Question about trouble shifting the nv242

So I know its very common to have difficulty popping the tcase out of 4wd into 2wd. I always have to go in reverse and goose the gas several times and for a long distance in order to get it back to 2wd. My tires are evenly worn, the air is the same, and my linkage looks fine and moves the shift lever through all the positions smoothly.

So I have my tcase out and open to do an sye and I'm just waiting for a new mainshaft from tom woods to come in the mail.

My question is if anyone knows the specific reason for these types of difficult shifting, i.e. loose fork or excessive play or something else?

I have it open anyways so now is a great time to inspect it, but I'm just not seeing anything the stands out. I was hoping one of you guys has the experience to know what to look for.

Thanks
have the tcase out and apart so I figured I would try to look for something but everything actually looks fine.

I know on my jeep, its the locker that sticks keeping it in 4 wheel drive. Untill i hear it pop i know i cannot believe the dashlights

heshhash said:

I know on my jeep, its the locker that sticks keeping it in 4 wheel drive. Untill i hear it pop i know i cannot believe the dashlights

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Well I do have an Aussie up front so that's a possibility.
What I found really interesting though.

I was shifting through all the gears checking it on the bench. I found that in 4 full time it didn't act like a diff was between the front and back. It behaved exactly like part time, the gears all looked good and pads on the forks looked fine. I'm wondering if there is something else wrong with the shifting forks

Any thoughts?

Looking at service manual i would say a bushing or spring going bad.

Ever shift it like the owner's manual suggests?

Here's how the factory suggests you shift the transfer case and I've been doing this since these things were new and I worked at the dealership. Quoted from the owner's manual.

"To engage, shift the transfer case lever from 2H to 4H while the vehicle is moving at any legal speed". I let off the gas, throw the lever, and then tap the gas and let off.

4L position: " To engage, slow the vehicle to 2-3 MPH , shift the transmission to Neutral, then shift the transfer lever to the right and pull firmly rearward to 4L".

cruiser54 said:

"To engage, shift the transfer case lever from 2H to 4H while the vehicle is moving at any legal speed". I let off the gas, throw the lever, and then tap the gas and let off.

4L position: " To engage, slow the vehicle to 2-3 MPH , shift the transmission to Neutral, then shift the transfer lever to the right and pull firmly rearward to 4L".

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Yeah, I've done it like that, or from a stop. I don't necessarily have issues getting into those gears.

That being said, after having it taken apart on the bench i haven't been able to get it to shift in F/T, P/T is no problem. I get the feeling if I can get the F/T to operate as intended on the bench, my shifting back into 2wd will be improved.

Can anyone confirm that with the tcase out of the vehicle, that in F/T you should be able to turn the front and rear output shafts/yokes at different speeds or turn one and have the other rotate in the opposite direction like and open diff. I would imagine that's a good F/T test as from my understanding and from looking at it and playing with it, it is exactly like an open diff?

Yes. It functions as a differential. An open one.

cruiser54 said:

Yes. It functions as a differential. An open one.

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I would agree too, but... how would an open diff be torque-biased 48/52 front/rear

and if not some kind of clutch then lets just hypothetically call it magic at the moment. 48/52 would mean that on a bench the 242 in full-time would behave exactly like part-time unless I took some large wrenches to overcome the bias. right?

Qban said:

I would agree too, but... how would an open diff be torque-biased 48/52 front/rear

and if not some kind of clutch then lets just hypothetically call it magic at the moment. 48/52 would mean that on a bench the 242 in full-time would behave exactly like part-time unless I took some large wrenches to overcome the bias. right?

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It's a 50/50 open diff.

cruiser54 said:

It's a 50/50 open diff.

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So I got it working. Turns out the outer snap ring over the bearing on the tail housing has to be in place or the mainshaft will slip about 2-3mm not allowing the mode fork to shift into the correct position for F/T to work.

100% open diff in this position which should be 50/50. Apparently the Novak website has it incorrectly listed as biased 48/52 unless I'm not understanding something.

Thanks, I hope this helps someone else troubleshooting in the future.

So I may have found my problem with shifting.

The slot in the main aluminum housing that holds the rod that the shift forks slide on has a crack on one side. I think this is giving the rod a little too much freeplay.