Loose transfer case gear...help please

Hey guys, first post! :cheers:

specs: 94', 4.0, 4x4, np242

For whatever reason, there is some play in my transfer case gear. When the rear end of the vehicle is raised, I can move the rear drive shaft back and forth and about an inch or 2 either way. I know the play is NOT coming from my rear differential. It's not my u-joints either. It's something loose on the inside of the tranfer case. Is this a serious issue? I can feel the driveline "catch" everytime I accelerate and it kinda worrys me. It still feels pretty solid though, nonetheless.

Has anyone had similar issues to this? How did you solve it?

Move the driveshaft how?
In & out, Left & right, Rotating?

Sorry, shoulda specified. It rotates.

Sure it's not the tranny slipping? With the tranny in Park and the rear end off the ground you SHOULD be able to rotate the driveshaft alittle either way.

wellll, i guess it could be the tranny since it's part of the drive-line equation. If it makes any difference, it happens while in 'D' also, not just park. I can feel the driveline 'catch' when I accelerate from picking up the slack of the loose drive shaft. I can also feel a 'catch' when I decelerate as the drive line winds back the other way from resistance.

To me it sounds like its in the trasfer case, but I can't confirm that for sure. I guess it could be the tranny.

You can also check it by putting it in 4 wheel drive to lock the front to the TC. Then you can check it on the ground and in neutral. This will only let it turn as much as your backlash. Lift just the rear/front off the ground the ground to check it. Try it with the whole thing off the ground. Turn it slow and listen to it.

I've called my driveline guy and gotten tips for self-diagnosis before.
For example, lift the front tires off ground in 4wd, put the jeep in reverse with the e-brake on, then check slop in the front driveshaft to see if the chain is bad.

Good luck. I'd be interested to know what it was when you find out.

Ill have to try a couple things later today to narrow down the problem.

What are some of the worst/best case scenarios I could be looking at?