Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) 241LD transfer case/driveline slack?

[98rammer]

while working on the truck this morning, i turned the rear drive shaft. it seemed like it had way too much slack in it, and i could hear the chain moving. i have had a whine for a long time too, which i used to think was the rear end... don't think so now. 4wd and everything works fine. is there any sort of adjustment or what has worn/broken?

 

[STripp]

mine does the same thing with about 205,000 miles on the odometer. I have researched this for quite some time and basically, you have to replace the chain. There is no way to adjust it. there are a few places you can get parts, just do a search on transfer case problems and it should turn up lots of hits. Mine hasn't gotten any worse, so I am just going to run it for awhile. To make a long story short, I think it is normal for that many miles.

 

[FATCAT]

The chain in the transfer case has streched, along with other componants loosening up ... same thing has happened to mine. Only thing that can be done is replace the chains.



You gotta figure that a 1/64" slop here, 1/64" strech there, and by the time you get all the way through the driveline to the transfercase, you have 1/2"+ play over time.

 

[98rammer]

is replacing the chain relatively simple? pull the transfer case out, open it up, and replace? yeah, there's probably about 35* worth of rotation. this is on the rear driveshaft mind you, not the front. rear end may need to be rebuilt too. when the whine started happening a long time ago, i changed the rear end fluid --it looked like cake



yuck, i hate spending any more money on the this thing

 

[Todd G]

The chain only works on the front driveshaft. If you've got that much slack on the rear driveshaft, you've got other problems... ... ... .

 

[98rammer]

The chain only works on the front driveshaft. If you've got that much slack on the rear driveshaft, you've got other problems... ... ... .

that's what i figured... . just the fact that i could now hear the chain when i couldn't thousands of miles ago.



trying to get a different truck NOW.