Topic: crawl box shifting problems

[weakyota91]

ive dual cased my 3.0 truck using a donor box from a 82 top shift. i get fluid in and put shifters on the rear case and crawl box. i cant get the crawl box out of my 2:28s (low). it seems the shift rod is hitting the transmission but assuming both shift rods out of my 82 donor case are the same length i measure my shift rod and it isnt even going into the 3.0 plate yet so no way it cant be hitting the tranny yet. i have not got teh driveline back from the shop yet so i cant drive it to see if its stuck in low gear but im only getting 2 clicks out of ot. thte crawl box should have 3 .... low neutral and dis-engaged or hi correct? Im hoping i dont need the shorter shiftrail because of my newer tranny i would think the 1/2 inch 3.0 plate would make that difference up. anyone know the difference in shift rod lengths between the longer  earlier 80,s g series and the later 80s that were behind a w56?

[Burl]

I used a crawl box topshift conversion kit for the same application you are describing, and I have no problems shifting all three positions in the crawl box.  The donor case I used was out of an 83 and I am using an early 90's R150 with the V6 to RF1A adapter plate.  I also converted the rear case to top shift as well.

[weakyota91 [OP]]

my rear case is top shift my crawl box is top shift and always has been i didnt convert it and my chain driven v6 case i took out was also top shift, everything shifted fine before i put it in the truck i had 3 different ratios. i dont remember wether or not it clicked twice or only once. but the only thing ive done different from when it shifted fine was put the skid plate on and bolt it to my tranny. rear case shifts fine with twin sticks the 4.7 shifter shifts between engage, neutral and dis-engaged, im just confused as to why the crawl box is shifting this way, i wanna get the drivelines in and see if drive it forward a few inches and see if something is bound up or not.

[Burl]

Is there proper clearance on the floor board, maybe the stick is being blocked?  Before driving maybe once you get the dlines in jack it up and try spinning the wheels by hand before applying too much torque.

[weakyota91 [OP]]

no the floor board isnt blocking shifter i thought that to but i can fit 2 fingers between the floor and shifter. i will definetly try to roll the tires by hand being careful before i drive it. it acts 100 percent like the shift rail is hitting a wall but according to my measurements the end of the shift rail isnt even coming out of the hole in the crawl box let alone the 1/2 inch more for the 3.0 adapter to tranny.

[OOPS]

Any updates on this?

[weakyota91 [OP]]

yep update not good. i got drivelines, in tried rolling tires by hand to free crawl box still nothing, set truck on ground rolled forward down my driveway and then had no reverse, my crawl box was stuck half way in neutral and 2 hi i think. fiddled with it got it freed and it clicked twice like it should everything seemed good, drove good. i went to test the cases out off road. driving about 45 mph down the road (total of maybe 15 miles since i got everything complete) my rear tires just completly locked up as if my e-brake was pulled, i skided probly 50 feet till it came to a  stop on the side of the road. great i thought i had just burned up my case somehow i thought. took the rear driveline out on the side of the road locked in front hubs and 4hi had nothing, 4low 2:28s worked perfect i didnt want to engege 4.7s for fear of to much tourque breaking something not knowing what was wrong yet. i drove home about 3 miles in 4 low 4th gear tore the cases out i knew the problem had to be in the crawl box. got the cases on the ground and tore the crawl box off the adapter, sure enough i didnt put the snap ring on the end of the input shaft of the crawl box wich allowed the 23 spline input gear to slip into the crawl box about 1/8th of a inch and spin against the 2 hi gear until it got so hot that the coupler that goes thru the adapter basically welded to the 2 hi gear and fryed the bearing wich is why everything stopped spinning. so i pressed the 2 hi gear from the coupler tonight and thats when the bearings just fell into my hand and the synchro things were just all messed up. the coupler is messed up to from the bearings turning to mangled metal. i tore down another donor case i got from my buddy and got the 2 hi gear off the mainshaft and the pocket bearing that i also turned purple becase it got to hot.  i also dont trust the upper bearings that are in the adapter that the coupler runs thru, those have some dark spots and mild restance. i will call marlin and order a new 23 spline coupler and bearing to go inside the adapter just to be safe. all this crap because i forgot a snap ring. well its my 1st time doing anything with transfer cases  and if this is all that hapened i consider myself lucky

[Burl]

 :hammerhead:that sucks

[weakyota91 [OP]]

ya very much i guess you learn from your mistakes and im glad it want way worse and now i wont have any doubt its put together correct the 2nd time. ifs thats all i forgot my 1st time ever seeing the inside ofa transfercase and just using instruction online off forums to put it together in a way im ok with that i guess