sticky part-time, anyone?

Hey guys!
Long time, no post...

Anyway, so we got a little ice last night on the highway here. I started slipping, so I engaged part-time as a precaution. After a bit, it started making that awful sound that it makes when you're using it but shouldn't be (like on patches of road that are not slippery). I tried to disengage, the part-time light went off, but the part-time was still actually engaged and was continuing to make that awful noise. I pulled the transfer case shifter back into the part-time position, and then out again several times to no avail. When I got to our dirt road, I turned the jeep off, pulled the shifter back out, then turned the jeep back on. It was fine after that.

I am kind of curious, does this just happen sometimes?
Could something maybe wrong? Or should I just not worry unless it happens again?

yeah, it takes a bit before it disengages. mine does the same thing. i've had other 4x4's do the same thing. i think it's due to torque holding the mechanism in place until it finally can release.

Is half a mile a reasonable amount of time/distance in which for it to disengage?

Hey frikki!! Its been awhile.

If you were just going down the road, while its not recommended to use part time unless the road is totally covered in snow, it shouldn't make any noises.

Mine has never taken half a mile to disengage. If you let off the gas and got back on the gas, it usually pops right in or out.

There is a boot on front drive shaft that sometimes goes bad, which destroys the CV joint. The boot is right at the tcase, its kinda hard to see since its recessed back in the joint. If the joint has just started going bad, putting it into 4wd can cause the noise to show up. Once the joint goes totally bad, it will make the noise all the time. There are several threads around showing the boot. Yours may not be bad, may be worth looking into.

Thanks man!
(Hey and I just posted a 'where's Blake' thread in the OT)

I may try to have a look in the morning, not going to say I'll really know what I'm looking at though.

I'm just not liking that part-time, anyway. I wish it were a full-time thing.

Unfortunately many do not engage the part time very often.
As a result, things can get a little sticky. Try using it once a month minimum, same as your air-conditioning. Also ensure you have even tire wear and that the tire pressure is the same all the way around.
On the note of fluid changes, once a year or every 35k for the font diff and transfer case, rear diff every 12k, this keeps things running in top condition.
Try to get the jeep inspected once or twice a year on a lift for brakes and axles CV's, front end etc with an alignment as well.
One side note, if in salty winter regions, I would highly recommend minimum a good drive through car wash, that sprays from the bottom up, as you drive though. Even better is a pressure washer at home all over. Salt is just nasty if left on, without a wash to the vehicles parts.

If you have the part time transfer case, it will shift right out of 4wd when you shift the shifter. Its the full time tcase that can get stuck in 4wd. As far as the light staying lit when you shift back to 2wd, its just a sensor getting stuck.

Heres a pic of the boot, you can see where its all torn:

A couple of times I have had to back up to disengage it. But then I started using the 4 wheel more and more (as stated above by another member) and now shifts very well in and out through out the ranges.

i'm using my 4hi several times a day with 2 inches of ice all over the secondary streets here... once in a while i don't get it out of 4x4 quick enough when i hit the pavement, and within about a half mile I feel a shock through the system that feels like I hit an expansion seam or small pot hole, but nothing on the road, guessing that was it finally binding enough to make it pop out of 4hi... thankfully I only do that on rare occasions... when the kids are all yelling at eachother distracting me

I believe if it doesn't pop out right away or withing a few seconds something isn't quite right. Check you tires and make sure they have the same air in them all around. Also, make sure you have a good alignment and that your tires are wearing evenly. A small diameter difference from tire to tire can make a huge difference. I had an f-150 that had bad balljoints and it would stick in 4x4 for a mile sometimes. The thing about that was that the front tires were visibly different looking at the wear pattern.

Just something to think about.

the buildup is what caused it to hold. if the road isnt slick enough that the wheels can slip you shouldnt use it, it will bind.

if you ever have this the easy way to get it out is to drive in reverse with the tcase disengaged. You will release the bind.

rockymountain said:

I believe if it doesn't pop out right away or withing a few seconds something isn't quite right. Check you tires and make sure they have the same air in them all around. Also, make sure you have a good alignment and that your tires are wearing evenly. A small diameter difference from tire to tire can make a huge difference. I had an f-150 that had bad balljoints and it would stick in 4x4 for a mile sometimes. The thing about that was that the front tires were visibly different looking at the wear pattern.

Just something to think about.

Click to expand...

Not that I disagree completely, but considering I have owned several automatic 4x4's, and they ALL have done this, I don't consider this to be an issue. I don't like that it sticks sometimes, but even frequent engagement/disengagement has not prevented it from sticking occasionally.

However, that being said....as has been noted, if your vehicle has not exhibited these symptoms previously, and this is something new for you, then I would make sure there are not other possible causes. I just wouldn't get too worried by it, and seriously doubt there's anything you could do to keep it from happening.

ya my 92 cherokee I had would bang hard when you would shift back into 2wd while moving. So I always tried to be stopped or not moving very fast when I would mess with it. The YJ is different story..