Pulling the T-case

[jeepinpete]

Finally getting to this job, replacing the output shaft seal of the ATF on my 98 Wrangler. I'm hoping advice here will make up for me not having a FSM. Anyway, I've got the crossmember off and the ATF supported on a jack.

If possible, I'd like to not mess with any fluids. To drop the driveshafts I was thinking of disconnecting the front one right at the T-case output where there are four 7mm bolts (or are they 8mm), and the rear one at the rear axle where the four 7mm bolts are.

This way I'd be pulling the T-case with the rear driveshaft still attatched to it. It looks like the easiest way.

Does this make sense?

[TObject]

Sounds like a good time to replace the ATF in the transfer case. I would drain whatever drains before removing the transfer case.

[jeepinpete]

I dunno, I think it'll be easier to change out the fluid once it's removed. Maybe not, but hopefully less mess on my garage floor.

Man that was a harder job than I expected; mainly getting the top nut off the t-case/tranny mating. That one nut alone took me several hours and gouged, bruised, and bleeding forarms. I'm not religious, but at one point under there I had a little conversation with god. He advised airtools next time. FWIW it might have been easier to remove the interior console and go through the floorpan openings.

I've got it all disconnected and supported by a floor jack and a half turn of one of the nuts. Tonight I'll remove it completely. By leaving the slip-yoke and rear driveshaft attatched I'll be able to:
-remove it without spilling fluid everywhere
-be able to realign the driveline since it's chalked at the rear pinion and backend of rear driveshaft (not sure if that even matters)

This is kind of a rough job to do alone. It's gonna be tough to get the t-case back up, crossmember too. Might have to call in a favor to a friend or something.

I wonder how bad of an idea it is to top off my ATF with quaker state. I had the fluid changed at the dealership 6 months ago and the fluid still looks perfect, just a little low. They probably used that liquid gold Mopar 4 stuff.

[Stu Olson]

The slip yoke on a TJ does not leak ATF when you remove the rear drive shaft. Yes, previous models did but the TJs do not. Slide the drive shaft off and it will make handling the t-case much easier.

[jeepinpete]

Ok, just take the clamp off the accordian boot and it will slide right out?

[Jeff Weston]

You'll have a much easier time with the upper t-case bolts if you use a ratcheting wrench.

[jeepinpete]

I actually got one just for this job, and it doesn't fit around the nuts. They are all too close to flanges in the case.

While they were all tight, the hassle was mainly the top bolt-- it sits directly over the driveline and I know my T-case runs pretty hot sometimes. 6 years of hot and cold and thing was pretty well cold-welded in place. All the nuts were tight, but this one way more than the others, plus the fact that it's near impossible to reach. While fighting it with a box wrench it started to strip. That scared the crap out of me so I put a deep socket over it for a tight fit and used a ratchet. Oddly enough, the deep socket put me at a better angle than all the other adjustments and wrenches I had been trying. I put a 6 inch long sleeve of copper pipe over the ratchet handle and slid it out to touching the floorpan. This gave me about an extra inch for leverage, just enough to get me over the hump once I factored in a years' worth of elbow grease and temporary denial of pain.

I'll tell you what mistake I made, and I won't again: I should have soaked everything in wd40 the night before. Did that with everything on the exhaust manifold and it came off like cake. My dumb butt didn't want wd40 dripping into my eyes so I stupidly didn't do that this time.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by jeepinpete
I should have soaked everything in wd40 the night before.

Better yet, use a product actually designed for that purpose next time like PB-Blaster, Break-Free, or Liquid Wrench... WD-40 wasn't designed for that purpose and doesn't do nearly as well at that job as WD-40's marketing department wants us all to believe it does. My cans of WD-40 get used on cleaning or chasing moisture out of electrical connectors and other equally minor stuff but when it comes to lubrication or loosening siezed nuts or bolts, WD-40 would be my last choice of products suitable for those purposes.

[Chris L]

Top bolt t-case=from the drivers side, front of tranny; 2 long extentions {12" or so} 2 short extensions, swivel, and a socket. air driven

[mrblaine]

Even easier is to let the floor jack down until the tranny bottoms out against the engine compartment side of the tranny tunnel.

Personally, with an cordless, an 8 mm socket, and a couple of other bolts, I can have the whole top of the tranny exposed in about 15 minutes. Yank the console, floor plate and away you go.

[jeepinpete]

Now if only I could lift the t-case back into place through the floor pan!

I had to set off on foot this morning since the missus was gone with our other car-- there is no way my seal was coming out with needlenose pliers. 45 minutes of time with pliers to no avail, then 30 seconds with the seal puller.

To get the t-case down (working alone) I stacked up two cardboard boxes, then laid a board across them, about a half inch below the t-case, which was pulled almost all the way off. It came right off and the boxes were a perfect cushion.

Now I've concluded that there is no way in hell to get the t-case back up into place by myself, with only a floorjack. Even with a friend it's gonna be tough so I might look for a transmission jack. If anyone can think of a scheme short of buying more equipment, please spell it out to me. The best thing I can think of (which is all kinds of ghetto) is a reverse of the cardboard box cushion, but sliding boards under the boxes to hoist it up. Not very good.

Finally, I am a bit worried that this seal was not bad to begin with. There was very little fluid mess, and the rubber on the seal was in good condition. Only thing was it did not taper like the brand new replacement seal; like the little springy wire in the rubber (that holds the seal tight) had stretched out and it no longer fit tight against the shaft. At least this is what I hope.

But fluid from the t-case is coming out whenever I tilt the thing forward. I'm gonna be very depressed if I get this all back together and the bad seal was the one on the front of the t-case. I'd replace that too if I wasn't on such a time crunch. At least if I have to redo this job to get at that seal it will take me one tenth the time.

This whole problem came to light when my AT was slipping due to low fluid, so I think it's fair to assume that I am replacing the correct seal.

To recap:
1) get a seal puller for this job
2) get a trans lift or a couple friends involved
3) give me your poor man's scheme for lifting the t-case back up into place by himself (have woman to run floor jack)

[Stu Olson]

I've removed and reinstalled two TJ t-cases with the help of a friend. There is no reason you and a friend can not put it back in. The first time I did it, the guy that was helping me was blind, and we managed to lift it up and slide it into position in about 5 seconds. He laid under the tranny with the t-case on his chest and bench pressed it up while I guided it into place. I am sure you and a friend can manage.

[jeepinpete]

I'll give that method a whirl today when my buddy stops by. Now I'm getting really nervous that the seal on the T-case is the bad one. Anyone have that one go bad?

[jeepinpete]

Got it. All by my lonesome. I have a weird technique worked out, if anyone ever needs it.