Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

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Topic author
NorthGaAire
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 6:30 am

Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

Post by NorthGaAire »

Looking for technical support:

So my Dana 20 transfer case shifter has no tension on it and will only flop back and forth from 2H to 4H
It will not move the shift rods to actually shift the Tcase into 4WD.
It will also not move to the R to get to N or 4L.

I can get under it and move the shift rods to get it into 4WD, so I know the shift rods and Tcase are operational.

I have reviewed the TSM and taken the cover off the bottom of the shift lever control case. Is this where the problem is? Do I need to drop the Tcase and go through the shift lever control case internals to find the culprit??

Thanks.
NorthGaAire
1978 Cherokee 4dr, 360v8, T18 4spd, Twin stick Dana 20, SOA conversion (7" lift), trac lock rear axle, 3.54 axle ratio, 33"x10.5"-15 Toyo MT's on factory steel wheels, Cliff hanger front bumper, Evil Twin rear bumper with swing out spare.
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Stuka
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Re: Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

Post by Stuka »

Is the bottom end of the shifter connected to anything? If it flops like that, it sounds like the bottom side had a pin or the like break.

The control box can be removed from the t-case without pulling the t-case itself.
2017 JKU Rubicon
Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
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timwiller
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Location: Fordland MO, near Springfield

Re: Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

Post by timwiller »

twin stick it dude! it's shot!
1966 J-3600 Gladiator. 304, T-18-D20 [twin stick] ,D44-D53, magniflow exhaust
Your 50 year old FSJ IS your hobby!! :lol: :lol:
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tgreese
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Re: Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

Post by tgreese »

Many go twin stick. These shifters seem to wear out pretty badly. That said, if you want to keep yours, disassembly cleaning and lube helps them a lot. And there should be plenty of used units around if you need parts. Like Stuka writes, if it just flops around, something is broken in the linkage or in the control case.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.

kaiserjeeps
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Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 8:47 pm

Re: Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

Post by kaiserjeeps »

There is a spring and a curved spring steel piece that keeps the rattle's at bay. I bet you broke the spring. The spring steel part never breaks. I have purchased the springs on ebay and fixed loose shifters to like new. Take the shifter out and do it on the bench.

Here,

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Spring-Shift-C ... 1438.l2649
69 1414X wag
69 CJ-5
64 CJ-5
70 J3000 71 J4000
70 wag
83 FJ60
Other stuff

Topic author
NorthGaAire
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 6:30 am

Re: Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

Post by NorthGaAire »

So I did twin stick it with the kit front BJ's. It is very nice hardware.

It also looks like the T-case might have an issue.

The Rear axle shifter works correctly.
The Front axle shifter will go in to Low, but not to High.

Now it is on to the next level of the puzzle.
1978 Cherokee 4dr, 360v8, T18 4spd, Twin stick Dana 20, SOA conversion (7" lift), trac lock rear axle, 3.54 axle ratio, 33"x10.5"-15 Toyo MT's on factory steel wheels, Cliff hanger front bumper, Evil Twin rear bumper with swing out spare.
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timwiller
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Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 5:49 pm
Location: Fordland MO, near Springfield

Re: Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

Post by timwiller »

interlock pills ?? see NOVAK and search dana 20 interlock pills. they restrict engagement choices. I should have mentioned it. my bad!
1966 J-3600 Gladiator. 304, T-18-D20 [twin stick] ,D44-D53, magniflow exhaust
Your 50 year old FSJ IS your hobby!! :lol: :lol:
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tgreese
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Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:31 am
Location: Medford MA USA

Re: Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

Post by tgreese »

The interlock pills should prevent one axle high and the other low. If you take them out, don't do that and break something. Try both neutral, then shift rear into high, then front. They should also prevent front only as I recall - not allowed by the factory. I know the CJs allow rear 2WD low so I presume ours should too.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.

Topic author
NorthGaAire
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 6:30 am

Re: Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

Post by NorthGaAire »

So the front axle shifter does move to 4H - but it only moves about 1/2". -- feels like it can pop out of 4H very easily.
J&B paper work says the linkage is "binding" if it feels like it could pop out.

BTW - the rear shifter will move to 4L and move the vehicle with the front shifter in N.

I can watch the front drive shaft through the shifter cutout on the tunnel and see that it actually is engaging the front in the H position.

It looks like the shifter likage rod needs to be lengthened to make the Tcase shift more positively.

Getting close. Will disconnect linkage tonight and spin the connector to make it longer on Front shifter.
1978 Cherokee 4dr, 360v8, T18 4spd, Twin stick Dana 20, SOA conversion (7" lift), trac lock rear axle, 3.54 axle ratio, 33"x10.5"-15 Toyo MT's on factory steel wheels, Cliff hanger front bumper, Evil Twin rear bumper with swing out spare.

Topic author
NorthGaAire
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 6:30 am

Re: Dana 20 Floppy shifter -- Help....

Post by NorthGaAire »

So it looks like the front axle shifter only moves 7/16" to the High position from N and 3/4" to the Low position from Neutral.

I adjusted the front axle shifter to be longer (hoping to make the shift into front High feel more positive) to no real improvement.

Any one else experience this with a Twin stick shifter?

I found the following in my online research of the Dana 20 single stick shifter and details:
Image

and this graphic of how the old shifter works the shift rods to the t-case:
Image
1978 Cherokee 4dr, 360v8, T18 4spd, Twin stick Dana 20, SOA conversion (7" lift), trac lock rear axle, 3.54 axle ratio, 33"x10.5"-15 Toyo MT's on factory steel wheels, Cliff hanger front bumper, Evil Twin rear bumper with swing out spare.
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