I have the manual tcase on my '04 and have found the lever to be just as much an idiot stick as the button on the dash. It works like the lever is on the end of a spring both ways. Pull the lever to go in and if the tcase isn't liking the conditions it won't go in. Push the lever to go out (light goes out and the lever is in the right position) and the front wheels will remain engaged until there is slack in the driveline (let off on the fuel)

I pull the lever to engage in 4 hi with a little bit of wheel slip and it won't go. The lever flopps back to 2 hi. Somewhat understandable I suppose...

Once in 4 high push the lever to go back to 2 hi and it won't disengage until there is slack in the driveline. When I feel a little "clunk" in my seat I know it's out. This is most annoying when trying to turn around in a tight spot and the driveline is all bound up.

 

So the manual shifter linkage doesn't really have a direct connection to the gears? I suspected it might work that way but have never had the chance to mess with one.

 

Nope it sure doesn't have a direct connection to the gears. Don't get me started on the fun to be had with 4lo...

On the plus side though, there still isn't any switches, electrical wiring or motors to go faulty. You will always be able to move the lever as well, it just may not be doing anything on the transfer case end.

 

271 and 273 cases are different. You can either swap the entire case or just get a new front transfer case housing to do it. It is not a simple removal of the electronic shift motor/housing and install the lever (I was planning to do this).

On both cases, internal to the case when it is shifted, the linkage is mounted on a shift rod with springs on both ends. So you could manually force it into gear but it won't really be in gear until the teeth line up and there is slack in the driveline to let it engage or disengage. For example, if running the quarter mile and you start in 4 wheel high range and after 200' or so you force it into 2 wheel high, it will remain in 4 wheel high until you get out of the throttle...

There is no strength differences between the two, only reliability of the shift motor.

I know on the electronic shift ones, the transfer case position is fed back to the PCM/ECM for some reason. I don't know how or if the manually shifted cases fed this back to the PCM/ECM. The 271 I put on my 01 dodge didn't have any electrical connectors on it.

www.transfercaseexpress.com is a good source for these cases or ebay.

Also, you can use a ford 271 or 273 case as well, you just need to change the input shaft out to the right one (spline count). The ford cases have a flange on the rear instead of a slip yoke. Driveshaft flanges would need changed though.