Jeep JK Transfer Case Shift Linkage Bushings

JamesWyatt

Member
I've wondered about the plastic connector on the transfer case shifter that people report breaks and can leave you stuck in 4L. Do you that that's engineered to keep you from forcing the lever and breaking something more expensive? It always struck me as odd that they would intentionally use a plastic part unless it was designed to break when forced.

NOTE: This post was moved out of the following thread
http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?...ade-8-Replacement-Bolts-Do-I-Really-Need-Them
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
My laziness pays off yet again.

I've also wondered about the plastic connector on the transfer case shifter that people report breaks and can leave you stuck in 4L. Do you that that's engineered to keep you from forcing the lever and breaking something more expensive? It always struck me as odd that they would intentionally use a plastic part unless it was designed to break when forced.

It's probably made for something like that. Certainly, in the 7 years I've owned my 2007 JK, I've never had one of these break on me. Same is true of all 4 JK's that I've owned or still own. Of course, I always carry spares with me just in case :crazyeyes:

If you really want to address your shifter with something better, look at the Advanced Adapter shifter. It's pricey but well worth the money.
 

JamesWyatt

Member
It's probably made for something like that. Certainly, in the 7 years I've owned my 2007 JK, I've never had one of these break on me. Same is true of all 4 JK's that I've owned or still own. Of course, I always carry spares with me just in case :crazyeyes:

If you really want to address your shifter with something better, look at the Advanced Adapter shifter. It's pricey but well worth the money.

Thanks for the advice. If you haven't broken one in 7 years, I probably won't in a lifetime.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for the advice. If you haven't broken one in 7 years, I probably won't in a lifetime.

Again, that's not a single break in 7 years on ANY of my 4 JK's that I've owned. But again, I do carry spare bushings just in case :D
 

JamesWyatt

Member
Again, that's not a single break in 7 years on ANY of my 4 JK's that I've owned. But again, I do carry spare bushings just in case :D

I've been putting off buying some spares, but I will - especially considering my luck with all things mechanical.
 

JKbrick

Active Member
Thanks for the advice. If you haven't broken one in 7 years, I probably won't in a lifetime.

As cheap as they are pick up a couple and put them in the glovebox. Mine broke backing in my garage and all I had been doing was driving down the road in the snow, hadn't even wheeled it yet at the time
 

JamesWyatt

Member
As cheap as they are pick up a couple and put them in the glovebox. Mine broke backing in my garage and all I had been doing was driving down the road in the snow, hadn't even wheeled it yet at the time

Yeah, see anything that involves a bit of bad luck has my name written all over it. Of course once I buy the spares I will have effectively warded off the evil Jeep spirits.
 

jmatta33

New member
My laziness pays off yet again.

I've also wondered about the plastic connector on the transfer case shifter that people report breaks and can leave you stuck in 4L. Do you that that's engineered to keep you from forcing the lever and breaking something more expensive? It always struck me as odd that they would intentionally use a plastic part unless it was designed to break when forced.

Are you referreing to the plastic piece that attaches the shifter to the cable? If so i had one break on me randomly. i was about to take the Jeep out on the beach and was doing some pre departure checks when I grabbed the 4wd shifter and it was completely loose! took off the center console and figured out the problem which was an easy fix, but I bought 2-3 of those little things just in case. honestly now that i think about it, it may not have broken but instead rattled off. not sure if thats the part your working about, but im sure what happened to me was a very rare case otherwise they would change the design. I cant think of anyone I know that this has happened to either.


RLTW!!!
 

JamesWyatt

Member
Are you referreing to the plastic piece that attaches the shifter to the cable? If so i had one break on me randomly. i was about to take the Jeep out on the beach and was doing some pre departure checks when I grabbed the 4wd shifter and it was completely loose! took off the center console and figured out the problem which was an easy fix, but I bought 2-3 of those little things just in case. honestly now that i think about it, it may not have broken but instead rattled off. not sure if thats the part your working about, but im sure what happened to me was a very rare case otherwise they would change the design. I cant think of anyone I know that this has happened to either.


RLTW!!!

Yup, that's the part. Thanks for the heads-up.
 

MR.Ty

Token East Coast Guy
To echo what other have said, I had one break on my 09 with the transfer case in Neutral. Lucky the guy I was out with had a spare or else I would have been stranded. I will say that it probably broke because I didn't know what I was doing and I was not using the transfer case properly. (Forcing it with the gears or whatever not properly alligned). I now carry spares just incase.
 

GCM 2

New member
I have broken a few over 5 years, alway have two or three along in my tool kit when offroad.

Here is the transfer case linkage bushing part number- 68064273AA
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I have broken a few over 5 years, alway have two or three along in my tool kit when offroad.

Here is the transfer case linkage bushing part number- 68064273AA

:cheesy: When yours break, they break in epic fashion! :D
 

Clark Collins

New member
It's probably made for something like that. Certainly, in the 7 years I've owned my 2007 JK, I've never had one of these break on me. Same is true of all 4 JK's that I've owned or still own. Of course, I always carry spares with me just in case :crazyeyes:

If you really want to address your shifter with something better, look at the Advanced Adapter shifter. It's pricey but well worth the money.
I've never broken mine on my 2010 JKU and I tried the brass bushing recommended on another JK forum and it didn't fit. I purchased spares just in case and cut a hole in the console (while I had it out) so if the part does fail I can get to it without having to remove the console. Anyone concerned about this problem can use my attached photo as a guide and carefully cut a hole in their console and make a cover similar to mine. Removing that console is not something you would want to have to do on the trail in the dark.

DSCF1851 (800x450).jpg

Eddie: If you like this fix you have my permission to post it in the "write-ups". I probably should have done a step by step write up, but didn't.
 

07JKSahara

New member
The window is a good idea. I did it in the dark, no fun... But, once I had the console off it was s great chance to clean things that had been in there for 7 years!
 

dannymalkin

New member
This just happened to me today 😭 I ran the trails in 2hi because I didn't want to hold up the group while I figured out how to manually shift it from underneath
 
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