It rained pretty good yesterday so i thought i'd take my truck out. nothing serious, just kick it into 4 wheel and actually try it out. Again, i was not mud bogging or rock crawling, i was just going for a little drive.

I didn't get far, in fact i got maybe 40 feet and i was stuck. I looked out my window and the front wheel was not spinning, only the rear.

I locked the hubs and i put the transfer case in 4x4. What could possibly be the problem. Im glad i found this out before i actually take it on a off road trip or something. Is this a common problem? i know when i lock the hubs the front drive shaft turns, so im guessing its in the transfer case.

what can i do to test it further? any help is appreciated.

is it possible that i just didn't have it locked in correctly?

 

You're probably just experiencing the problem with open differentials. Did you verify that your front right tire wasn't spinning along with the left rear? We have a jeep with open/pegleg differentials front and rear and in 4x. When you start slipping only 2 tires dig and the other 2 just sit on top of the soil. they're always the tires on opposite corners. Try it again and have a friend watch the other side.
Another way to test it is to floor it from a stop in reverse on dry dirt. In 2wd you'll peel out, but in 4x4 you won't be able to get the tires to spin. I do this to make sure the jeep is truly in 2wd before i hit the road because the transfer case shifter is problematic. My old ford doesn't have near the t-case/ 4x4 problems that the jeeps do!

If it truly isn't shifting into 4x4, You may have problems with your transfer case shift linkage. they can get gummed up. I'm not sure which transfer case you have... but someone will!

 

I did some experimenting and this is what i found.

the driver side hub does engage and the t-case does shift into 4wd. so the t-case is not the problem and neither is the drivers side hub, i think i just didn't have it locked in properly.

however the passenger side hub does NOT lock and i have to use a pair of pliers to turn it and even then i can only turn it about 1/2 turn and it still does not engage. where do i go from here? i have a manual that tells how to take it apart and how to put it back together. Is there anything in particular that causes this problem?

I haven't taken it apart yet because i need to get some snap ring pliers.

ps- i took the 8 outside screws off and put a little grease in there, but that didn't help. i still cant turn it. i took the clutch assembly apart and clean it and greased it as well. again, no change.

 

sounds like a distributor problem

 

are you trying to be funny or are you serious? in the manual there is not part labeled as a distributor in the the diagram of the locking hub.

 

He is trying to be funny.

 

From what I originally read your problem sounded like just open differentials. Meaning, your front passanger side tire was spinning, but your front drivers side was not. However, you mentioned not being able to turn the passenger side hub, this would imply that your problem is there.

If I were you, i'd put a brand new manual locking hub on it. Less problematic if this hub is original and almost half a century old.

 

or even just try taking it apart and cleaning the thing. open it up and see whats in there. if you find a reason, go ahead and replace.

 

Yeah, you could pull it apart, if everything looks to be in one piece you might just clean it all out and regrease it.

 

is there anything in there that has a tendency to break? i think/really hope its just gummed up and needs a little grease.

 

Why would you tell him to put new parts on it if you don't even know if anything is broken?

Once you have an understanding of how the system works then you can tell if you have a real problem or not. Do some google searching on how a differential works and things of that nature. Open differentials only spin one tire at a time when it's slick, all the power goes to which ever side has less traction.

Pulling it apart and cleaning is a reasonable suggestion IMO because it can help you have a better understanding of how it works when you're actually looking at it holding the pieces in your hand. Just make sure you keep it all clean and don't go and lose any of the parts.

 

Meh, what do you know Paul. Every time you think something is broke you call Kris to send you some rusted gummed up piece of crap, then come to me to fix it....


lol Oh and that SC water is NICE!!! But I can see you arsehats already sampled it!

 

hahah, there was a delivery tax on that "water"

 

New parts are always better than half a century old ones. Duh. :P