4HI to 4LO grinding

Submitting for your high wisdom:

When shifting from 4HI to 4LO, I shift from "D" to "N" and then coast a bit then shift into 4LO with a declining grinding. It sounds like ol' skool work trucks grinding into gear. It is rare that it is without grinding.

Thoughts?

Insight?

Something broken?

 

You wait until you're at a complete stop before you put it in 4lo, right?

 

You're doing it wrong. Low range doesn't have syncros, you can't be moving and shift in or out.

 

Eon, nailed it. Be at a complete stop to shift in to 4Low.

 

Ditto on the "must be at a complete stop"

 

Not going to reiterate what everyone else has said, but read that little card in the drivers side visor. It has helpful tips on how to operate your 4x4 system.

 

I've tried being at a complete stop and multiple different low speeds and typically all the same results.

 

The chain and gears in the transfer case are not moving unless the truck is moving.

 

I don't remember the reason for it. Saw it on a forum post long ago. But try shifting quickly from 4 hi to 4 lo. Don't pause at neutral. Just shift straight through quickly and I'll bet the grinding won't happen.

 

Completely stopped didn't change the grinding; only if I shut of engine and shifted - obviously no grinding

 

You definitely want to be at a complete stop when shifting into 4lo, even then I get a slight grinding noise. There are no synchros in the transfer case, so the gears have to line up somehow - the only time you won't hear anything is if they happen to line up perfectly when you come to a stop before shifting.

 

I never hear grinding shifting into 4Lo...I get a clunk shifting out of 4wd (sometimes a little 'clank' but going into 4Lo is always silent, maybe I just have good timing lol

 

Stop the truck , tranny in neutral or park. If it still grinds, you have a rebuild in the near future with your name on it. Besides doing it right theres no special trick to it. If its not working there's something physically wrong in the drivetrain.

With the drivetrain stopped there should be nothing turning in the transmission, so nothing to turn the tcase. So no way for anything to grind. If the drivetrain is turning, something isnt right.

Trying to shift in fast isnt going to add syncros, its just going to grind harder.

 

Is the transmission supposed to be in neutral, or in park? It sounds like while the transfer is in neutral the gearbox starts spinning, causing the grinding when you try to get into low. If you put it in park that should keep the gearbox still, I think... my 4x4 is the 5-speed manual and as mentioned above, you have to be at a complete stop to shift into low, BUT the gearbox WILL spin with the transfer in neutral and that will cause problems when trying to get it into low. The tip above to shift quickly from 4H into 4L was also a good one, maybe get the shift done before the gearbox has a chance to start spinning.

 

Tranny in neutral should disconnect the moving bits from the engine, in park should lock them in place. Either should work.

 

calling the heavy hitters for additional wisdom:

@Digiratus

@ponethousand

@Blackdawg

 

When shfting anything from 4lo tranny has to be in neutral

 

I have nothing to add Ben. All these guys have given you sound advice.

FWIW, mine grinds sometimes. But I don't always come to a complete stop. I do not have the j-shift t-case.

 

If it grinds you just aren't slamming the tcase lever enough far forward.

But you should ALWAYS stop first