I've got a 3" 4Crawler BL on my 85 4Runner with an automatic tranny. It seems no matter where or how I adjust this thing, it still pops out of gear alot.
It pops out of reverse the most (but with the most recent adjustment, in "D" too) and only while wheeling in 4Lo.
It happens when it is needed the most, like when torque is applied and I'm trying to get out or around an obstacle.
In 2wd there have not been any issues with it popping out.
I am considering taking off the linkage and elongating the hole for the adjustment bolt, but there is not much material left, so that will only give me so much.
Is there something I am missing here? Does anyone have any suggestions for me?
Thanks for any and all feedback, except switching to a 5spd, which is in the future after the auto fails completely <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.

Tye

You may have some worn out motor or tranny mounts, allowing the drivetrain to move around to much under high torque conditions (like when using 4-LO). Might check the mounts (a jack under the oil pan works well) and maybe add a chain around both motor mounts to limit the movement:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/MotorMount.shtml

See if you can determine what sort of motion is pushing the linkage out of gear.

I have also had few folks who had to modify the A/T brackets a little to work with their particular setups. In most cases they had to cut the main bracket down in height, so that even though they had say a 3" lift, they cut the bracket down to a height more suitable for a 2" lift.

I had a similar problem on my '85 (manual) with 1" body lift. In 4-LO going downhill there was enough body-frame flexing to pop the t-case out of 4-LO.

A drivetrain lift would be another option to minimize the effects of the body lift.

Mine took a while to get right. I ended up shortening the rod. It's nearly perfect now. Reverse is a little off.

when i had my auto tranny in the truck i just extended the likage as much i could. +1 on the tranny mount id check that

One person shortens and one person lengthens, talk about confusing.
I have tried everything except for modifying the linkage and it still does it. I did however find out this weekend that it will not do it in 2wd (prolly not enough torque).
I'm thinking of just removing the factory shifter and console and pulling the linkage with my hand <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
Is there a company out there that makes an aftermarket floor shifter, B&M perhaps??????

Tye

Yes, it is confusing to a degree (and there are at least two types of A/T shifter setups out there as well). I like to think about that there is about 1" of adjustment range in the stock linkage. At stock height, it is somewhere within that 1" range, might be dead center, but might be at one end or the other. So if it were on the upper end of the limit, the brackets might be too tall and push you over the top of the adjusability limit. Likewise if you were at the bottom end of the limit, the brackets may end up too short.

So the key is to figure out "what" is causing it to pop out of gear, as it does sound like in your case it is the body/floor moving relative to the transmission/t-case/frame that is doing it. If you can pull up enough of the console so that you can see what is going on, that may help. With a manual tranny, just removing the rubber boots is enough to see if there is any floor/shifter contact and if so, how to eliminate it.

I have a v6 auto, I had to cut the link a add about 1/2 to it for the body lift, plus chain the motor mounts and trans mount. the drive shaft flang would move up and hit the linkage knocking it out of 4/L into 4/H.
Hope this helps
Steve