4lo won't engage

[Rubitron]

So it's a 93 YJ, 4.0, ax15, 231. It doesn't have a body lift. The t-case lever shifts positively through all four positions. So here's the weirdness, two wheel works fine, four high works fine, neutral works fine, but when I put it in low it won't drive, it just does nothing. If I try long enough and try pulling back at different angles it'll go in sometimes, but letting off the gas or hitting a bump usually knocks it out. I don't think it's a linkage issue (although it could be), because the shifter does seem to positively engage in low range, however there is some play in the shifter while in the four low position.

Somebody told me about a switch in the t-case that, when it goes bad, wont let low range engage. There are two electrical connectors on it, one toward the slip yoke that is a regular plug with a retaining clip. The other is about in the middle of the top, and is like a square rubber slug with a groove on two sides used to line it up correctly on the pins. Does this ring any bells to anybody?

[HillBillE]

YJ, eh? They have the CAD right? (central axle disconnect)

Might be the vacuum isn't getting to the front axle, and locking it in?

Nevermind, just re-read, you get nothing in 4-LO.

Could be the linkage, or more likely, the plastic bushing(s) where the linkage is held to the tub and tranny, one bushing on each side of the rod.

Happened on my '93 ZJ (why I got it so cheap!! he thought lo range was gone!)

I believe the YJ and newer rigs are set up like this, with the linkage running from the tub to the tranny.

Should be easy to spot from underneath.

[Rubitron]

I haven't looked at it yet, long day at work, don't feel like it, but the YJ setup is different. My TJ and XJ both have a handle you grab and it's more of an up/back motion, while the YJ has a knob (looks like a little manual tranny shifter) that uses more of a back motion. Because it "feels" like it engages, I'm thinking it's not so much the linkage, but this mysterious switch thing. I took the t-case completely off a few weeks ago (removed for something else, problem was there before so it's not something I did...), and the linkage looked like a bar going straight up, a bar going forward, and a bar coming down through the tub (shifter). I didn't notice any bushings but that wasn't what I was down there for so I wasn't paying attention.

Yes, it does have the axle disconnect (for now...) and it does work. Even if it didn't I would still have 2 lo.

I've tried searching for the switch thing, but no success. I'd like to find out if it exists, I'd never heard of it, but my buddy said he read something about it online and apparently when it goes out you can't use low range, and once one goes out replacements wont last long. Sounds crappy. I need to find a 241 laying on the side of the road or something... Anyone around Bragg know about a wrecked Rubicon?

[Apostle]

Try adjusting the shift lever. It may be going back far enough inside the cab, but sounds like its not fully engaging in the tcase. adjust lever, try out and let us know.

try the simple stuff first

[Rubitron]

adjust lever, try out and let us know.

How do I adjust it?

[Apostle]

tcase should have a lever on it that leads up to the shifter. on this assembly should be some way to adjust the bar that moves that lever. your description of the 3 bars, the bar that run horizontal should be able to be adjusted some how.

if you could take a pic of the whole linkage (from under teh rig) could explain it better. cant find a pic on the web at the moment