i purchased this truck like this and was told that the guy who had it got stuck. Trying to get it out he did something to the transfer case so the transfer case shifter is solid. I disconnected the rod (just one shift rod) from the transfer case and put a wrench on the square stud sticking out from the transfer case. It is solid as can be. I am wondering if I drive it like that for a while if the transfer case might loosen up. It doesn’t make any noise going down the road.
If you continue to drive with the transfer case locked in 4x4 something will likely give and it probably won’t be cheap. If you jack up one side of the truck and attempt to force the shifter to neutral while someone rotates the tires front to back you would more than likely get some relief. If you must drive the truck until it can be shifted remove the front drive shaft.
One of the most common Dodge (or even GM) transfer cases back in 98 was the New Venture NP241 made by New Process Gear…or New Venture Gear…or Magnum Gear (what ever the name was back then). If you drive in 4wd on dry pavement…you may end up destroying your the transfercase…or at the very lease lock it up.
Try this, jack one rear tire off the ground, the grab the tire and rock it back and forth between the stops. After a few of these, see if it will shift. If not, rock the tire a little harder and check again. If you have a limited slip rear differential, then you need to jack up both rear tires.
MikeInNH
If you drive in 4wd on dry pavement…you may end up destroying your the transfercase…or at the very lease lock it up.
Not to mention stress pretty much the entire driveline and tires, and maybe even manage to flip the vehicle.
I believe, because I got it stuck in snow and only the back wheels were spinning, that the transfer case is stuck in 2 high. I have seen those transfer case shifting get very difficult from lack of use?
Uh ya, front tires were not spinning? U must be in 2wd?
It must be in 2wd. Surely it won’t hurt it to drive it that way.