Nomenclature: The driveshaft transmits power to the front differential. It is located between the transfer case and the front differential. The ½ shafts transmit power to the wheels. They include the CV joints and are located between the differential and the wheel hubs. If the ½ shaft stops rotating when the wheel is turned hard to the right or left the CV joint is allowing the shaft to spin freely inside the joint. Turning the wheel left or right should have no effect on the operation of the front differential or the transfer case. If the front driveshaft if free to turn in 4x4 then the front wheels will stop rotating in opposite directions when this happens.

If you lift and support the driver side only and try to spin the wheel while in 4Hi. It should not. If it does spin either the front axle is not engaged or the driveshaft is turning or the CV joint is allowing the ½ shaft to spin inside the joint. This can be verified by seeing which shaft is turning. If the wheel does not spin try turning it sharp to the left or right to duplicate your test with the wheels turned.

 

That is great info TheJMC, I need guidance on this issue also, will try those steps to see what i find, my problem is (my truck is a '98 5 spd, manual shift t-case, 4,6) when I engage the 4x4 in hi and step on the gas I get a loud clunking noise that seems to be coming from pass side front wheel or when I turn steering while driving (in 4x4) I get that clunking, it's like that wheel is not engaging into 4x4 or something like that........
thx

 

Thanks JMC. So, sounds like my next step is to check the half shafts. Sorry about the nomenclature, I just always called them CV shafts. I'll jack up the driver side and turn sharp, right and left and see what happens. I'm actually pretty sure that I'll be able to get it to spin by turniing it hard right or left. What does this mean? Bad cv shaft?

 

Any update on this thread??

 

Did you back up after having it in 4x4?
What happens is if you don't back up you don't unlock the 4x4 and when you keep on driving it you brake the automatic lock in hubs.

 

If the transfer case is locked in 4x4 and only one wheel is off the ground that wheel should not spin. If it does spin and the front driveshaft is not turning ( because the transfer case is locked ) then the CV joint is broken. It should make one heck of a racket when it spins becasue the guts are grinding.

 

Just some follow up. 4x4 has been working fine. The only thing that I did to it was lube the linkage from the manual lever to the transfer case. It has not been clunking or slipping since then. The noise occured the first time it had been used in a couple months. Not sure if something was slipping in there or if it was stiff and not egaging, but its working fine now. I will wait and see if the problem shows up again, but for now, I am going to let it ride. Thanks for all the help. I definitely know more about the 4x4 systems now than before.

 

I had something similar when I first bought my 2003. At first, I had to use both hands and wedge my shoulder against the dash or seat to shift it. After a good dosin' of WD-40 and using it every day (I would shift through to 4Lo and back after getting home from work sitting in a parking lot) its baby smooth again.

 

This only applies for guys with the dash switch eih? Not the ones with the floor shifter???