Hi-

I have a 1992 Dakota with the 239, 5-Speed Manual, and a Broken Transfer Case. I bought another case from a local junkyard, and hooked it up...mostly. I have the driveshaft and the electrical connectors hooked up. My problem is with the linkage adjuster.

This piece:


The image doesn't show it, but on mine, by #3, the round bar (#4), spreads flat so I can't remove the old #3 from it. I have that whole assembly dangling next to my new T-Case. I bought the truck with the T-Case literally split in half, so the whole shifter assembly popped out as a whole from the old T-Case.

Any tips on what to do? Right now, I'm locked into 4x4, with the 4x4 Selector Lever serving only for decoration.

Thanks for the Help!

 

Why don't you just unbolt the plate (#5) from the transfercase. Then bolt it back up to the new one.

 

If I unbolt the new #5 from my new transfer case and hook up the entire old assembly, is there anything I need to know about?

I didn't do that for fear of damaging something in the new T-Case. I don't know exactly how this all works, since my old T-Case is sitting in the bed in about 4 pieces.

Do I just take off the nut, and does the bolt itself stay connected?

Thanks for the help!

 

@Crazy4x4RT I'm borrowing a diagram from another of your posts. Hopefully you don't mind.


I'm actually missing the Shift Rod, Shift Rod Adjusting Swivel, and the Swivel Lock Bolt. Do you know the Part Numbers or where I could even find these parts?

I have the manual transmission, but your diagram shows that the only difference is the mounting plate for the shifter. I assume that the three parts I'm missing are universal between the manual and automatic transmissions???

 

I've never attempted to work on my transfer case linkage, but it looks to me like if you unbolt the range lever (#5) it should probably pull away from the shaft that goes into the transfer case (it's a shift shaft.) And then remove the locking bolt from the old linkage and transfer it all over to the new transfer case.

Didn't your replacement transfer case come with all this stuff? If you need it, you're gonna have to go find it in a wrecking yard--probably one that specializes in 4wd. I would suspect that you could get the linkage off a similar year Ram, too. I would also suspect that stuff from an automatic could be made to work on a standard transmission transfer case, but wouldn't necessarily be a walk in the park, looks like the shifter assembly bolts differently to the standard trans.

How does the shift rod adjusting swivel come off of the the shift arm--that's the key to transferring the parts from the old trans to the new one.

 

The adjust swivel is a square block with a shaft sticking out.
That shaft and the end of shift rod are both made like a pseudo ball shape.
Ball and socket idea.
The socket is a piece of hard rubber that fits into a hole on the shift arm and the lever on the transfer case. It looks like a wizard/dunce hat with point cut off ? Not sure how else to describe it.
The arm and swivel just pull out of those with a bit of force.
The rubber socket piece is fragile due to it's age.

EDIT: I got something similar from Dorman for the automatic trans linkage which might be the same size.
It's called "Dorman Pedal And Shift Linkage Bushing Assortment"

On my 1990 auto, the adjusting swivel has channel shaped piece that fits around it and a hole in the swivel itself. The rod fits through both, and another bolt jams channel against the rod to lock it in place.

The rod itself doesn't have a lot of extra length on the '90 automatic.

manual and a500 auto show different part numbers for some of the parts.
Like you say, it should be possible to use different parts, with some effort.

Matador: There's a link to the factory parts manuals in the faq#1 on the main page of this Gen 1 Dakota forum
It has part numbers and drawings for everything. Makes is easier to see what's what.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...e-manuals.html
Trans shifter for the Dakota (called N5 in the parts book) is on pages 717, 718, 719

The little inset on page 719 shows the swivel block aka SWIVEL Lever Rod Clamp

Here's a photo of the '90 auto + NP231 linkage

 

Thanks RobertMc! I didn't realize we had some of the service manuals available here! That would have made the Transfer Case install easier

I was able to track down the Part numbers at our Dodge dealer.

@RobertMc Those two photos are exactly what I'm dealing with. My setup has the rod currently, and will have the Adjuster Swivel soon. The bottom piece shows a yellow part that holds the swivel in. Do you remember how you connected the swivel to the shifter assembly? I have a hunch that mine fell out during the process, but I can't find anything.

Thanks for the Help!

 

The bushing just pushes into the shifter and the swivel pushes into that

As I mentioned, Dorman has that type bushing available.
They have a few different sizes available.
You may need to take the shifter and rod with you to get the right size.
I didn't need to replace my transfer case shift linkage bushing, so I don't know which Dorman part# has the correct size.

Most auto parts stores carry the "Help" or normal Dorman product line.
Search the Dorman site for more details.

 

I've finally tracked down the parts!

One of the parts, though, our dealer doesn't have. Apparently Dodge doesn't make it any more. Naturally it's a part that I need.

I found a place online that has them; HendrickMoparParts.com Does anyone know if they're a reputable seller?

Thanks for the help!

 

HendricksMoparParts.com also has a part listed I'm hunting for.

A quick check of their address on google street view, shows a real Chrysler dealer, in Cary, North Carolina.
http://www.hendrickdodge.com/dealership/directions.htm

But the 888 phone number on the hendricksmoparparts site is different than the one listed on the dealer's official site.

I'd try phone the parts department at the dealer and see if they are really connected with the website. (877) 696-5531