Stuck tcase lever.

[PK99TJ]

My brother tells me that his ZJ 4wd lever won't budge. This wasn't the case last winter. I am heading out to visit him in a few weeks for christmas. I was thinking of bringing a decently weighted hammer, and unless I see something odd about the linkage between the handle and the tcase lever... giving the lever a few little raps with the hammer to see if perhaps it frees up. Its currently in 2wd. As I frankly have no appreciation for the insides of any t-case (this is selectrac in a '93), I am wondering if this is not an advisable course of action for a stuck lever... so just wanted to throw the idea out here in case you all would caution me against it (and make fun of me, or whatnot).

Anyway, I hope you all have a happy and safe holidays.

PK

[Jerry Bransford]

It's likely nothing more than the external linkage between the lever and the transfer case is binding or out of adjustment.

Crawling underneath to watch the t-case lever linkage while he attempts to shift it will probably tell you enough to figure out what the problem is. Odds are it's nothing more than the linkage (perhaps it slipped out of adjustment) and nothing wrong with the t-case itself. If it's out of adjustment, there's just one bolt to loosen and one shift rod to slide back or forth until its back in adjustment, followed by a healthy tightening of the bolt to hold it in adjustment.

It's easy to see how its done once you're underneath to watch how it works.

[PK99TJ]

Sure, that part I can do -- I did swap my own ZJ tcase once and replaced the linkage brackets and external seals while I was there (and I never intend to do it again without a helper). However, assuming everything looks right there and moves around okay... if the problem really is at the tcase lever... then what? Ok to give the tcase lever the beating it deserves with a hammer?

I'd hate to leave him worse off than he started. However, my level of apprecation for all things tcase are entirely external. Its a big, heavy, awkward to lift grimey silver magical box to me, as for what goes on inside.

[CliffDweller]

I had a similar problem with my ZJ last winter and it turned out to be a problem with the external linkage. As Jerry mentioned, if you crawl under it will probably be pretty apparent.

[PK99TJ]

You all were right. No hammer required.

Merry christmas
PK