120 Series Sticking in Low Range

[Barra1978 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Barra1978]

Gday every one. im new to the Prado scene. I have had an 80 series for the last 8 years. I have recently bought a 120 series 4.0L and had a weekend on Stockton of fun in the sand. On a trip to get some ice I found I couldnt get it out of Low range. I kept trying to get it out over the next couple of days but it wouldnt budge. I used to own a frontierer and after a week on Fraser Island found gears were hard to change and in the end it was a build up of sand in the top of the gearbox which sorted itself after a good wash.
Anyway when we left stockton I tried all the old tricks. Reversing for ages, loading the gears and trying to pop it out etc. In the end I had to man handle out and keep moving it till it popped back in Hi 2. When we got home I give it a good wash and it has freed up again.
Im just wondering if this is a known fault and if there are any fixes for this. Thanks

[timmay5.7 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close timmay5.7]

Hi 2?
I'd think being stuck in low range is a blessing - means you haven't done enough 4x4ing yet.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Same day same problem here http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...select-HL-or-H

Cheers Andrew

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

Did u put it in neutral, it normally come straight out when in neutral.

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

So when you say "man handle" , how hard are you pressing it?

[Barra1978 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Barra1978]

Gday guys. Yep I put it in neutral and no go. And by man handle I mean 2 hands pulling back. And I come in at 110kg so no featherweight either.

[Barra1978 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Barra1978]

I only had to man handle it out of Low 4. Once in neutral I just wiggled it back and forth till it popped into High4 then H2. Since then the thorough wash has seemed to have cleared it up as its going in and out of all gears fine. Thats why I thought it may have been a build up of sand. It will be good to see the outcome of yours fourbyphil. But I fear I may have to keep a close eye on it in the future

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

Thanks for the reply barra, I have now pulled apart the case and could see that the selector fork is getting jammed , but don't really have the right tools to do such a job, so I took it down to the local bloke here in town, he reckons he'll have it done by this Arvo. Just a comment for you. The selector is in a sealed unit under the interior of the car, so if you washed it and was better , maybe you have a leak in the boot under the floor pan. I can take some photos while it's apart if ya
Ike so you can see what I mean
Cheers
Phil

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

If you onlys man handled it out of 4L it sounds like it was just binding! They can bind pretty badly if the backlash is not set correctly in your diffs.

[Barra1978 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Barra1978]

Thanks for the reply barra, I have now pulled apart the case and could see that the selector fork is getting jammed , but don't really have the right tools to do such a job, so I took it down to the local bloke here in town, he reckons he'll have it done by this Arvo. Just a comment for you. The selector is in a sealed unit under the interior of the car, so if you washed it and was better , maybe you have a leak in the boot under the floor pan. I can take some photos while it's apart if ya
Ike so you can see what I mean
Cheers
Phil

That woulkd be fantastic if you could Phil. I was wonderin what was under the floor pan if anything.
Thanks Clinton

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

Hi Clinton,
So I got the transfer back today, the Mechanic said he had found one of the baulk rings was jammed up by a clip that had become dislodged. The clip was put back in its rightful place. He couldn't test it as I had only dropped down the main body of the transfer case to him. I will reassemble the rest of the case this morning and test it. Will take photos of it all apart so you can see what I mean
Cheers
Phil

[Barra1978 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Barra1978]

Ahh righto. Like I said will have to keep an eye on mine. Take it for another test run. Maybe do some mud tracks next time and see what happens there. Thanks for all the info so far.
Clinton

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

Well this is turning into quite the shit fight! After reassembling it I have realized that it is still not fixed, the local mechanic told me he is not interested in fixing it and that I should take it elsewhere, #%ĄCK!
So have called a couple of places in Canberra ( transmission specialists), they are telling me it's gunna be a couple of weeks before they can even look at it, bugger!
So looks like it will be a couple of weeks before I can put it back in the car and take some photos for you, sorry mate
Cheers
Phil

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

Hi Clinton,
Had a chance to take a couple of photos for you.
1. This where the shift selector goes into the housing
2. what the inside of your car looks like when you pull all the trims out to get to it!
3. the selector marries up with these 2 shift locators

Cheers
Phil

[fourbyphil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fourbyphil]

So after not looking forward to the idea of not having my car for a month i decided to pull the transfer case apart completely and see what i could find.
I discovered the 2 springs that hold the "shifting keys " in place had come loose and lodged themselves in and around the syncro gear. The syncro itself had sustained a little bit of damage and the springs were stuffed. Everything else looked pretty good. I have ordered the parts that need replacing and also a few oil seals that needed replacing. Looks like the whole thing will cost under $200.