Customized help

  • What other Transfer cases would bolt up to that? It would have to be an off set differential I guess. But just in case, Keith, check to make sure the rear differential is off set to the passenger side.

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • So if you have tried all transfer case shifter positions and the results are the same, then the transfer case is not shifting. I will start with the basics here. The transfer case has a low and high range. High range is a 1:1 ratio and is like highway driving in a car. Low range is for off road and top speed is way, way lower. Think 25 or 30 mph maximum speed lower. In either range the transmission should shift twice. From 1st to 2nd, and 2nd to 3rd. The transmission shifts independently of the transfer case, and really doesn't know what gear the transfer case is in. If the shifting can be felt, the transmission is probably working properly. That leaves the transfer case to look at.
    If it is stuck in low range it would act like you describe, unless of course it is not shifting as discussed above. There are several possibilities here. The shifter linkage is definitely suspect. I would have someone work the transfer case shifter while watching the operation of the linkage underneath. There could be slop in the linkage not allowing full travel. Misalignment from a body lift or other factors. I would pay particular attention to the shaft going into the transfer case while shifting. Is the shaft moving the same amount as the lever attached to it? Some of these use square sided holes for indexing, but if they ever get loose they quickly wear out to where the lever moves but the shaft doesn't. That would make it seem like you are shifting, but you really aren't.
    As I remember from the quadratrac cherokees, it wasn't always easy to shift the transfer case. At times I had to put the transmission in neutral and shut off the motor to get it to shift. The automatic still spins in neutral although with no real power, and it would "grind" trying to shift the transfer case until the motor stopped. Keep in mind, changing the gear range in the transfer case is not to be done while moving. Some vehicles let you change from two wheel to four wheel " on the fly " but never from high to low range.
    Anyway, maybe that will help. Also, didn't you drive this rig faster before you got the tires?

  • I have yet to feel the car "shift" once.
    I will try to run the transfer case through the different positions again while the car is off, but its very difficult to say when anything is engaged. In other words, the gear just moves throughout the range with no palpable or audible "click" or anything that would make you think it has entered one gear or the other
    Before the tires, it was 100 times worse, could barely manipulate the steering without veering right, that has been remedied somewhat with the new tires, but without the front axle lockers in "lock" the car wont move at all because the rear axle is not engaging (did once, with the emergency switch engaged)
    ill tinker with it

  • I was able to shift it manually. I can try to stop by tomorrow briefly if you want. Have to see about my brother-in-law is doing (hospice) first


    Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • I read up on the quadratrac a bit. It is probably shifted by a cable for high or low range, if it even has a low range. Not all of them did.
    I think what you are calling front axle lockers are locking hubs. They are in the center of the front wheels and say "lock" and "free" or something similar. If it has locking hubs, it really shouldn't. Quadratrac units don't work with locking hubs, they use a solid drive hub.
    Both axles should turn all the time, and they need to. Inside the quadratrac is a differential to allow different rotational speeds for the front and rear axle. With a differential, if one side loses traction and spins then the other side sits there useless. I think you have front locking hubs which are unlocked and allowing the front axle to spin while the rear axle sits useless. The "emergency switch" is really a vacuum operated locker for the differential in the quadratrac. When you locked it it moved because the differential was locked and made both driveshafts turn regardless of what the other one was doing.
    I'm kind of long winded.
    I think if you lock the hubs in you won't need to use emergency drive.
    In case you were wondering, a Dana 18 transfer case is a good replacement for the quadratrac. The shafts both come out on the passenger side, and adapters are readily available to mate it to the turbo 400. It's a strong case and about as cheap and simple as they get.
    Also, try to find the vacuum modulator on the front passenger side of the transmission. It's a little metal can with a small rubber tube coming out of the middle. Trace that vacuum line up to the manifold or carb and make sure it is connected and not leaking. That little thing has a major effect on the transmission shifting.

  • Locking the front hubs in makes it extremely squirrely to drive because I believe the differential is locked. I drove it and it was pulling everywhere. The rear drive shaft didn't spin unless he locks the emergency drive in. I'm wondering if the front differential has to be switched to an open carrier. But if he could switch to a Dana 18 t-case I would certainly do that.


    Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • There is a good possibility that it has a Mile Marker part time kit installed. That kit eliminates the differential action in the transfer case and allows either rear driveshaft power or both driveshaft power like many early simple cases. If it has the part time kit then locking the front hubs should not be done on pavement with the transfer case in four wheel. I found info that shows a similar lever for high/low shifting, but it is under the seat in reach of the drivers right hand. The emergency drive should be a turn-knob with a sticker on it describing operation. I think with the mile marker kit this knob was used for two or four wheel drive, and a new sticker was provided to describe operation. A few pictures of the transfer case, especially the rear of it, would be helpful.
    Also, the vacuum shifting mechanism was a common failure point. I am thinking there are a few vacuum related things that aren't working correctly here, maybe there is a problem in the vacuum system.
    I'm still not sure of the shift mechanism for low range, I said cable before but it may also be vacuum. Here's a picture I found of a supposed low range shifter.

  • That looks like the shifter he has on the driver side of the transmission tunnel


    Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • Ok so willyn the hubs are warn hub lockers and the car will only drive when they are locked otherwise the axle turns and turns with no movement
    I tried all different positions for the transfer case shifter and can't get the car to shift past first gear or engage only the rear axle
    That's definitely two problems that I can't find a solution for
    I'm just reading he post about checking the transmission side area
    Was hoping to hear from Aaron sooner but rather than later but is that something you feel comfortable fixing willyn? I'm running out of warm weather time and would just get it towed to you. Parts etc I would get at your request
    Thanks to everyone for their time discussing this

  • Hopefully Will can help out. I am trying to find some time but i keep getting jambed up on projects. Sorry. Let us know what he finds.

  • Keep us all in the loop. Not much work is ever done with a Quandratrac t-case. I'm sure it will be something we all can learn from. I wouldn't mind being there to be in on what is determined as well.

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • We go by aliases (screen names) here. Keeps it simple. At least until you're trying figure out a guys real name so you can look up his address or something


    Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • Well we got it shifted into high range and drove it. The auto trans shifted fine, but it has a higher stall torque converter I believe which makes the shifting really soft until you mash the pedal. It's a real nice jeep with lots of expensive parts, but needs some tweaking for sure. People buy parts and bolt them together sometimes without really knowing how it all needs to work together. I suspect the last owner was a bit that way. Probably spent a ton of money and it still wasn't right.
    I think he may have put locking hubs without the part time kit, which will not work unless they are locked in. We will put it on the lift later this week and get it sorted out. While it drives and shifts now the wandering and pulling steering is outrageous.
    It's a straight six with a Holley carb and header. It feels very peppy. Some other engine work has probably been done, or else that four barrel works wonders!

  • The work that was done looked like it was done right. Did you get the rear drive shaft to work?


    Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • The part that was done right is working fine. It's the messed up stuff that needs help! Yeah the rear driveshaft works. The vacuum line to the modulator is done with windshield washer line, and is dry rotted. Probably part of the poor shifting. Definitely good money was spent on parts.

  • Thanks to Andy for helping out today
    he was definitely more aggressive driving where as I was
    Sissy footing it and once we figured out where the transfer case shifter needed to be it felt great to feel
    Her go and at least shift.
    The wandering of the steering is still quite scary .
    Also John he had the same suggestion of lowering the seats they sit up very high and even though I'm short the roll bar sits right at the top of my head

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