Adjusting the 4WD linkage, How?

[SynthDesign]

I flipped though both the 84 and 85 FSM and neither cover the actual adjustment of the 4WD linkage.
I understand it's just a rod with tie rods that connects the to the trans, but what is proper adjustment?

I get a clunk out of mine, possibly a whole other problem, but I've been playing with the rod length and had mixed results. With the car running, if I push it forward in 2WD, I can hear a different sound coming from the trans. Also after parking or hard braking, if I push the 4WD lever forward in 2WD it clunks. Running or not.


Thoughts?

[Petros]

All the lever does is push a spline sleeve off or onto the rear output shaft. The noise I would guess is the tail shaft housing bearing, when engaged it would be turning with power running through it when you are moving, in FWD it would not have any loads, but would also be turning when the car is moving.

The sleeve likely has a detent ball, a spring loaded steel ball that holds it in position. IT is sort of like the spring loaded ball that holds the socket on a socket extension. I do not know how this could cause it to clunk unless there is something wrong with it. Could be a sloppy rear bearing that causes the output shaft to be misaligned and when you engage the spline shaft sleeve ti forces it into alignment, causing the clunk. With the noise and the bad shifting, I would check out the condition of the tail shaft housing bearing.

As far as adjustment goes, with the linage off push the lever in the forward position, and see if the leakage can reach it, and than into the aft position, and check the linkage again. If you can not get the linkage to align with the hole in the end of the lever on the side of the trans in either forward or aft position of the lever, than it needs to be adjusted. It seems to me there would be a fairly large range where it would still work sine the lever can move further forward and aft when the linage is not connected. Though if for some reason you have bottomed out the lever travel at either end, than it should be adjusted.