Transfer Case Lever Shaking

[JohnB]

Got a chance to drive my W200 down about 20 miles of dirt road so I put in 4WD {High and Low range} to slosh some lubricant around the front diff. After putting the transfer case back in 2WD and driving on the pavement, I noticed the transfer case lever shakes back and forth quite a bit when starting out from a standing stop. Just shakes until the truck gets going and doesnt do it in any other gear while upshifting. Any ideas? Loose mounting bracket bolts? universals need grease? something else?
John

[digdoug]

That is the downfall of divorced transfer cases. When you drive it in low range it messes up the phasing between the jack shaft and rear shaft.
Just put the tc and tranny in neutral ,set the parking break,crawl under and line up the yokes of the two shafts.Put them back in gear and recheck to be sure the jack shaft is still in phase.

[JohnB]

That is the downfall of divorced transfer cases. When you drive it in low range it messes up the phasing between the jack shaft and rear shaft.
Just put the tc and tranny in neutral ,set the parking break,crawl under and line up the yokes of the two shafts.Put them back in gear and recheck to be sure the jack shaft is still in phase.

I figured it might be something simple since the truck was fine before my "off road" adventure I'll get them in phase this weekend and let you know how it works out.

[JohnB]

That is the downfall of divorced transfer cases. When you drive it in low range it messes up the phasing between the jack shaft and rear shaft.
Just put the tc and tranny in neutral ,set the parking break,crawl under and line up the yokes of the two shafts.Put them back in gear and recheck to be sure the jack shaft is still in phase.

That was the problem. Simple, easy fix.
Thanks!

[Jims68]

That is the downfall of divorced transfer cases. When you drive it in low range it messes up the phasing between the jack shaft and rear shaft.
Just put the tc and tranny in neutral ,set the parking break,crawl under and line up the yokes of the two shafts.Put them back in gear and recheck to be sure the jack shaft is still in phase.

My not knowing anything about these 4WD trucks... I need some explanations.

1.) What do you mean by a Divorced Transfer Case?

2.) What do you mean by lining up the yokes??

3.) Was this something that was done "back in the day" when they were new?

4.) If you just drive it in 2WD will it eventually "work itself out"?

Jim

[soopernaut]

I can answer #1. A divorced transfer case is not attached to the back of the transmission, where a married transfer case is. A divorced transfer case has a shaft going from the transmission output to the input on the transfer case. This is probably what is referred to as "jackshaft" above.

[digdoug]

That is the downfall of divorced transfer cases. When you drive it in low range it messes up the phasing between the jack shaft and rear shaft.
Just put the tc and tranny in neutral ,set the parking break,crawl under and line up the yokes of the two shafts.Put them back in gear and recheck to be sure the jack shaft is still in phase.

My not knowing anything about these 4WD trucks... I need some explanations.

1.) What do you mean by a Divorced Transfer Case?

2.) What do you mean by lining up the yokes??

3.) Was this something that was done "back in the day" when they were new?

4.) If you just drive it in 2WD will it eventually "work itself out"?

Jim

Jim,
1 Soopernaut answered this one, but if you look at page 13 ,fig.13 you can see how a divorced transfer case ( or any divorced auxiliary tranny) is set up. http://www2.dana.com/pdf/J3311-1-HVTSS.PDF
2 by lining up the yokes , I mean Phasing them.
3 I was only 3 years old when they were new,but I had a 69 w100 that did the same thing.
4 No, what happens is when you put the transfer case in low,the input shaft (jack shaft,or intermediate shaft) spins twice as fast as the output shafts (front and rear driveshafts). When you put it back in 2 hi ,you have the same odds of the driveshaft assembly lining up in phase as would a person playing russian roulette does .

[712edf]

I had never considered my intermediate shaft needing to be in phase with my rear driveshaft. Good to know.
But on my W600 I've not noticed any odd vibrations or shaking.

Bucky

[JohnB]

I had never considered my intermediate shaft needing to be in phase with my rear driveshaft. Good to know.
But on my W600 I've not noticed any odd vibrations or shaking.

Bucky

I never thought about it either until last weekend. I have only had the truck in low range once before and when I put it back in 2WD; I didnt have any problems. As digdoug said; I must have been lucky that time and they ended up in phase or close to it. Last weekend; it was really shaking in 2WD. When I got under the truck, the shafts were about 100 degrees out of phase. I lined them up and the truck drives smoothly again.

[Hobcobble]

I had never considered my intermediate shaft needing to be in phase with my rear driveshaft. Good to know.
But on my W600 I've not noticed any odd vibrations or shaking.

Bucky

You're not driving fast enough Bucky!
John

[digdoug]

I just about fell out of my chair laughing.

[Jims68]

Thanks for the explanation. "IF" I ever do get a 'W' model, I'll understand a bit better! UNLESS I forget all about this post!

Jim

That is the downfall of divorced transfer cases. When you drive it in low range it messes up the phasing between the jack shaft and rear shaft.
Just put the tc and tranny in neutral ,set the parking break,crawl under and line up the yokes of the two shafts.Put them back in gear and recheck to be sure the jack shaft is still in phase.

My not knowing anything about these 4WD trucks... I need some explanations.

1.) What do you mean by a Divorced Transfer Case?

2.) What do you mean by lining up the yokes??

3.) Was this something that was done "back in the day" when they were new?

4.) If you just drive it in 2WD will it eventually "work itself out"?

Jim

Jim,
1 Soopernaut answered this one, but if you look at page 13 ,fig.13 you can see how a divorced transfer case ( or any divorced auxiliary tranny) is set up. http://www2.dana.com/pdf/J3311-1-HVTSS.PDF
2 by lining up the yokes , I mean Phasing them.
3 I was only 3 years old when they were new,but I had a 69 w100 that did the same thing.
4 No, what happens is when you put the transfer case in low,the input shaft (jack shaft,or intermediate shaft) spins twice as fast as the output shafts (front and rear driveshafts). When you put it back in 2 hi ,you have the same odds of the driveshaft assembly lining up in phase as would a person playing russian roulette does .

[sweatybetty]

this doesnt make any sense. so every time you drive the truck you have to crawl under it a "phase" the shafts? if all the shafts are properly balanced, it shouldnt make any difference. i have never had any problems and have never "phased" the shafts.

[JohnB]

this doesnt make any sense. so every time you drive the truck you have to crawl under it a "phase" the shafts? if all the shafts are properly balanced, it shouldnt make any difference. i have never had any problems and have never "phased" the shafts.

It didnt make a lot of sense to me either but lining up the universals on the jack shaft and the rear shaft sure made the problem go away. Everything I could find to read on the subject stated that when you have a divorced transfer case and run for any distance in 4WD Low Range; there is a good chance you will have to line up the universals again to get rid of driveline vibration.

[WAWII]

If you have to line up the input and output yokes, you have a drive line angle/alignment issue.

[JohnB]

If you have to line up the input and output yokes, you have a drive line angle/alignment issue.

Totally stock W200 so I don't know which drive line angles would have changed.

[Hobcobble]

I've re-clocked my drive shafts a few times over the years on my
'68 W200.
John

[RussRoth]

this doesnt make any sense. so every time you drive the truck you have to crawl under it a "phase" the shafts? if all the shafts are properly balanced, it shouldnt make any difference. i have never had any problems and have never "phased" the shafts.

Never had that problem from day one with my '67 W200 either. Bought new by Dad so I was around from day one.

[digdoug]

this doesnt make any sense. so every time you drive the truck you have to crawl under it a "phase" the shafts? if all the shafts are properly balanced, it shouldnt make any difference. i have never had any problems and have never "phased" the shafts.

Never had that problem from day one with my '67 W200 either. Bought new by Dad so I was around from day one.

Russ,
If that is the case, worn rubber mounts ,splines,or springs could explain the problem. How many miles were on your truck when you put the married transfer case in it?
Doug

[RussRoth]

this doesn't make any sense. so every time you drive the truck you have to crawl under it a "phase" the shafts? if all the shafts are properly balanced, it shouldn't make any difference. i have never had any problems and have never "phased" the shafts.

Never had that problem from day one with my '67 W200 either. Bought new by Dad so I was around from day one.

Russ,
If that is the case, worn rubber mounts ,splines,or springs could explain the problem. How many miles were on your truck when you put the married transfer case in it?
Doug

I think about 125,000 miles but it has been over a dozen years so I don't recall exactly. I think you may have misunderstood, this rig never had an issue with this. I was agreeing with the post I quoted in that I don't get it either especially since this it not my first rodeo with 4x4's and don't recall any of them vibrating as described.