"4 Low works, 4 hi doesn't work so well"

[RJMacReady]

Hey folks, I've had my Ranger a couple months now (84 4x4 manual). Drives about as great as I could want and so far no problems despite lots of daily driving.

I didn't get it because of the 4x4 but because it was a decently priced pickup and I needed to haul some things more regularly. I haven't tried it out yet. Quote in the thread title is what the owner said.

That being said, I'd like to troubleshoot the 4x4 and see where she's at.

Any advice on how I can get started doing this?

 

[RonD]

Manual transmission

Manual or electric shift transfer case?

On the front wheels are there manual Hubs, you turn them to Lock and Unlock?

 

[RJMacReady]

You turn them to lock by hand

 

[scotts90ranger]

My guess is the shifter linkage isn't adjusted right, that can let it fall out of 4hi but go into 4 low just fine. This is assuming manual transfer case (lever to the left of the transmission shifter). To check, pull the shifter back to the 4 high stop, then move the shifter to the left and pull back, it should take a little force to get the shifter out of the detent for 4 high, if you pull back a little bit and it stops then that's the problem. Now's the time to get under the truck and loosen the adjustment bolt (I don't remember if it's one or two, it's the smaller bolt(s) not the giant pivot bolt) and move the shifter gate to where it's at that detent at the right spot, it'd make more sense once you look at it...

 

[RJMacReady]

Oh yes, the, the 4x4 lever is to the left of the shifter. Manual transfer case then.

 

[RJMacReady]

I'm gonna be up under there doing a clutch kit pretty soon. Going to also take a look at the shifter linkage. My chilton manual doesn't have anything useful in there that I've been able to find. Can someone point me to a guide for what I am looking for or how I want to adjust it?

 

[Shran]

The adjustment procedure for that shifter is:

Loosen big bolt (1-1/8 wrench required)
Loosen little bolt that is near it - probably a 14mm wrench
Put t-case in 4 Low
Rotate the shifter guide bracket so that the front edge of the 4 Low position is just touching the shifter - it's the only section of the guide that is slightly angled
Tighten the bolts and check for function.

Note that there is also a plastic bushing that is supposed to be on the little arm that is attached to the t-case. If that is missing, the shifter can be adjusted perfectly but there will be enough slop to prevent it from going into gear.

 

[wildbill23c]

The shifter in my 88 Bronco 2 is the same way, it has to go slightly past the 4H detent to actually be in 4WD High Range, otherwise it'll kick itself back out because the linkage isn't adjusted properly. Never bothered adjusting it because I hate crawling around under vehicles and I hate having to work on them...it works just fine as long as you know where the engagement actually is, but I do need to get it adjusted, probably do that while I'm under it this spring doing the transmission drain/fill and new filter.