Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) transfer case noise not solved

[Piersol]

I'm green with envy of you guys who installed the mitsubishi spring to solve your transfer case noise. I have done that repair along with the earplug under the shift knob and the hose over the shifter and the noise is no better than when I started. I'm beginning to think that is not my noise at all. In most posts I hear it sounds like a buzz. Mine sounds more like a rattle or ,as I have said before, a screwdriver resting on a turning metal shaft. It's loudest under load or just shifting into OD. I told myself I will keep the truck untill 200,000 miles. I guess I will have to live with it for another 82,000 miles.

 

[JWalsh]

If the noise goes away when you put it in four wheel drive and is only there in two wheel drive under load, most likely the snap ring on the output shaft is broken. This allows the output shaft to move forward and your grinding gears in the transfer case, not good. I have had it happen twice. The original snap ring is too hard being brittle and it breaks when the drive shaft moves forward. The second time I replaced it I used the the style with the eyelet holes the ends for snap ring pliers. This style is not as brittle. There is an after market fix which I plan on installing the next time I remove the transfer case. I got it from the following http://gillysproducts.com/gillys.html. If this is your problem, it's and easy fix. You need to drop the drive shaft and remove the cove over the output shat of your transfer case, four bolts. After that you can install a new snap ring or the fix. That is if there no damage to the gears from using it the way it is.