BW 1356M Problem - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

Rockcrusher · 04-22-2007, 04:19 PM

Here's the deal . . . Xfer case shifter appears to be in either the 2H or N position but the case is locked in Low. I can feel 2 xfer case detents when I move the shifter forward and back but no gear change. Linkage appears to be in place.

I'm no 1356 expert but it seems to me that maybe a shift fork came unglued from the shift rod.

Anyone experience a similar problem? Ideas?

svt150j49 · 04-22-2007, 10:33 PM

i had the exact same problem about a year ago... would come in and out of 2 and 4, but was stuck in low... i split the case to find where the shifter fork wears on the case it had worn too far, making the fork lay sideways in the case... the only way to tell is to split it and find out. i fixed mine with a couple minutes with a die grinder, and a washer. works great now...

Ak_F250 · 04-23-2007, 01:59 AM

Mine did this when the bushings on the gated rail that guide the shift forks in the case wore out. It allowed the rail to pop off the pins on the forks instead of moving them.

Roughshod · 04-23-2007, 02:15 PM

It sounds like your shift forks are screwed. Fortunately, the 1356 is pretty simple to rebuild. Never having done it before and not even having a manual it only took me a couple of hours start to finish to do mine. While you're in there you definitely need to replace the oil pump and it's anti-rotation bracket. You'll also want to inspect the channels on the interior of the case that the oil pump bracket engages. Those channels have a habit of getting worn out and allowing the oil pump to rotate on it's shaft and break. I bought a rebuild kit off of ebay that had all the seals, gaskets, oil pump, shift forks, etc. that was needed and it was a pretty good price too, $110 IIRC. The only tools I needed other than just normal hand tools were some big torx bits for the case bolts, a gear puller for removing the plastic speedo gear, and a very heavy duty set of snap-ring pliars for the many, many snap rings in there. I mangled a set of Harbor Freight snap ring pliars, I ended up going out to buy a set of Channel Lock brand ones that worked quite well.

svt150j49 · 04-23-2007, 11:36 PM

maybe thats why mine makes noise now...

i removed and rebuilt mine from 12 AM to 3 AM the night before a carshow/burnoff/rockcrawl... still havent fixed it correctly. Im hoping it snaps in half so i have an excuse to put in my low milage one in out of my bronco...

if and when you do rebuild it, take some pics and post them... id like to see what yours looks like.

04-22-2007, 04:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
Rockcrusher Registered User Join Date: Jul 2000 Member # 1372 Location: Just east of Tahoe Posts: 1,514	BW 1356M Problem Here's the deal . . . Xfer case shifter appears to be in either the 2H or N position but the case is locked in Low. I can feel 2 xfer case detents when I move the shifter forward and back but no gear change. Linkage appears to be in place. I'm no 1356 expert but it seems to me that maybe a shift fork came unglued from the shift rod. Anyone experience a similar problem? Ideas? __________________ Rockcrusher I've already been to hell . . . Anything more is a minor inconvenience!!

04-22-2007, 10:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
svt150j49 Damn you chuckie... Join Date: Jan 2007 Member # 85316 Location: Redding Posts: 2,937	i had the exact same problem about a year ago... would come in and out of 2 and 4, but was stuck in low... i split the case to find where the shifter fork wears on the case it had worn too far, making the fork lay sideways in the case... the only way to tell is to split it and find out. i fixed mine with a couple minutes with a die grinder, and a washer. works great now... __________________ 1996 F150 - Supercharged 5.8L, E4OD, Vortech S-trim, PSD Intercooler, 15 psi , 1356, Dana 60, 10.25, 5.13 gears, welded rear diff, 14" Air/Coilovers. Check it out: Build thread: Here The un-named buggy - 2.3L, lotsa tube, and FJ80s.

04-23-2007, 11:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
svt150j49 Damn you chuckie... Join Date: Jan 2007 Member # 85316 Location: Redding Posts: 2,937	maybe thats why mine makes noise now... i removed and rebuilt mine from 12 AM to 3 AM the night before a carshow/burnoff/rockcrawl... still havent fixed it correctly. Im hoping it snaps in half so i have an excuse to put in my low milage one in out of my bronco... if and when you do rebuild it, take some pics and post them... id like to see what yours looks like. __________________ 1996 F150 - Supercharged 5.8L, E4OD, Vortech S-trim, PSD Intercooler, 15 psi , 1356, Dana 60, 10.25, 5.13 gears, welded rear diff, 14" Air/Coilovers. Check it out: Build thread: Here The un-named buggy - 2.3L, lotsa tube, and FJ80s.

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04-23-2007, 02:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
Roughshod Wheeler Join Date: Jun 2005 Member # 48513 Posts: 242	It sounds like your shift forks are screwed. Fortunately, the 1356 is pretty simple to rebuild. Never having done it before and not even having a manual it only took me a couple of hours start to finish to do mine. While you're in there you definitely need to replace the oil pump and it's anti-rotation bracket. You'll also want to inspect the channels on the interior of the case that the oil pump bracket engages. Those channels have a habit of getting worn out and allowing the oil pump to rotate on it's shaft and break. I bought a rebuild kit off of ebay that had all the seals, gaskets, oil pump, shift forks, etc. that was needed and it was a pretty good price too, $110 IIRC. The only tools I needed other than just normal hand tools were some big torx bits for the case bolts, a gear puller for removing the plastic speedo gear, and a very heavy duty set of snap-ring pliars for the many, many snap rings in there. I mangled a set of Harbor Freight snap ring pliars, I ended up going out to buy a set of Channel Lock brand ones that worked quite well.