...she don't grind that way.

Last time I was in 4LO, I shifted out when I was out of that steep terrain but left the hubs locked as I was going to be in 4X again in a few miles. But with the T-case in 2WD and the hubs locked I heard a loud clicking noise as the front driveshaft still spun; the noise was very regular. With the truck off and hubs unlocked and t-case in 2WD I can spin the front driveshaft by hand and hear and feel that clicking. Almost sounds like there is a bearing half apart in the T-case. Anyone know what it might be??? Im afraid to put it in 4X again to see if it still works in case I really screw it up.

It doesn't ever get abused so I was not by any means hot rodding around when the damage occured.

 

[biggin92]

Check your u-joints is all i can think, and if you have the double cardan joint in the front shaft, then check that too.

 

[Kevin 007]

U joints are A-1. They are tight with no play, low miles on them to.

 

[franklin2]

Take the front driveshaft out. Then see if it still ticks while driving down the road with the hubs locked in, but the transfer case in 2wd. If it does, then it's in the frontend somewhere. If it doesn't, then engage the transfer case into 4wd. If it start doing it, then it's the transfer case. If you can't get the tick to come back at all, then it's a driveshaft problem.

The only reason the transfer case would grind when stopped and shifting to 4 lo, would be because the transmission is still turning. That sounds like a clutch problem.

 

[Kevin 007]

Ok I will give that a try but im laying under the t-case when im turning the driveshaft by hand and its definatly coming from the t-case, right where the front driveshaft output shaft comes through the case, and there is resistance felt just as its about to click.

But I will try without the front driveshaft anyways, thanks.

 

[rjjp]

My bet is the chain.

 

[gonecrazyi]

A bad lockout will cause a clicking sound as well. If its not fully disengaging.

 

[nyteshades]

I'll go with a bad range fork.

 

[Kevin 007]

Ok those are some ideas....so I suppose a t-case rebuild is my best bet.

I don't want to get another used t-case because they only ever last me a year or two....and that's driving like a grandpa

 

[Kevin 007]

Is there a particular "kit" that you fellas have bought to rebuild t-cases in the past?

This will be my first time tearing into a BW1356....just don't know what all I should get. I dont want to tear it apart to see whats wrong and then order the parts as I will have to wait a few weeks im sure to recieve the parts...truck can't be down for that long.

 

[nyteshades]

This guy did an outstanding write up.....for a Bronco guy, lol.

http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135334

I got all my parts through these guys. They were customer service oriented, they sent me a mode fork the first time and made it right by overnighting the range fork I needed. I got a bearing kit, range fork, oil pump kit, and fork inserts from them for less than $200.I plan on getting a c6 rebuild kit from them. Shop around though, parts for bw1356 can be cheaper somewhere else too.

http://www.makcotransmissionparts.com/BW1356.html

 

[flareside_thun]

x2 on the chain......rebuilding these things is stupid easy and shouldn't take you long at all, especially with that write-up.

 

[Kevin 007]

Wow that is an impressive write up indeed. I will print it off and use it as a guide when I do the work.
So I guess I will get a bearing kit, seals, chain....and then whatever hard parts are broken in my case. I guess there is no way of determining what exactly is broke until I get in there. So the truck will have to be "down" for a while regardless.

Yeah, almost seems like it could be the chain kinda binding up on the sproket causing the racket in there...loose chaing I imagine.

Is is safe to drive the truck in 2WD with a worn chain or range fork? I would like to try 4WD again just to see if that grinding is still there but im afraid I will break something and then I won't be able to drive it.

 

[nyteshades]

Do yourself a favor when you rebuild it, and go get a good set of external snap ring pliers and lock ring pliers. I've snapped a few cheap sets of snap ring pliers rebuilding mine. Not to mention, the snap rings have to open quite a ways.

Drop it, strip it, rebuild it, and back in can be done in a day.

It's not going to blow the truck up but I don't know about safe, there's a lot of aluminum components in that case. I've had a range fork go on me and leave me with nothing but 4lo and 60 miles from home, with no a/c and a pregnant wife on a west Texas afternoon in August.

I've also had crap break up and tear teeth out of the planetary, which is $700 or so.

 

[flareside_thun]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who got stuck in 4Lo a distance from home.