TJ clutch help!

[NOPR]

okay, so im trying to change the stupid clutch on my TJ. ive changed clutches before, just never on anything 4WD. so far ive taken off both driveshafts, that giant pan thingy under the transfer case, and the slave cylinder. the only thing left holding it in are the engine bolts, my jack, and the 4WD switcher lever thingy. (i think)

so my question is, whats the easiest way to disconnect this lever/linkage from the transfer case? i can see theres one bracket that bolts right onto the transfer case, but the top nut is pretty much impossible to get to. theres also a little bracket that bolts to the tranny tunnel on the driver side, it looks like i can disconnect it there, but then its still attached to the lever? can someone who's done this before please help! thanks!

[Dukes69]

Its not impossible to get to, just difficult. I use a ratcheting wrench to get at those. Or, depending on which nut it is, try a long extention on a ratchet. If you dont want to mess with that you can always pop the shift rods out of the linkage doohicky. If you look close the rods are pressed into plastic clip like things. Just take a screw driver and pop them out of there. The hard part it getting them back into place.

[brokenujoint]

the way that i did my clutch job (ive pulled the tranny 3 times and did 1 clutch job so i got it down packed).
1. disco battery and remove your starter
2. block your rig at all 4 tires
3. block your oil pan with wood and jack
4. block your tranny with wood and jack
5. remove your crossmember
6. remove front/rear driveshafts
7. drain tranny AND transfer case fluids
8. take out your center console, boot and transmission shifter
9. disco all electrical connections to tranny and transcase
10. unbolt your transcase shift bracket from transcase
11. unbolt and remove trans case
12. unbolt and move out of the way your slave cylinder
13. unbolt and remove your transmission

have a completely new clutch kit available. i bought a new centerforce II kit. some people will say not to turn your flywheel because some think that your jeep is special and that the flywheel isnt truely flat by design. well i turned mine and its SMOOTH and makes a HUGE difference in idle/ride quality. install a new pilot bearing, new throwout bearing, grease up the throwout rod and linkage, align your clutch with the alignment tool and install clutch.
14 clean up everything you normally couldnt get to. CLEANLINESS IS GODLINESS
15. install in reverse order
16. use redline tranny flud MUCH MUCH MUCH better!
17. dont forget to put oil in everything you took oil from.
18. check your ujoints for wear in your shafts
19. test drive

give your clutch about 200 miles of usage before its fully broken in.

enjoy!