Transfer case bang seemed to turn into a grinding noise?

1999 FORD EXPLORER
229,500 MILES • 4.0L • 6 CYL • 4WD • AUTOMATIC
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MBERRY0614
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
It started making this obnoxious banging sound from somewhere underneath the vehicle. I was thinking the rear end, but I pulled the rear diff cover off, and there was some pitting on the spider gears, but no broken teeth, metal shavings, etc. I pulled the front driveshaft, and the noise was still present. The only time the noise seemed to go away was when I had the rear wheels lifted off the ground. I only drove it a short distance, and the bang seemed to turn into a grinding noise. Well eventually I heard a pop, and now the truck won't move in gear. It will shift through all the gears, but it just revs up like it's in neutral. When you shift it into park, there is a horrible grinding noise, and the vehicle doesn't want to hold in park. There is a Rattle coming from the transfer case. It sounds like change in a coffee can. I'm assuming something broke internally. I don't know what else could have happened. Thanks for the input.
Feb 24, 2023 at 2:11 PM
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STRAILER
  • Experienced Mechanic
  • 55,256 POSTS
Can you please shoot a quick video with your phone so I can hear the noise? That way I can tell for sure what's going on. You can upload it here with your response. But the fact that the car makes noise while going into park is telling me the driveline is broken and not holding the transmission output still when the car is not moving. I would have a helper watch the drive shaft when the car is stopped, and you have put the transmission in gear. If the drive shaft spins the read end is to blame which will be a broken axle shaft or ring and pinion failure. If the driveshaft doesn't spin, then the transfer case has failed internally. Please let me know what you find so I can help you fix it.
Feb 25, 2023 at 4:31 AM
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