Last night I was backing my boat up a hill and started to loose traction on the wet dirt. I jumped out, locked the hubs on my 96 PSD and jumped back in. I stepped on the clutch pedal and pulled the 4x4 handle into 4hi. No problem backing after that.

But when I switched the hubs back to free and tried to get back into 2hi, the shifter would not move. I assumed I was not in 4x4 since the hubs were now unlocked, but the light stayed on. After driving about 1/4 mile, I tried again to shift up into 2hi and the shifter moved easily. The light did not go off, however.

Questions: Is there a switch in the 4x4 shifter that may be stuck? What is the proper procedure for engaging and disengaging the 4x4. Does this sound like a bigger problem with the 4x4 (I recently bought the truck and this was my first time using the 4x4).

Any thoughts/help is, as usual, much appreciated.

 

There is a switch on the tranfer case that can stick. It's on the front of the transfer case near the vent, right next tp where it bolts up to the back of the transmission.

 

Jim, thanks for the help. Is that something I can deal with without opening up the transfer case. I'm a newbie, don't forget. Probalby better to ignore the light than find myslef knee deep in truck parts.

Also, is there any magic to engaging and disengaging the 4 wheel drive? Any thoughts about the trouble I had with the shifter? Maybe just sticky from lack of use?

After my saga related in my earlier post, I thougth it sounded like something metal was dragging on the ground. Is that the sound of my front axel being mulched somehow? I'm not used to the "sounds" of this truck yet, and it definatley makes a lot of noises that must be normal but unfamiliar to me.

 

Found the switch and fixed that problem. Thanks.

 

Glad you got it fixed. Driveline wind-up is usually the cause for a sticky shifter but a little lube on the shifter helps too. Any pressure on the drive line makes it hard to shift, don't use a lot of force on the shift lever, things will bend and/or break. Don't ask me how I know that.
I shift the t-case by popping the trans into N while the truck is just barely moving and no brake applied. Let it roll to a stop. Then shift the t-case....seems to work OK for me.

 

Sounds like fun already,huh? Oh yeah, take a spray can of WD-40 or PB Blaster and a small hammer with you. Once you see how it works you will be better able to shift the transfer case when you're up above. The middle shifter action when you go from 4hi to 4lo is the most important part to get clean and moving easy. The rest of it works very easily when the up/down action is sprayed with a good amount of lube and moved in and out of position several times with a tiny little help from down below until it's moving good. Use plenty of lube to wash it clean and lube it. Cleaning it good first with something thin is good and then lubing it with something that will stick is a good way to go.