FX4LIF3

Ok so recently I found myself stuck on the side of a hill somewhat bottomed out with only the front wheels in any real position to pull me out. However when I tried to engage my 4x4 there was no pull from the front. No spinning, no movement at all. I've been playing with it on the pavement, as I live in the city, by feeling and listening for the tension on the front end when making tight turns, and discovered that it appears to engage and disengage when it wants to. After doing quite a bit of extensive research on this forum and others, I've looked at just about everything I can myself in my own drive way and I cannot seem to diagnose what is causing the issue. Anything anyone knows that I can do to remedy the problem? It's driving me crazy.

This is a video I posted to YouTube to see what help I could find there.

TRD-Toy

Transfer case is working properly. Either the actuator isn't moving the rod on the front axle far enough or the shift fork inside the axle is wore. I would lock it in 4x4 with the front axle up so the wheels can turn. In 4by the front axle rod should be all the way out. May use a prybar and pry it out further. If that locks in the front end and stays in then, needs a new vacuum actuator at the axle. If it won't hold the front end engaged then it's the fork or Teflon clips that go on the fork. Would have to drop the pass side of the axle to access the fork. Remove the pass side axle shaft and remove the 4 bolts by the vacuum actuator. The fork and gear are right there. Fork usually gets wore out from people locking the front axle in at higher speeds. I have replaced a lot of both parts to fix the 4by in these trucks.

FX4LIF3

Ok, thanks for the tip. I was really hoping that wouldn't be the problem as I was trying to avoid dropping the axle, but I'll give it a shot I guess. However I was under the impression the key on the actuator should instead be pushed in when 4 is engaged and out when in 2? Not to mention the truck pulls the key out by default when I start the truck in 2?

FX4LIF3

Ok, I still haven't dropped the axle. Planning on taking it to a shop if it comes to that. However, I did spend some time messing with the rod and fork moving it in and out to see if there was anything funny going on and I did find that at one point the rod seemed to stop half way into the actuator and would not budge. So rather than pull it out again and possibly lose hold of whatever it was the fork had grabbed I jimmied it a little until it popped in. Low and behold the 4x4 then engaged and possibly disengaged on command. The reason I say possibly is because I do not believe everything disengaged correctly as though the front wheels were not locked together anymore, both seemed to still be connected to the front shaft as it turned whenever either wheel was turned. Shouldn't everything be disconnected when in 2? Of course after I tried to reengage the 4x4 it was back to its previous condition. Both wheels turning freely with no connection to each other or the shaft. Shaft still engages and disengages from transfer case on command.

Also, the other day I did some highway driving and noticed that on a straight line trip I have made many times, on which I consistently only use an 1/8 of a tank of fuel at best, I managed to burn through a whole 1/4. Driving habits were not changed. It was just like any other time I have made the trip. This led me to wonder if the 4x4 had engaged itself somewhere down the road, or perhaps not all components were disengaged as they should have been? Hens the drive shaft not disconnecting from the wheels themselves.

Does this affect your first diagnosis at all?

Jbrew

Are you doing this with the front end up in the air ? Did you vac charge the blue and pink lines for leak down? They get brittle and crack.

If everything else checked out and the front end was off the ground, then it's the actuator or plastic fork deals that always break. They don't wear really, they break. Actually, Im not sure how the actuator can pop like that. They do need to be lubed once in awhile for better operation, but I doubt it would do as you describe without having a problem with fork guideage, -when everything is in place.

FX4LIF3

Yea I lubed everything up and let it sit before messing with it. Vacuum lines are all fine and good. Checked them the last time I had it up in the air, and checked them again just now. Actuator seems to be working properly. Moves rod in and out with ease. Even better now that everything has a little grease on it. The problem seems to be internal as much as I hate to say it. I assumed the fork had grabbed onto one of the plastic pieces I keep hearing so much about and that it had perhaps had popped out of place somehow and was now popped back IN to place. But again, I don't really know what everything looks like in there. When it comes to transmission components I'm usually just guessing.

Jbrew

Easy cheap fix, just swap it out.

FX4LIF3

OK that's what I was mainly worried about. If I can fix it for just a little green I'm happy. Let me bother you for one more thing though. Just got back under the truck to try and "manually" engage it the same way I did before to see if there was some method to what I did and indeed, with a little force against the fork while pushing the key into the actuator as well. Was met with the same resistance as before but indeed 4x4 did engage once the key was all the way in. Vacuum lines were disconnected from actuator and truck was running with SOF 4x4 engaged for this. However the only thing I had to do differently this time was turn one of the wheels slowly while I pushed the key and fork. What do you make of this?

You mentioned a fork alignment issue perhaps this is actually the issue at hand?

Will try to post another video so that you can see exactly what I'm doing

FX4LIF3

Here's a video explaining what I'm doing and/or looking at under the truck. It cut off a little early didn't have a lot of video room on my phone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kcf6...ature=youtu.be

cdave95

Hey man I know this might sound crazy but I had the same problem and I had to get under and take the shift motor off and manually engage it and it got annoying so I finally took it to the shop and the problem was a wire under my drivers seat they said ! So I'm guessing that you should check out the wires to the motor it's worth a try I couldn't believe it but that's what it was good luck man