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Tcase Questions

X

XJPRIDE13

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Menifee CA
So this weekend out at TDS i heard a loud pop on my jeep thought it was nothing
i get off the trail and come to find out that my jeep wont go back into 2wd
and wwhen the lever is in the 2wd position it wont go into drive or reverse or anything for that matter
Checked the linkage and it seems that everything is normal except that the linkage is popped out to the side towards the trans we couldnt get the tcase to manually engage into 2 wheel drive so i towed it home
my question now is
Is the tcase blown? if so will a 231 be a better upgrade than the 242 that i had if that is the case does anyone know the input and output spline for a 98 cherokee limited
now for the better half
what is a good decent priced 4:1 kit im thinking about doing this as i swap the transfer cases
please let me know
Thank you for your time
 
hmmm. were you coming from 4lo or 4hi to 2WD? sounds kind of like its maybe stuck in neutral.

does it make any weird noises when you try and move?

is the linkage popped out of the tab on the transfer case? it wont be easy to shift with your hand, you would need a wrench of some kind. the 242 in finicky sometimes anyway

i would pop that linkage back in, put the trans in neutral, get the jeep to roll somehow and pull the lever into 4lo and then push it back to a different mode. if that doesnt do it i would drain the fluid and check for excess shavings or chunks.
 
if youre going from 4l to 2wd u have to go to 4h and put it in drive and roll forward a lil then put it back in park then 2wd or thats what mine requires..
 
I was coming from 4lo to 2wd
if the if the tcase handle is in 2wd and i shift into drive or reverse the jeep doesnt go anywhere but then when i put it in park you can hear like a buzzing sorta noise then it stops
and yes the linkage is popped out
and if the trans is in drive or reverse and i try to put it into 2wd it makes like a griding noise then a pop
since the linkage is popped out could that affect it to not go into 2wd? but be able to shift into all other gears
 
sounds like its stuck partway between neutral and full time or 4lo. i would get it to roll and try what i suggested earlier when you get the chance.
 
its probably the shift collar inside the case, you'll need to open it up. theres three little plastic/rubber bushings on the shift fork that slide the collar up and down the mainshaft to actually shift the case. when the bushings wear out and basically disappear, no more shifty.
 
yea, just pop on new ones. once you take the case apart it takes 30 seconds to do. check out the collar though, it could be toast. i've seen it before.
 
just fyi, there are 2 shift collars in the 242. so you will need 6 of the little plastic pads, the center ones on each collar are different while the other 4 are the same. you would need to remove the rod that the shift collars ride on to get the bottom one out, either by carefully prying it out or removing the PITA roll pin. if you go that route feel free to ask any questions, i just rebuilt my 242 a few months ago.
 
thats up to you. if you use full time and like having it, keep the 242 and fix the problem if its as simple as rebuilding it. the strength difference between the two is negligible. but the 231 obviously has tons of aftermarket support. i decided to rebuild mine since i liked the idea of having a fresh new case instead of relying on a used one. and i have an SYE on mine already. did you find the problem yet?
 
Last edited:
The 242 does have a wider chain than the 231, I say stick with the 242.
 
It could be that you sheered the roll pin in the shift fork. I personally prefer the 231 but alot of folks who drive in mud or snow like the full time feature. I think the 231 is a bit cheaper for parts. The 4:1 kit is very spendy. Do you plan to rebuild it yourself or do you need someone to do it?
 
i actually havent had a chance to look at it i have been super busy with work and school and if it is the transfer case i can get a new 242 for 40$ from a buddy but its from an older xj and i would like to keep this one so that it doesnt mess with my speedo gear so if someone near me can kinda walk me through things then that would be cool to
 
if that $40 one is known for a fact to be in good shape and compatible i would go that route if you do find out something is internally wrong with yours. its a fairly simple swap. a few hours at most. there will be guys in the socal section willing to help you out im sure.
 
There are some differences over the years, electric speedo vs Cable, 2 wire vs 3 wire gear indicator and some differences in linkages.
 
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