Good day, I need to replace the ring gear on my 86 300ci 4X4. Want to know if it's easier to pull the motor or remove the tranny and transfer case. If it was a two wheel drive I'd just drop the transmission but with the transfer case there as well I'm wondering what others who have had to do this have done.
Thanks,
Al

 

Hi Al,
To me it would depend on what equip you have to work with, space, and time.
In either case you are going to have to support the engine or support the trans & transfer case.
The older the vehicle, the more rusted stuff you will wind up fighting.
I am curious about if you removed the starter and can see the messed up teeth or are you thinking the starter is missing the teeth and it could be a possible starter problem..

 

If inspection proves out a gear fail, I’d pull the trans/case...

 

Thank you both for your replies.
I was hoping it was starter, but is ring gear. Installed new starter hoping it would pull the bendix gear in further than the decades old starter and engage teeth deeper, where the teeth aren't worn as much, worked for a couple weeks. In order to get started now I have to engage the clutch during shut down in the hopes of stopping the rotation at a point other than the three spots it would stop at if I shut it down in neutral, or I get under it with a large ratchet and 15/16" socket to turn the engine a few degrees to allow the starter to engage good teeth.

I've done a few ring gears in the past, cars from the 50s and one 4X4, a '51 Land Rover. First time with a Ford truck. I've owned this one for 30 years, kinda hoped I'd evaded the ring gear change but nothing last forever.

Thanks again,
Al