low gear not engaging

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Topic author
Wagnstuff
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:32 pm

low gear not engaging

Post by Wagnstuff »

I took my '89 gw out and put it into 4wd as I do occasionally to engage those gears and give them an exercise... going about 3 mph, in neutral, try and pull the lever to engage 'low' gear....and the lever just pulls all the way up....no resistance....nothing engages. What the heck?

I get underneath, but can't see any dangling levers/arms etc so I can't identify the exact cause....could someone help or point me in the right direction as to whats wrong?
1989 jeep GW, 3" lift, fuel injected 408 ci crate motor, air locker rear

will e
Posts: 5096
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:21 am

Re: low gear not engaging

Post by will e »

Will it move while you are in park with the engine off? How easy? Which TC?
81 Waggy 'WILL E' Retired
82 Cherokee WT - SOA/SF/high steer/Alcan springs/agr box/Borgeson steering shaft/AMC 401/performer/holley TA/HEI/BeCool/727/ALTAS (2.0/2.72/5.44)/D60 Snofighter(Yukon Zip,hubs,stubs,4.56)/14 Bolt (FF,BF shave, Discs, ARB,Artec Truss)/MTR 37X12.5/Corbeau XRS Baja & 5 point retractable harness/Hella Aux lights/tuffy console/killer32 sliders/Evil Twin bumpers, rack and roll cage/WARN 8000/TT Fabworks steering brace/dual batts/custom TC skid plate/ARB fridge

Topic author
Wagnstuff
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:32 pm

Re: low gear not engaging

Post by Wagnstuff »

moves freely whether engine started or not...whether in gear or not
1989 jeep GW, 3" lift, fuel injected 408 ci crate motor, air locker rear

Topic author
Wagnstuff
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:32 pm

Re: low gear not engaging

Post by Wagnstuff »

really? no one has experienced this before or has any insight?
1989 jeep GW, 3" lift, fuel injected 408 ci crate motor, air locker rear

letank
Posts: 4009
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:16 pm
Location: SF bay area

Re: low gear not engaging

Post by letank »

Wagnstuff wrote:really? no one has experienced this before or has any insight?
You should have the NP229 transfer case (unless someone messed it up), you put in 4WD while engine running and in gear, by shifting lever from L to R under the AC conduit or by your right knee (this is vacuum activated, no sound unless you have a vacuum leak), then for low gear at a reduced speed , in gear vehicle moving or neutral with slight rolling, you can pull lever on the transmission hump by the right side of the driver's seat, this one is mechanical... it should have some light grinding, make SURE that you go all the way up otherwise the transfer case will be in neutral -such as for towing- You can turn off the engine to facilitate the shifting if you have some resistance, which seems (edit added: NOT) to be your case.
Last edited by letank on Wed Feb 28, 2018 8:51 am, edited 3 times in total.
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

will e
Posts: 5096
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:21 am

Re: low gear not engaging

Post by will e »

If it moves freely and through the entire range of motion but is not going into low then someting is probably broken or the linkage has come loose.
81 Waggy 'WILL E' Retired
82 Cherokee WT - SOA/SF/high steer/Alcan springs/agr box/Borgeson steering shaft/AMC 401/performer/holley TA/HEI/BeCool/727/ALTAS (2.0/2.72/5.44)/D60 Snofighter(Yukon Zip,hubs,stubs,4.56)/14 Bolt (FF,BF shave, Discs, ARB,Artec Truss)/MTR 37X12.5/Corbeau XRS Baja & 5 point retractable harness/Hella Aux lights/tuffy console/killer32 sliders/Evil Twin bumpers, rack and roll cage/WARN 8000/TT Fabworks steering brace/dual batts/custom TC skid plate/ARB fridge

letank
Posts: 4009
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:16 pm
Location: SF bay area

Re: low gear not engaging

Post by letank »

Image

a typical low gear shifter (this is a 208, like the 229 wo the viscous coupler)
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

will e
Posts: 5096
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:21 am

Re: low gear not engaging

Post by will e »

letank wrote:Image

a typical low gear shifter (this is a 208, like the 229 wo the viscous coupler)

Yeah, what could go wrong? :)
81 Waggy 'WILL E' Retired
82 Cherokee WT - SOA/SF/high steer/Alcan springs/agr box/Borgeson steering shaft/AMC 401/performer/holley TA/HEI/BeCool/727/ALTAS (2.0/2.72/5.44)/D60 Snofighter(Yukon Zip,hubs,stubs,4.56)/14 Bolt (FF,BF shave, Discs, ARB,Artec Truss)/MTR 37X12.5/Corbeau XRS Baja & 5 point retractable harness/Hella Aux lights/tuffy console/killer32 sliders/Evil Twin bumpers, rack and roll cage/WARN 8000/TT Fabworks steering brace/dual batts/custom TC skid plate/ARB fridge
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fulsizjeep
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Re: low gear not engaging

Post by fulsizjeep »

Wagnstuff - What do you do to engage 4wd? Is it a vacuum switch? Then the 4wd light comes on in the instrument panel?
Flint Boardman
88 GW, 401/727/208, 5" lift, D44s/4.10s/locked up, 35s
https://jubileejeeps.org/quadratrac

Topic author
Wagnstuff
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:32 pm

Re: low gear not engaging

Post by Wagnstuff »

yes fulsizejeep, its an '89, just like you described
1989 jeep GW, 3" lift, fuel injected 408 ci crate motor, air locker rear
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