Billy Chapman

So I've had my 95 for about six months, and it's been a great truck so far. Recently I hit a patch of black ice, and when I went to engage the 4x4 nothing happened. I had just used it a week before in a little snow right after a tire change. Bummer!

I haven't really had a way of diagnosing it. My jack was too small so I couldn't really get it off the ground to spin the wheels, and I couldn't get to the transfer case actuator because of a lack of tools. The front actuator looks really gross, but I honestly don't know what I'm looking for. The lever is shifting fine, and when I shift to 4x4 with the vehicle off I can definitely hear something happening on the front diff, sounds normal, no grinding or anything.

I would appreciate help on just figuring out what exactly is wrong, if there is a DIY method. The next available appointment I could make with a mechanic is for next Tuesday, right after a good winter storm will be rolling through. I've heard of being able to stick it in 4x4 with a pin in the actuator, but I haven't gotten a solid answer on that.

Thanks for your help! I hope I did this right, brand new to the forum.

oilcanhenry

You sure the 4WD isn't engaging? Hell my indicator on the floor goes out in deep water and wont work for months, but I used to have a Jeep CJ-5 so I dont care about indicator lights. Didnt have them then and dont care about them now.

Billy Chapman

Hey thanks for the reply!

I fixed it yesterday, right in time for winter.

It ended up just being the actuator. I don't know why I was so resistant to buying a voltmeter. If anyone searching around finds this thread, save yourself some time, and just check to see if your actuator is getting the 12 volts. If it is, it's probably the front differential actuator crapping out on you. Very simple to change them out.

oilcanhenry

I'm glad to hear that you were able to repair it this soon. Yeah the front 4WD acutator is easy to change, but I sure miss the days when four wheel drives had solid front axles and manual locking hubs. My old Jeep CJ-5 had a heavy duty Dana Spicer Model 20 Transfer case. Built like a rock and it even had what I called the "Two-Wheel Drive Low" position, that was not marked on the transfer case lever **** at all, as it was put in gear between neutral and full FWD LOW position.,

It didn't matter if the locking hubs were engaged or not. 2WD LOW gear only. Nice little feature to have backing up, since you didnt really need to touch the clutch much, as when you were in 2WD High Gear, with the Borg-Warner T-18 4 speed, non-overdrive, granny-gear stick-shift transmission, used in some medium duty trucks.

That was because, in that position on hard pavement,or even hard dirt, you could bust the rear drive-shaft or axle shaft U-Joints real easy, if you hit the gas too hard. Made backing up without the full 4WD Low position real easy. Mine had the I-H 258 cubic inch I-6, and what it lacked in HP, it made up in torque, and the 258 CI would last forever, just like the Chevy I-6 250 cubic inch motor will, if its taken care of properly.

BTW, In Granny Low and in full-4 Speed Low transfer case, you could almost pull a stump out of the ground. You'd just cruise around the higher geared rigs uphill or down, without even needing the clutch, since the T-18 had a 6.32 to one gear ratio' in granny low. The newer Jeep Wranglers are a POS I wouldn't touch. No ***** at all. Air Conditionig? Automatics? No thanks.

Billy Chapman

I can't really complain, I'm coming from a 2000 Honda Civic, so the simplicity of even these mechanics is a dream. It seems like you've been around a few Chevys, so if you don't mind me asking, have you ever come across a "backwoods" model of a k1500? It has very 90's decals, with backwoods written where it would usually say z71 or something similar. I cannot find anything like this on the internet, and I've never seen one in the wild before.