Clunking Sound When Engaging Transfer Case after Flat Tow Mode

[mre]

I have a 2022 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk that I took delivery in July 2022. I’m leaving on a trip this weekend, so I did a couple of dry run setups disengaging (neutral for towing) and engaging the transfer case (for driving).

I understand the full set up process for flat towing and successfully disengaged and then engaged the transfer case. Disengaging the transfer case is a quiet process, however the engaging the transfer case is not. When I engage there is a loud clunk.

Nothing in the manual about noise, so I went to the dealer. The service guy listened to noise and said it was normal as it is a result of the transfer case gears engaging. However, his voice and body language did not inspire my confidence in his answer. He also told me that if damage occurs as a result, it’s under warranty.

Is this normal?

[wolfgolden]

Maybe if you get back to the dealership you can compare the noise with other new cars on the lot?

[mre]

Originally Posted by wolfgolden

Maybe if you get back to the dealership you can compare the noise with other new cars on the lot?

Good idea, but there is nothing on the lot.

[doc]

I had the same fear when we put our Wrangler into service. Not sure what the sequence is supposed to be on newer Jeep trannys. Now I just go thru the steps of out of neutral into 2 wheel drive before starting the engine. Now my Wrangler has 80K + miles on it, plus thousands of towed miles

[FloridaSon]

As mre and doc mentioned, watch that you are keeping the engine turned off per your owners manual. With the Wrangler, if engine is on, you will hear a horrible noise when trying to reengage.

[mre]

Originally Posted by FloridaSon

As mre and doc mentioned, watch that you are keeping the engine turned off per your owners manual. With the Wrangler, if engine is on, you will hear a horrible noise when trying to reengage.

The owners manual says to leave the Grand Cherokee engine running. This is different than our 2016 Cherokee (not Garand Cherokee) we had where the ignition switch was to be placed in the RUN position without the engine running.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by FloridaSon

As mre and doc mentioned, watch that you are keeping the engine turned off per your owners manual. With the Wrangler, if engine is on, you will hear a horrible noise when trying to reengage.

Well,
Not exactly! After owning, building for all scenarios, and towing 9 different Jeep Wranglers over a 35 year period, there is no real reason that you should acquire a noise when putting the Jeeps transfer case back into gear from neutral, even if the engine is running. The prime reason, if it's an automatic, the trans will be IN PARK. That means there is NO COMPONENTS IN THAT TRANSMISSION that are turning. Since there's no turning parts, then the output shaft of the transmission, is not turning anything INSIDE the transfer case. Therefore, you should NOT hear any clanging or banging noises from the gears in the transfer case.

If the Jeep is a stick (God forbid!) then there is what's called *sympathetic POTENTIAL* gear movement (even in neutral) in the trans but it's not very strong movement, if at all. And even then, with the use of the clutch, any and all *potential* movement of gears would cease. So, even with a stick tranny, you should not hear any clank in the TC when re-engaging from neutral.

Besides, there are often times when YOU WANT some gear movement in that TC to get it back into gear when disconnecting from the coach. There have been many, many times when our TC (from any of our Jeeps) would not want to go into 2H range after a tow. In that case, it may slip into 4L very easily which, is fine with us. If that happens, we simply back the Jeep away from the coach in 4L IN A STRAIGHT LINE and while the Jeep is slowly moving, THEN is when we'd slip it very easily into 2H.
Scott

[mre]

We're doing some traveling for a couple of weeks now and have learned from others that the clunking sound is normal and also occurs on pre 2022 Cherokees.

[DuaneMiller]

Our 2019 GC Overland with the hemi, and my 2022 Ram 1500 with the hemi all clunk when re-engaging the transfer case. The shifting procedure is the same for both vehicles. I'm pretty sure this is just a characteristic for these brands of vehicles...

[markpj23]

same clunk on our 21 Grand Cherokee every time I re-engage the transfer case. No big deal....

[jrs]

Originally Posted by markpj23

same clunk on our 21 Grand Cherokee every time I re-engage the transfer case. No big deal....

2X but mine is a 2018

[the sights]

Originally Posted by mre

I have a 2022 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk that I took delivery in July 2022. I’m leaving on a trip this weekend, so I did a couple of dry run setups disengaging (neutral for towing) and engaging the transfer case (for driving).

I understand the full set up process for flat towing and successfully disengaged and then engaged the transfer case. Disengaging the transfer case is a quiet process, however the engaging the transfer case is not. When I engage there is a loud clunk.

Nothing in the manual about noise, so I went to the dealer. The service guy listened to noise and said it was normal as it is a result of the transfer case gears engaging. However, his voice and body language did not inspire my confidence in his answer. He also told me that if damage occurs as a result, it’s under warranty.

Is this normal?

Boy OH Boy I got the answer for this my 2021 Jeep G/C when started has a high RPM till warm just wait till the RPM's go from 1500 to 500 then engage the transfer case nice and quite TRY IT

[Glenn and Kathy]

I get the same thing on my 2011 Colorado. It's worked for 11 years with no apparent problems.

Glenn