Ok, first and foremost, I haven't yanked the tcase and disassembled it to look yet. I don't have the time before 3 wheeling trips to do it.

I have a 32 spline output shaft with 1350CV flange.

I have a problem with the ouput shaft being "loose". I can grab it by the driveline and move it up and down, left and right maybe 1/32nd of an inch? Just visible movement, not a lot. I also have maybe the same play in/out.

The Tcase is leaking at the rear seal, but no noise indicating a bearing is going out.

any ideas of how bad off it may be on the inside?


If its bad, I might ust get "stupid" and spend the money on an Atlas and never deal with the np231 again.

Originally posted by twaldher
Ok, first and foremost, I haven't yanked the tcase and disassembled it to look yet. I don't have the time before 3 wheeling trips to do it.

I have a 32 spline output shaft with 1350CV flange.

I have a problem with the ouput shaft being "loose". I can grab it by the driveline and move it up and down, left and right maybe 1/32nd of an inch? Just visible movement, not a lot. I also have maybe the same play in/out.

The Tcase is leaking at the rear seal, but no noise indicating a bearing is going out.

any ideas of how bad off it may be on the inside?


If its bad, I might ust get "stupid" and spend the money on an Atlas and never deal with the np231 again.

Does it have a 4:1 kit installed in it? If so I'll take it off your hands and offset a little of that Atlas Cost.

1/32 is loose?? uh oh i better throw out all 3 of my transfer cases and get atlas's if 1/32 is loose! :eek: :eek:

damned hypocondriac's, replace the fawkin seal!

LOL.. no.. just stock gearing.

The fact that it can move in/out a little never bothered me.

Now, when I assembled the Transfer case a year ago with the 32 spline rear output and flange, I thought everything bearing wise was a snug fit. no play up/down or left right. Definately nothing visible. But, now there is. So.. yeah.. I *could* just replace the seal and stop the leak, but.. I'm guessing it will come back. I am a firm believer in fix it once, fix it right. Yeah.. costs me more money, but I haven't been on the receiving end of the strap getting towed home or back to camp.

This is teh same transfer case where the front output is somehow shredding U-joints at the output shaft. I replace the joint, and when I put the joint back in the transfer case yoke, the joint fits snuggly between the two ears. But after only 4-5 wheeling trips there is slop between the caps and the cross. Like the cap is somehow wearing down very quickly. :confused:

I ordered a replacement Yoke for that as a first effort to stop that from happening.

Sounds like a bearing to me. There are only 2 bearings on that shaft. The one in the sun gear and the one under the bolt on cover at the tail end.

You could pop that rear cover off in about 5 minutes to check the bearing and replace the seal at the same time.

If it's the front bearing you'll have to take the entire case down.

Good luck!

remove the 231 and proceed, w/ it, to the nearest trash heep :D

Could the front cardan be getting hosed from too much down travel?

I know I've hosed my slip yoke on the front shaft from the CV binding at extreme droop. Put it on a ramp till the tire on the drivers side is up off the ground and see if the shaft spins freely.

I'm betting thats the problem.

Andy

Its not a CV/Cardan joint on my front shaft. Standard U-joints. But definately something to look at for the dead front U-joint problem. you think I would be deforming the straps it has right now though. (new yokes when they get here are U-bolts)

yeah.. just don't have time to pull the cover, etc. to deal with the rear bearing. Its making zero noise at speed or turning it by hand. But, gut feeling tells me its the bearings on the inside.

Anyone have the part #'s for all the bearings?

IF I have bearings going out already, I'm leaning toward the high $$$ option and stop dealing with these problems. Contrary to popular belief, I have abused the crap out of that 231 case. I can always fix my old tcase, toss it in my GF's rig, and sell hers off to recoup some costs.