Okay so I have an issue with my transfer case.
There have been some posts about similar issues in this thread
http://www.newtriton.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=3300&hilit=low+range#p48275 although the original poster was on about something different.
I posted in the above thread that when i was in Coffs I had the Triton drop out of 4 low while using engine braking on a hill descent. I've since been able to duplicate the problem repeatedly. Obviously it will be a warranty job but before I drag it back to MMAL I thought I might see if the collective wisdom has any ideas.
So, MN, 5 speed auto. 33,000 or so on the clock. Hasn't done too much hard work offroad in its life. Now twin locked (air lockers) but had this problem beforehand so not locker related.
To replicate the problem all I have to do is find a decent hill, select low range (4LLC) use the sportshift to select 1st gear (it has never done it in any other gear or in drive) and begin descending a hill. If I use the brakes so that I'm not solely relying on the engine for braking it doesn't happen. Once I take my foot off the brake and it gets a little speed (less than 15k an hour, quite slow but haven't watched to check the speed) I get this huge thumping noise and then one of two things happens.
In most cases the transfer lever literally pops out of position and goes into neutral between 4HLC and 4LLC. No more engine braking and no more forward drive. Not a good thing when on a steep incline. All the 4wd lights go out.
On some occasions recently I get the thump, shit myself, and then realise it hasn't actually popped out.
At Coffs I was asked if I might have bumped it with my knee. I was confident I hadn't but have been watching now to be sure. I had another driver give it a go and I'm confident he didn't hit the lever/stick either. Same result though.
Only happens on the downhill. Right as rain when on the flat or going hard uphill.
Now I have some more symptoms but I don't know if they're related. I fear they are. It's been raining in Sydney this week. 3 times now I've gone to change to 4H on the fly and had the stick go straight through to 4HLC
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
I'm sure you're supposed to press the knob in to access 4HLC but here it was flying straight through. The last time it happened it wouldn't come back out to 4H. The lever was jammed much as Kitty described in her thread about being stuck in 4H. I wrenched it out. Stuck it in neutral and tried again and got it jammed in 4HLC again
![Embarrassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
Idiot. I managed to yank it out again but not without difficulty.
So I'm thinking that whatever gates or whatever it is that are supposed to sit between these gears aren't operating in my case. Or the release that is activated when you depress the knob is stuck activated so that I can throw into 4HLC and so it can pop back out of 4LLC. But I concede I basically have no clue.
I'm keen to try and work it out because I am fairly confident the dealer will look at me all perplexed and then when I pick it up they'll tell me they couldn't replicate the problem. At least if I have an idea what the issue might be they might not try to bullshit me. Maybe.
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)