Shifting on the fly.

[88pathoffroad]

It shouldn't matter if OD is on. You shouldn't get grinding from 4HI to 2HI, though.

[94extreme]

you have to give it a second or three for everything to quit moving inside the t-case before shifting.

[Tungsten]

I have a part-time 4wd system and when shifting into 4H from 2H it will only go about halfway in and then if I put it back on 2H and shift into 4H again the lever will fully go into 4H. The 4x4 does work but it is annoying to shift like this. If shifting on the fly, even at the lowest speed, the transfer case will try to fight and not go into 4H. I can only shift in P or N really. Is it defective or is it just a design flaw?

Edited September 26, 2009 by Tungsten

[madmax]

ok i run an 88 with MANUAL hubs and manual tranny ans 32 inch super swampers with the hubs locked or free i have never had a problem shifting from 2h to 4h or 4h to 2h as long as i was off the gas as far as running at highway speeds in 4h you should only use this for icy conditions as long as you keep up on maintence you should be just fine i personally have no problem running down the highway in 2h in the ice and snow on the highway but i can see where some might have an issue also auto hubs are not locked when you are not applying torque so this should be an excellent time for you guys to shift hope this helps someone

Edited January 24, 2010 by madmax

[4X4pathy94]

Question. When I go from 4Hi back to 2 wheel drive I get a terrible grinding sound from the tranny and this is stopped in neutral. I'm thinking that can't be good, any ideas? Auto trans. Also does it matter if OD is on?

maybe your going further than 4 hi and actually putting it into 4 lo? thus getting the infamous grinding noise while shifting into 4lo while not in neutral.

[Eyehategod310]

well heres my two cents..

i think you just have to move the tcase shifter firmly and make sure it goes all the way into 4h.

i've shifted on the fly before and the first time i did it i heard a horrible sound and i had to stop. this was because i didnt shift it all the way to 4h because i wasnt sure that i could even shift on the fly at all so i hesitated. after that i put it in 2h and just hoped i didnt mess up the tranny or tcase. later on i tried it again and firmly shifted down to 4h and it shifted perfectly. i would shift to 2h and i could tell the hubs were still locked and they unlocked as soon as i stopped and backed up a bit.

hope this helps anyone

[MY1PATH]

its pretty hard to mess up the gears in the TX-10

the fact of the matter is with auto hubs your front driveline and the t-case gear attached, are stationary and when you pull the lever back you are trying to pick up motionless gears with one thats moving. that is what makes the grinding. If you do it under coast or no load it picks up a little easier.

 

with locking hubs(or auto's that are stuck or not been dis-engaged) your drivline and gear match the speed of the road and as lonng as your rear is turning @ the same rate (not slipping) moves to 4h & back can be very smooth and seamless. Hell with hubs locked I have gone in and out of 4h @ over 55mph

[OlBlue]

Hi, I have a 95 (auto), that will not engage in 4 at all (on the fly or stationary). I do the get the infamous grinding, if I fumble on the shift into 4X and had figured the diff had died. Instead of jumping into that I will try cleaning the hubs first.

Thanks for the tip, much appreciated!

[k9sar]

Hi, I have a 95 (auto), that will not engage in 4 at all (on the fly or stationary). I do the get the infamous grinding, if I fumble on the shift into 4X and had figured the diff had died. Instead of jumping into that I will try cleaning the hubs first.

Thanks for the tip, much appreciated!

 

is the grinding when you are trying to put it into 4WD (tranny problem) or once you think you are in 4WD and the indiator lite is on (front diff or hub problem)?

 

One way to check is to put the entire thing on stands and put it into 4WD and let it idle. The rear wheels should move and you can slip under and check to see if your front shaft(s) are moving or not. I lost 4WD on a trail run but my indicator said I was in 4WD. Turns out I destroyed a CV joint

 

[OlBlue]

Looks like you dropped some bearings!

 

It seems to shift just fine when I engage it properly, and the indicator light comes on, everything looks and feels good except no pull from the front wheels.

I think I will try your suggestion this weekend.

I am really hoping to see those front drive axles turn since I can't see a gear ratio on the diff (front or back) and there are apparently two different diffs available.

Thanks for the suggestion, good and simple.

Will let you know.

 

 

 

 

is the grinding when you are trying to put it into 4WD (tranny problem) or once you think you are in 4WD and the indiator lite is on (front diff or hub problem)?

 

One way to check is to put the entire thing on stands and put it into 4WD and let it idle. The rear wheels should move and you can slip under and check to see if your front shaft(s) are moving or not. I lost 4WD on a trail run but my indicator said I was in 4WD. Turns out I destroyed a CV joint

 

[OlBlue]

Hi rather than jacking and blocking the whole vehicle up I wrapped a piece of tape around the outer drive axels and marked it, and then engaged the 4X and drove forward and then checked to see if the label on the tape had turned. Maybe not as definitive but seemed to do the trick.

 

The tape label had rotated (both sides), so I figure the drive axels were turning.

I put some spare (working) auto hubs on. The passenger side hub was toast.

Anyway, still no pull from the front wheels.

 

The transfer case seems to be hooking up, the diff and axels are rotating(?), the dash light is on, the hubs are good...maybe its the driver/operator?

 

I noticed the inner boots on the drive axels are ripped, I guess I will swap those out this week and see where that gets me. I think I will jack the whole thing up a take a look and see what moving and whats not first though...seeing is believing.

[MY1PATH]

yes well the can turn a little from friction and still not be engaged...

[adamzan]

Put it in 4wd, roll forward about 10 feet. Then put it in 2wd and get someone to watch the cv's while you roll forward more. If they turn then the auto hubs did engage as you have to go in the opposite direction to unlock (I'm sure you know that though)

 

If only one is turning well then you know which one didn't engage. This is how I found my sticking auto hub.

[Reshma]

http://s1115.photobucket.com/albums/k542/AriZonaAddict/?action=view&current=12653617.mp4

 

shifting on the fly? crappy cameraman. you should get the idea tho.

Edited December 6, 2011 by PathfinderIII

[Canuck]

It happens to me just the first time I try to shift into 4HI. After that, if I have to disengage and shift into 4HI again while running, no problem. But for the first shift I allways have to stop, otherwise I'll hear those bad noises too.

 

It's not necessary to stop and reverse to unlock the hubs, just in case it does not happen a while after you shift back to 2HI.

[Canuck]

Shifting on the fly into 4 wheel drive high is easy, if set up for it first.

 

Supposing you expect ice on a paved road. Pull over where it is safe.

and stop. Shift into 4 wheel drive high while stopped. Drive forward at least 3

feet to engage the front wheel locks. Then move the 4 wheel shift lever back

to 2-wheel drive. (The hubs will remain engaged).

Now the front wheels and rear wheels both run at the same speed and so do their drive shafts, and therefore also their

respective gears in the transfer box. Go back to the dry pavement and drive up to 70 MPH.

If you see a patch of ice ahead or anticipate slippage just move the 4 wheel shifter back

to 4 wheel-low. It will go in easy, a touch with one finger will do it! And usually there is no noise.

 

Once you are past the icy patch just move the lever back to 2 wheel drive, just as easy. To keep this up, just do not

back-up while in 2 wheel mode, because that is when the hubs will disengage and you have to set up all over again.

 

There are 2 more conditions to watch: Do not brake or slow down or accelerate while shifting to 4 wheel, and make sure you are nut turning sharpely, or are spinning any wheels. Any of theses conditions may cause a difference in front and rear drive speeds,

that would then cause gears to grind while changing mode.

[Slartibartfast]

If you see a patch of ice ahead or anticipate slippage just move the 4 wheel shifter back

to 4 wheel-low. It will go in easy, a touch with one finger will do it! And usually there is no noise.

 

4-high you mean? Awful tough to get into 4-low on the fly.

[Canuck]

Slartibartfast, you sure got me on that one. I stand corrected, it should have said "4 wheel high".

[Canuck]

4-high you mean? Awful tough to get into 4-low on the fly.

 

Slartibartfast, you sure got me on that one. I stand corrected, it should have said

"4 wheel high".

 

There is one more correction: " ....shifting in and out of 4wheel high at

70 MPH

"

should read: " ....shifting in and out of 4wheel high at

50 MPH

"

 

Canadian Pathfinders read speed in km/h, so when I go "70" it is km/h, which is really only 50MPH.

We Alberta old timers are now about 20 years into these metrics, but I still tend to mix up the speed

descriptions.

[Reshma]

Is an 88 equipped with the ability to shift on the fly?

[Slartibartfast]

AFAIK all WDs use the same transfer case and auto hubs, so yes, so long as the hubs are engaged you can shift on the fly.

[cyoteone]

yeah when u back up it unlocks the auto hubs

 

 

when u put it 4 for the first time and pull forward u can hear the hubs locking into place and when ur done with 4 and put it back into 2 and u know u wont need it any more back up about 3 feet and u can hear them unlock (poping nosie, not to loud) and then ur ok to go

 

when i get done wheeling i unlock right before i get back to pavement and put my foot on the brake and give it some gas, if i see the rear tires spinning them im ok, if not and it wants to move forward and the tires dont spin then i know im in 4

If you roll down your window, then back up, you can hear the hubs click out.

[cyoteone]

Hi rather than jacking and blocking the whole vehicle up I wrapped a piece of tape around the outer drive axels and marked it, and then engaged the 4X and drove forward and then checked to see if the label on the tape had turned. Maybe not as definitive but seemed to do the trick.

 

The tape label had rotated (both sides), so I figure the drive axels were turning.

I put some spare (working) auto hubs on. The passenger side hub was toast.

Anyway, still no pull from the front wheels.

 

The transfer case seems to be hooking up, the diff and axels are rotating(?), the dash light is on, the hubs are good...maybe its the driver/operator?

 

I noticed the inner boots on the drive axels are ripped, I guess I will swap those out this week and see where that gets me. I think I will jack the whole thing up a take a look and see what moving and whats not first though...seeing is believing.

I just got in a bit of mud and punched it. If it slides sideways, you dont have 4 wheels driving. But if it comes out like a tiger on crack, then you are all 4 engaged and happily married to the woods from then on.

[cyoteone]

I now have a complete understanding on how to use my 4WD system.

Along with the understanding of your 4wd system, One must sometimes understand the use of a shovel too. They should be included like a spare from the factory on 4wd models.

[muddogg69]

This is a VG30-only test... it won't work for us slow-moving TD27 owners

 

My td27 auto spins both 33x12.5 rear wheels on the burnout pad with no worries.