Hello! First time posting on this forum so I hope I’m doing this right. I own a 2004 JK Wrangler manual. Love this car to death, I’ve had previous issues such as death wobble and other things (all of which are fixed). However after I came back from a two week vacation my jeep can not shift its gear at all. I managed to drive it around the neighborhood but I have to physically fight my gear knob and force it into first and second. After that it can perfectly shift like no problem into third and above. I drive a 5 speed by the way. However now it makes a TERRRIBLE screeching sound almost as soon as I turn on the car without even driving. Especially when I shift into a different gear. The clutch is fully down when I shift by the way - I don’t think it is the clutch? I think the screeching noise might be a belt problem that should be an easy fix. No clue why it won’t shift. I tried again to drive it around the neighborhood and it would only stay in neutral. COULD. NOT. MOVE. the knob whatsoever. I absolutely forced it into fourth (probably SHOULDNT have done that I realize) but as soon as I forced it - I could shift into any gear without a problem. This was all in my driveway. I didn’t drive around the neighborhood. Screeching noise is so bad that when I was driving around the neighborhood, neighbors could hear it from inside their house. Any ideas?

 

Hey there, it sounds like you've got at least a bad throwout bearing on your TJ. If you're in with replacing the throwout bearing, usually it's best practice to do the clutch and inspect the flywheel while you're in there. Depending on mileage, I'd also look at the pilot bearing and consider replacing it. With the TJ, now is also a great time to evaluate the rear main seal.

 

Thanks! I’ve been told I might as well go ahead and replace the clutch if they have to take out everything anyways. What mileage were you thinking about to have the pilot bearing replaced?

 

The mileage is not the issue. Why Karl suggested changing it is because that $20 part is easy to replace when everything is apart. Hate to see ya have to do a weekend job later for that. Idiots who installed my South Bend clutch in a Dodge Diesel never changed the pilot bearing - was hard to get into gear at a later date and was that pilot bearing.

 

I replaced my pilot bearing at 125k but not again at 180k when I pulled the clutch for the 2nd or 3rd time. I'm around 234k and I'd likely replace it again if I went back into the clutch.