Liberty down after flat tow

[Masterbrewer]

After getting home from flat towing my Liberty with the transfer case in neutral it won’t move in any gear (auto trans) or any transfer case position. I was wondering if the problem is with the transmission or the transfer case. My question is can the transfer case break so that you have no output to the rear driveshaft. Just curious before I tear into it.

 

[KJowner]

Check the linkage, you may be stuck in neutral.

 

[Masterbrewer]

When shifting the T-case it feels like it’s connected but I will definitely check it out to be sure, thanks.

 

[Ksat]

Does it matter what gear the transmission is in when when towing like that?

 

[Masterbrewer]

Your transfer case has to have a neutral. The NP242 has neutral. I’m not sure if the NP 231 does. When the T-case is in neutral the wheels turn, the gears in both diffs turn as do the drive shafts and some parts in the T-case but it stops there. No motion is passed on to the transmission, so I don’t think it maters what gear the transmission is in.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Does it matter what gear the transmission is in when when towing like that?

Yes it does, it needs to be in P.

 

[Ksat]

The NP242 has neutral. I’m not sure if the NP 231 does.

NP242 (Selec Trac) has neutral- and all selections that NP231 (Command-Trac) has for that matter- and adds a full-time option to the mix.

 

[JibeHo22]

I flat tow a '05 Liberty Sport with 42RLE transmission.
I think it has the (Command-Trac) NV241 xfer case, but not certain of that.

When towing, I have the following:

- transfer case in Neutral

- transmission in Park

- ignition switch in the OFF UNLOCKED position

Have not encountered the problem you describe.

Which gear was your transmission in when flat towing?

 

[Masterbrewer]

My T-case was in neutral and my transmission was in neutral also. When I got home I put the T-case in 2 wheel drive and my transmission in park. I started the car and put it in drive. I had no movement at all I tried all T-case positions and all transmission positions too. It would not move at all. I checked the T-case and the linkage is connected and shifting properly. My first move I guess is to tear into the T-case to see if their are any problems there.

 

[Ksat]

If the input shaft to the transfer case is not moving, you'll be wasting your time tearing into the case. Crawl under there and see if the input shaft is spinning when trans is in gear and a helper hits the gas. Lift all wheels off the ground, obviously, in case it decides to start working again,

 

[JeepJeepster]

Flat towing with the trans in N risks destroying the transmission. Even through the tcase is in N, the tcase can still turn the output shaft on the trans and since the oil pump is not being turned in the trans, there is no oil flow within the trans.