Transfer case gears!

[simplyXJ]

I have a 94' Cherokee auto with the 4.0 straight 6. The gears in my t-case are shot... What should I do? What are the aftermarket options that some of you have done? How do I go about fixing this? I have no 4-low right now...

 

[Rusted]

It is proably cheaper / easier to find a used case in good shape that you can just swap it with.

 

[simplyXJ]

Well I want to go aftermarket because if I have to put all that work into changing the gears I may as well get some really low end ones that will give me a better crawl ratio... I'll look into teralows then. That's just a teraflex product then isn't it?

 

[Herzog]

The TeraLow is sweet. I set one up in my parent's jeep and it's worked very nicely.

Have you taken the t-case apart? Are you sure you don't just have a stretched chain or bad linkage? What are the symptoms?

 

[simplyXJ]

well it doesn't stay in low wehn I put it in... It sounded today like it was grinding when I tried to keep it in. How much was your teralow kit? Is it just gears or the full case or what?

 

[78mitsu]

in the earlier 231's there is a problem with the range fork -> they tend to crack which would make it so 4wd and 2wd would work but no low. They're easy to tear into. Basically, take off the front input and the case splits right int half. I'd recommend if you are going to rebuild it, get the upgraded chain, It'll last twice as long. Upgrade the pump, and a SYE kit but as far as the tera low kit it's pretty well a bolt in, not much too it, some clearancing of the case depending on what year your case is but not much just cleaning up some casting lines.

 

[simplyXJ]

So what should I bring to the garage before I tear into this and how much is it going to cost me?

 

[1993yj]

The Teralow kit costs at least $1200 if I remember correctly. Either way it was more than I was willing to put into my 231.

 

[simplyXJ]

yeah that is more that I wanna spend! This jeep is a cheap project and I don't want to throw that much at it

 

[78mitsu]

So what should I bring to the garage before I tear into this and how much is it going to cost me?

They're about $150 at a junkyard for a gently used one. either way you're going to need to know what input spline you have to get one.

If you're serious about a low low kit, I'd hit wayne up about an Atlas, it's the end of they year, you can find deals some times. 1500 into a 231 or 2100 for an atlas I'd probabbly pop for the atlas.

 

[1993yj]

I would post a wanted thread to get a used 231 on here. You can find them here pretty cheap, just drop the whole case and replace it, no tearing it apart to mess with it.

 

[Herzog]

So what should I bring to the garage before I tear into this and how much is it going to cost me?

I don't know how much they cost anymore, call Teraflex / TeraflexPLUS to find out.

The Teralow unit includes an entire front half of the case with the gears already installed. You'll need trade in your old half for a core... I believe.

 

[timpanogos]

I have a 300 available

 

[Milner]

I have a 94' Cherokee auto with the 4.0 straight 6. The gears in my t-case are shot... What should I do? What are the aftermarket options that some of you have done? How do I go about fixing this? I have no 4-low right now...

Back to the main issue....It is not likely it is a "bad" gear. If it is just grinding going in/out of gear/range, as 78 said it could be a bad fork, or just wore out $.10 fork pads. Or if it is noisey/sloppy it could be a bad chain....or bad bearings. What milage is on the case?
It is possible, but I doubt the "gears are bad." Take it to TeraPlus and let them take a look at it before you get to deep in to it....

 

[waynehartwig]

The Teralow kit costs at least $1200 if I remember correctly. Either way it was more than I was willing to put into my 231.

Thank you!!! I'm glad someone said it!

By the time you put the Tera low and SYE kits in, you are almost at the cost of an Atlas..... Another ~$500 or so and you'll never have to worry about the chain stretching, etc, etc....

A 231 is worth putting an SYE in, but not a 4:1 kit. Go buy yourself another used 231, swap your SYE and run it that way if you can't afford the Atlas right now.... Or do like Mistu suggested, take yours apart and verify that it isn't that $40 shift fork instead.