How do I know if my 4wd is working?
 

I know this is a pretty stupid question. I would just spin the tires in my yard, but the house if for sale and I need to keep it tidy.

any tricks to be certiain the 4wd is working? I put it in low and drove on the driveway, but still wasn't sure. It def felt different driving, but I need to be sure 'cause I am heading to the beach again Sat. I believe I will be able to take it to the shop, but I wanted to check with you guys first...

Usually you can "hear" the 4wd engage. The fact that you went to low it will feel different even if it didn't engage 4wd because you are using the low gear on the transfer case. You can always put the truck on jack stands and see if the front axle is spinning when you turn the wheel by hand. If you are not in 4wd the wheel will spin freely and the front axel will not spin.

In 4wd turn the front wheels (left or/and right) while driving in a tight circle (1 or 2 mph) and you should feel them bind up if 4wd is working.

find a steep gravel driveway or road drive up it in 2wd stop try to go then pull into 4wd you should pull out with out spinning if it engages.

or

4 jack stands

or

mud hole

or

on dry pavement turn in tight circles first with 2wd the with 4wd if 4wd engages you will feel difference

silly has the eaisest method.

the bucking/lurching motion of the truck is normal and indicates the front end is under power..

p.s. make sure ur hubs are locked of course...8-)

OK, that raises another question. Probably a stupid question, but please bear with me...I have the shift-on-the-fly switch, and can go into and out of low and high range no problem. I do NOT, though, do anything manually with the hubs...should I be doing anything?

Two types of hubs auto and manual.

If you have auto hubs sometimes it will say it on the hub but there is no knob in the center.

If you have manual hubs they will have a know in the center that turns a 1/4 turn and most are marked lock and free with and arrow pointing to whehre they are you turn them by hand

Turning sharp and slow isn't the best way to tell if the 4wd is working. If just the hubs are locked it can still give that wiggly feel when you turn. Do the real world test and go to a gravel road, stop, put foot on brake, step on gas hard then go look at your tracks. :-X16

if u have the ESOF (which it sounds like u do) then ur hubs have the auto and lock position..

u can leave em in the auto position all the time, this way they will only engage and spin the front axles when u actually select 4WD..

least thats how its suppposed to work. but the ESOF can be finicky and requires maintainence routinely to keep working...

manual select hubs are way more durable and simply foolproof..

hope that helps...

There is a knob on both hubs.
The auto hubs have a "auto" and "lock" posistion.

The bucking motion it because the U-joints are speeding up and slowing down per revolution. They can still cause the bucking when engaged but not under power. (Try just locking you hubs and turning)

Thanks for the help...I do have ESOF, and there is a bar on each hub that I can grasp to turn the inner part of the hub approx 1/4 turn. There is a dot on the outer edge of the hub, but no "Lock/Unlock" marking on the inner part as the maual shows. When I turn the hub, the bar that I use to turn it doesn't line up with the dot at either the full clockwise or full counterclockwise position. Should it? I am assuming that to leave the hubs in the manually-unlocked position, they need to be turned fully counterclockwise, correct?

Maybe it wore off. Righty tighty...........lefty loosy. (Clockwise locks).

The writing most likely wore off.

There is an easier way to check that your 4wd is working. You say you can hear it go into 4wd. After shifting into 4hi, shift into 4lo (tranny in neutral and foot on the brake before you do this). You should hear a good sized 'clunk' as your transfer case shifts into low range. Drive for 10 feet or so to verify that you are indeed going crazy slow in 1st gear. This proves that the transfer case (and all your electronics associated with 4wd) is working. Now for the hubs. Get out (put the tranny in park first of course :-missingt) and go to one of the front wheels. reach behind the wheel and grab the axle (easiest place is at the u-joint at the steering knuckle) and try and spin it. It should have a slight amount of play (1/4" or so maybe) from the hub, but the shaft should feel like it is locked in place. Go around and check the other side the same way. This should fully check your 4wd system. If you think you have any issues (i.e. your ventilation shifts to defrost when to in or out of 4wd) then there is further troubleshooting to verify all portions of the system. But for a basic check (and you don't have a pit of soft sand nearby }>) this should work fine.

I am a little weary of this, but I have seen it before. It seems like it may be the best so far.

ARE YOU SAYING to apply brake and gas then quickly release brake? I am totally affraid I am going to brake :-missingt something...