Sponsored

Shifting into 4WD

FWB FL

Well-Known Member
First Name
LArry
Joined
Aug 19, 2018
Threads
3
Messages
181
Reaction score
96
Location
Fort Walton Beach Fl
Vehicle(s)
2018 Wrangler JL unlimited
I’m not complaining it’s difficult. I’m complaining that I can’t do it period except by accident. I hooked it up the day I left, day 2, day 7 and day 8 and it was 15-20+ minutes of struggling to get into neutral all but day 8 when I tried going into 4H while moving and then going into neutral while in position. Unhooking and getting out of neutral every time was just as impossible. And I’ve seen 3 others try and it took them 5 minutes of struggling as well and all claimed that their own Jeep WAS NEVER EVER this difficult to shift while motionless from day 1. At the moment, I’m going to have the local dealer check it out this week and push them to get someone to show me directly. It didn’t come up during the salesman run through. Maybe getting into 4H while driving under 50, but nothing about when motionless. I need to at least know my specific wrangler isn’t the problem because what I”m doing now is almost certainly going to break something.
I also flat tow, and it is a bitch to go into 4 lo but not so bad to go into N for towing, then when I go back through 4 hi to 2 hi I always get some grinding with trans in N. Not the easiest transfer case to use.
Sponsored

 

Sean L

Well-Known Member
First Name
Sean
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Threads
23
Messages
43,728
Reaction score
259,909
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU, 2017 Honda Accord, 2014 Yamaha XVS 1300
Occupation
Retired Marine, Construction Estimator
Vehicle Showcase
2
Yes, after flat towing, the engine is started, the AT is changed from Park to Neutral. Engine is shut down. And then the fun begins as I try to get the Transfer Case out of Neutral into anything. Eventually I succeed but never in less than 7-10 minutes of trying and often longer.
Try it with the engine on. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it but its worth a try.

And also not to insult your intelligence, but as you're moving the lever you're pushing it to the left as well as forward to get into high gear?
 

paulrubin3

Member
First Name
Paul
Joined
Feb 26, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
11
Reaction score
2
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
2018 Wrangler JL Safari
Try it with the engine on. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it but its worth a try.

And also not to insult your intelligence, but as you're moving the lever you're pushing it to the left as well as forward to get into high gear?
Yes and I'm not insulted :) though I feel like an idiot doing this. I haven't tried to shift out of neutral with the engine on because that's not the instructions. That's why I"m hopefully bringing it in later today. Let Jeep techs verify my ride is operating properly and I think after spending $50K, somebody can show me tricks to get this working because the last thing I want to have happen is break the damn thing 1500 miles from home for no good reason. I think that's what the last guy did to make it work because nothing else worked.
 

Sean L

Well-Known Member
First Name
Sean
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Threads
23
Messages
43,728
Reaction score
259,909
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU, 2017 Honda Accord, 2014 Yamaha XVS 1300
Occupation
Retired Marine, Construction Estimator
Vehicle Showcase
2
Yes and I'm not insulted :) though I feel like an idiot doing this. I haven't tried to shift out of neutral with the engine on because that's not the instructions. That's why I"m hopefully bringing it in later today. Let Jeep techs verify my ride is operating properly and I think after spending $50K, somebody can show me tricks to get this working because the last thing I want to have happen is break the damn thing 1500 miles from home for no good reason. I think that's what the last guy did to make it work because nothing else worked.
Its always a good thing to get it checked out. Mine does require a good bit of force to get it into and out of low, and if you're having an exceptionally difficult time It just might be a warranty issue. As far as the engine being on, that's how I've always done it as I never shut the engine off On a trail when going into 4Lo.
 

paulrubin3

Member
First Name
Paul
Joined
Feb 26, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
11
Reaction score
2
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
2018 Wrangler JL Safari
Its always a good thing to get it checked out. Mine does require a good bit of force to get it into and out of low, and if you're having an exceptionally difficult time It just might be a warranty issue. As far as the engine being on, that's how I've always done it as I never shut the engine off On a trail when going into 4Lo.
4Low wasn't the goal that I struggled with that too. All I cared about what getting in and out of Neutral.
 

Sponsored

paulrubin3

Member
First Name
Paul
Joined
Feb 26, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
11
Reaction score
2
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
2018 Wrangler JL Safari
Took it to the dealer yesterday late in the day for tomorrow and they were shocked that I was following the instructions in the manual. Both the service manager and lead tech told me I'll do more damage trying to shift in and out of neutral with the engine off getting the gears to mesh than if I simply leave the engine idling. Then they showed me and I did it myself and it worked as I anticipated shifting in and out down to 4L up to 2H, etc. So now here's the question. WTF? The manual which I showed to them says off. They didn't want to hear that. The problem doesn't exist if I follow their advice and I do have the lifetime unlimited miles Mopar warranty. They were careful to warn me about speed maximums with shifting. Should I contact Jeep or just assume the manual was wrong or if not wrong, unnecessarily cautious though that doesn't make sense either based on what they said?
 

Sean L

Well-Known Member
First Name
Sean
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Threads
23
Messages
43,728
Reaction score
259,909
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU, 2017 Honda Accord, 2014 Yamaha XVS 1300
Occupation
Retired Marine, Construction Estimator
Vehicle Showcase
2
Took it to the dealer yesterday late in the day for tomorrow and they were shocked that I was following the instructions in the manual. Both the service manager and lead tech told me I'll do more damage trying to shift in and out of neutral with the engine off getting the gears to mesh than if I simply leave the engine idling. Then they showed me and I did it myself and it worked as I anticipated shifting in and out down to 4L up to 2H, etc. So now here's the question. WTF? The manual which I showed to them says off. They didn't want to hear that. The problem doesn't exist if I follow their advice and I do have the lifetime unlimited miles Mopar warranty. They were careful to warn me about speed maximums with shifting. Should I contact Jeep or just assume the manual was wrong or if not wrong, unnecessarily cautious though that doesn't make sense either based on what they said?
Sounds like a correction in the manual is in order.
 

Jondrew

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bob
Joined
Dec 3, 2018
Threads
33
Messages
873
Reaction score
951
Location
Central Fl
Vehicle(s)
2018 Rubicon
Took it to the dealer yesterday late in the day for tomorrow and they were shocked that I was following the instructions in the manual. Both the service manager and lead tech told me I'll do more damage trying to shift in and out of neutral with the engine off getting the gears to mesh than if I simply leave the engine idling. Then they showed me and I did it myself and it worked as I anticipated shifting in and out down to 4L up to 2H, etc. So now here's the question. WTF? The manual which I showed to them says off. They didn't want to hear that. The problem doesn't exist if I follow their advice and I do have the lifetime unlimited miles Mopar warranty. They were careful to warn me about speed maximums with shifting. Should I contact Jeep or just assume the manual was wrong or if not wrong, unnecessarily cautious though that doesn't make sense either based on what they said?
This is another one of those bad penny threads. Can’t remeber the user, but he was saying the same thing you are. Everyone is telling him to ignore the manual on this subject. As I recall the thread got kind of heated. I’d say do what they showed you at the dealer. Especially if it works.
 

jeepixel

Well-Known Member
First Name
Al
Joined
Dec 21, 2018
Threads
7
Messages
226
Reaction score
138
Location
TX
Vehicle(s)
WBGO View, 2019 2d Wrangler Rubicon
Took it to the dealer yesterday late in the day for tomorrow and they were shocked that I was following the instructions in the manual. Both the service manager and lead tech told me I'll do more damage trying to shift in and out of neutral with the engine off getting the gears to mesh than if I simply leave the engine idling. Then they showed me and I did it myself and it worked as I anticipated shifting in and out down to 4L up to 2H, etc. So now here's the question. WTF? The manual which I showed to them says off. They didn't want to hear that. The problem doesn't exist if I follow their advice and I do have the lifetime unlimited miles Mopar warranty. They were careful to warn me about speed maximums with shifting. Should I contact Jeep or just assume the manual was wrong or if not wrong, unnecessarily cautious though that doesn't make sense either based on what they said?
What exact direction did the dealer give you for shifting between the various gears on the transfer case? Just wondering how detailed they were for the actions.
 

paulrubin3

Member
First Name
Paul
Joined
Feb 26, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
11
Reaction score
2
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
2018 Wrangler JL Safari
What exact direction did the dealer give you for shifting between the various gears on the transfer case? Just wondering how detailed they were for the actions.
The only difference from the manual (we’re talking orally, demonstrated, and me at the wheel with him) was not to turn the engine off for getting it from 2H to N via 4W or back again but rather let it idle, with the transmission in Neutral. With the engine off, the gears apparently don’t mesh smoothly (that’s why people are recommending moving it slightly which isn’t always safe either during the towing process) when everything is off. That’s not to say it suddenly is smooth as butter. Still requires a firm hand. But it’s kind of hard to argue the logic since the transfer case can be shifted with the vehicle in motion, under 45/50 to get into 4H and under <3 to get into 4L. It is possible, he said, that after I’ve been in and out of 4W and N 100 times, things will work more smoothly to the point where I can turn off the engine and make it work too but even then he said it makes no sense to him or his head mechanic. Which basically means this is what they’re doing t the Jeeps they repair at their dealership.
 

Sponsored

jeepixel

Well-Known Member
First Name
Al
Joined
Dec 21, 2018
Threads
7
Messages
226
Reaction score
138
Location
TX
Vehicle(s)
WBGO View, 2019 2d Wrangler Rubicon
The only difference from the manual (we’re talking orally, demonstrated, and me at the wheel with him) was not to turn the engine off for getting it from 2H to N via 4W or back again but rather let it idle, with the transmission in Neutral. With the engine off, the gears apparently don’t mesh smoothly (that’s why people are recommending moving it slightly which isn’t always safe either during the towing process) when everything is off. That’s not to say it suddenly is smooth as butter. Still requires a firm hand. But it’s kind of hard to argue the logic since the transfer case can be shifted with the vehicle in motion, under 45/50 to get into 4H and under <3 to get into 4L. It is possible, he said, that after I’ve been in and out of 4W and N 100 times, things will work more smoothly to the point where I can turn off the engine and make it work too but even then he said it makes no sense to him or his head mechanic. Which basically means this is what they’re doing t the Jeeps they repair at their dealership.
Paul, thank you for the update. I'm new to the Jeep and flat towing, so I am still trying to figure out the magic sequence for the Jeep when setting up for the flat tow behind the MH.
 

BIGDOGS

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeff
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Threads
3
Messages
47
Reaction score
39
Location
Minneapolis
Vehicle(s)
'18 JLU Sting Grey + '15 Cherokee Trailhawk + '17 Renegade Trailhawk
With a fair amount of use this winter, it has loosened up quite a bit and is easy.
Sponsored

 
 



Top