Cant put a 86 jeep grand wagoneer into four wheel drive

are you in four wheel low or four wheel hi. if you are in four lo, put vehicle in neutral before trying to shift out and be at a complete stop. if you were in four hi, put vehicle in reverse and keep backing up, usually 4wd while come out and go back into 2wd

Check the soildnoid that engages 4x4 by switching it from 2 to 4 wheel drive and listen to it 27 dollar part if needed to be replaced

The switch is to put the vehicle into four wheel drive for off-road and increased traction on snow and ice.

a question , is the jeep in 4 wheel drive? and does the dash say its in gear ? what size is the motor

With any four wheel drive you should always stop and back up ten feet when ever taking it out four wheel drive. This helps to unlock the gears so they can disengage and helps ensure that it isn't still in 4WD.

part time four wheel drive means you can physically put it in and out of 4wd to 2wd. full time means you cant control it, its always in 4wd

Power for both front and rear come through the transfer case. Even when the front is not engaged, part of the unit still needs to turn to put power to the rear wheels. Therefore, you can't just shut it off. It is possible to remove the transfer case, replace the tailshaft of the transmission and find or have a driveshaft made to convert it to two wheel drive but it likely would be more complicated and expensive than repairing whatever is broken now.

Sounds like the splines on your transfer case gear are ground down

Try putting it in to 4 wheel drive then put it in reverse then put it back in drive.

They didn't make Grand Cherokees in '86, so I assume you mean '96?

I'm also assuming it is indeed a 4x4 and not a two wheel drive...sorry, I have to ask!

All the V8's GC's were Quadra-Trac. Please confirm this with what is label on your shifter. If so, it should say "4Hi, N, and 4Lo".

The Quadra Trac system has a viscous coupling. Meaning, that when the rear wheels start to slip, it heats the coupling up, and engages the front wheels.

This system typically put about 95% of the power to the rear wheels, and only about 5% goes to the front during normal driving, so it's essentially in 2wd mode.

When you put the transmission shifter into neutral, and pull your transfer case down to 4lo, then you have all four wheels locked. Do not drive like this on dry pavement.

To answer your questions, the 4x4 should automatically engage when the rear wheels start to slip. It is a seamless transition and you really won't be able to tell.

If you're in real bad snow, then pull it down to 4lo. That'll lock all four wheels in and give you greatest traction.

Drive safe.