RCWD21 Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 (edited) I just installed the shift boot for the transfer case and gear shifter in my 87 pathfinder, everything shifts fine for the transmission but with the transfer case lever the boot is wanting to pull it back into 4H and back into Neutral from 4L. Almost like the boot is too thick for it. When I go from 4H to 2H the shifter wants to pull the entire boot forward and you can literally just tap the lever and it'll pop into 4H, when I go into 4L the boot gets bunched up and pushes forward on the lever pushing it into neutral, the boot and plates themselves are out of a 4cyl 94 Hardbody. Anyone else have this problem? It's really annoying to get this far and have a problem like this. I can take pics if need be but I'm hoping someone that's done a swap before can help me out here. Could I need to take the linkage off the transfer case and adjust it a few splines one way or another? Sent from inside my potato Edited August 14, 2016 by RCWD21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 14, 2016 Author Share Posted August 14, 2016 (edited) After a while of looking and researching I came across only one thread about the shifter bracket being different. I'm 99% sure I used the wd21 bracket but even with it removed I still have one major concern, going from 2H to 4H is SUPER smooth. Like I can pull back with 2 fingers and it just slips right into 4H. Should it be that easy? I don't want to be traveling down the road and accidentally bump it and have it slam into 4H. The transfer case and lever are from the 87, the transmission is an FS5R30A from a 96 pathfinder. I'm going to pull a bracket this week from the junkyard so I know I have the correct one in there Edited August 14, 2016 by RCWD21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickmutante Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 (edited) My parents have a 2008 Nissan Frontier 2.4L... Something similar happend to them... When they switch from 2H to 4H the shifter try to go back to 2H... I think after a while the boot got softer and it was easy to shift to 4H... Edited August 14, 2016 by mickmutante Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 14, 2016 Author Share Posted August 14, 2016 It just worries me that it's so easy. It's the original transfer case so it might just be worn out but I'm thinking of putting a shim in where the shifter bracket is just to make it drag a bit so it's not so buttery smooth. The transfer case itself has solid clicks when shifting it but the selector shaft so I'd imagine a 30 year old spring is probably softer than new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 Here is the bracket that I currently have. Sent from inside my potato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleFR Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 I had similar problems on a Ford Ranger after a swap. It was pinchining the shift boot between the floorboard and the shift lever. I took off the boot mount and clearanced the floorboard. Also I used hot mink oil to soften the boot. I don't know on your Pathy. However a double spring or shim to make the shifting tighter should give you a more positive feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 I had some trouble with the transfer boot too. I got a new boot, installed it, and couldn't figure out how it was supposed to go to not stretch like crazy in low range--finally I just said screw it and buttoned it up. Fast forward to when I was disassembling that rig to build up the '93 and the new boot was all torn up again. I ended up making a sort of baffle from old inner tubes and calling that good enough for now. Your lockout looks different than the one on my '93. Yours has the bolts almost in line with the lockouts, mine is spaced up a bit on legs. I'll see if I can get a decent picture of it. But if it worked before, my bet is that the boot's a big part of the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 When I go to the junkyard I'm going to get another boot (since it's blue), the plates, the shifter and the bracket, the carpet since it's cut different for an auto, and a shifter from a hardbody since I'll be doing a 3 inch body lift at some point. If that doesn't work then I don't know what will and I'll be more confused than ever. My dad has a 93 hardbody and I'm going to see if the shifter is just as easy to put into 4H as it is in mine. Hopefully it's just something I'm overlooking and it'll be an easy fix Sent from inside my potato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 (edited) Slartibarfast when you put yours in 4H can you put 2 fingers on the knob with your palm above it and just move your fingers back and it just pop right into 4H? Also after looking at things, I think the bracket may be the wrong one since it isn't allowing it to go into 4L, it just grinds away. Without that bracket in place all selections work correctly. But I'll know more later this week when I get more parts. Sent from inside my potato Edited August 15, 2016 by RCWD21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 I may have just figured out part of my problem. I'm having to think back to when I pulled the donar transmission for the swap.. it was from a 96. I THINK I used that bracket as the bracket on the auto was different.. I've read that the r50 brackets are different but what the guy posted doesn't look anything like my bracket. It looks more like a C orE shape.. Ugh I hate being rushed, which is what happened when we were getting parts.. Sent from inside my potato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 My '93 and '93 both have brackets that look like this. Your 2H to 4H does sound a little loose. Mine isn't difficult by any stretch, and can be moved with two fingers, but it's not just a tap-and-it's-in sort of thing. There's clearly something slowing it down between positions. It would take a pretty well-aimed bump to push it into/out of 4x. Hopefully a D21 shifter and lockout get yours working right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 Is that a manual or auto transmission in yours? Yours looks like an automatic with the plate showing in the top of the pic. I remember the automatic bracket being taller than the one I have but it wouldn't fit on the manual transmission that I have in there now, it was too short for it. I'm hoping that it'll be something easy, I'm going to look at the transfer case of the r50 I pulled everything from and see if the bracket is or isn't there. Luckily it's still in the yard. When I use a pair of channel locks on the input shaft arm it takes quite a bit of pressure to shift it through all the clicks. I think with it going from 2H to 4H using the actual lever that there's a better leverage advantage taking place and since everything is squeaky clean and all greased up its just easier to move. Sent from inside my potato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Auto trans, yeah. I'd be surprised if the lockouts were different on manual vs auto but it wouldn't be the first weird thing Nissan did. And yeah, leverage makes everything better. Well, except WD21 centerlinks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 I'm beginning to think that it's because the bracket that's causing some of my issues, which I'll know for sure when I have a 100% wd21 bracket to lay next to it. Plus I can check out a couple different transfer case shifters in the JY to see about their ease of use from 2H to 4H. As for the leverage issues with centerlinks, I've bent and broken bushings in a couple idler arms before I ever ruined the centerlink, not sure how but it was enough to let it scrape grooves in the frame rail. As for the 87 it needs an alignment horribly bad. You can let go of the wheel and it turns to the left and then pulls to the left really badly. And the ride is really wobbly and squishy feeling too. Sent from inside my potato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 So I looked up the part number for the bracket I'm dealing with. And it seems that over the years that they made different brackets, for what reason I don't know but it got me curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 (edited) This is for the 96 r50 pathfinder. I would assume they're different since it's a completely different part number from the 86 listing, makes me want to get to the JY even more now just to see if they're different and in what way. Edited August 15, 2016 by RCWD21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 Well today I was driving it around the block without the engine fan on and when I pulled into my driveway and shut everything down the lower hose popped on me. It was an old hose from the junkyard so it was definitely weak. If you squeezed it you could hear the cords inside popping and it felt crunchy. It ripped open like a zipper so I know it was from a bad hose. My temp gauge never moves over the 1/4 mark and I suspect part of this is from me using hondabond on the threads of the temp gauge sender so I'm going to pull that out when it cools off and take a wire brush to the threads. When you ground the gauge wire it slowly moves all the way over to the hot mark. I have a 170° thermostat so that may be the reason for the low reading on the gauge too but I'm not sure. Either way I'll have to rebleed the coolant system Sent from inside my potato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad251 Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 On my 88 SE you have to press the shifter down to change gears in the transfer case. Kinda like a safety I guess. Similar to a VW or BMW to go to reverse. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share Posted August 16, 2016 I'm aware of that, what I'm having an issue with is the interior accordion boot trying to push the lever from 2H back into 4H (I may have found part of my problem today while looking at pics online) and I'm also dealing with the bracket, pictured above, not allowing me to fully shift into 4L. Without the bracket in place my only issue is with the interior boot. Hopefully using all the parts from a 93 or 94 wd21 will solve my issue. If I have to I'll pull apart a transfer case in the junkyard to see what all is involved with the "firmness" of the 2H to 4H engagement. As of right now I'm leaning towards it being the boot giving it that extra little push sort of like a spring assist and also that all the pivot points and linkages are fully greased and free of any crud. Sent from inside my potato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share Posted August 16, 2016 Well I'm going to the junkyard tomorrow, anything I should pick up besides my long list? I can get a whole brush gaurd with the headlight hoops for $30 I'm thinking of getting it just because it's intact and unbent Sent from inside my potato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCWD21 Posted August 18, 2016 Author Share Posted August 18, 2016 Got a new bracket from a 94 pathfinder and put it on, the holes and basic shape of the bracket are the same but the difference is where the cutouts are. On an r50 they're a little further forward and the neutral stop is larger, where as on a wd21 the neutral stop is smaller and the 4L slot is smaller and the slots are a little further towards the back hole. That's why I couldn't get into 4L and it's also why it was so easy to pop into 4H from 2H. I was going to take pics of the difference but I just wanted to install it and be done with my shifting problems. Now to just deal with a whole lot of rust and get a maxima fan installed and I should be ok for a while Sent from inside my potato 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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