4x4 problem

[Reejerey]

I went out to go wheeling today and didn't have 4wd drive. Lights on dash light, low range will engage but front axle is doing nothing. Not hearing any popping from my auto hubs like I have in the past when one has failed. Hubs are clean with minimal grease, cleaned them out before last 4 wheeling trip where everything was working properly.

Plan on throwing it up on the lift tomorrow at work but wondering if the 4wd light and low range would engage if the shift motor was bad, or if its a front axle issue that I should be looking for

 

[MrShorty]

The lights come on based on feedback from the motor/shift fork. Usually when the lights come on, I would expect that means the shift motor did its part. The shift motor has to move in order to get the tcase into low range. I'd probably confirm that on the lift, then start looking at the hubs.

 

[DeRocha]

As MrShorty indicated the lights on the dash will only come on after the shift motor has rotated the geared sensor (and T-Case selector shaft) into 4H. So if the lights are on you are in 4H.

I would slap a piece of tape on the front Drive shaft and axles to see if they are moving..

 

[Reejerey]

*Update*

Its the <insert string of highly imaginative curses here> automatic hubs. I pulled the pass wheel and found that the plastic cam locking thing was busted all to hell. Went to pick and pull and found a truck with metal cam locking things instead of plastic (94 explorer 4 dr if anyone is interested) and grabbed them both, plus 3 more plastic ones. Came back to my shop and installed the metal ones, went out back to test and broke one of the metal ones almost instantly. Put a plastic one back on, same rock (6 in concrete step surrounded by lose dirt) and broke the plastic one within 10 seconds of trying to climb the rock. Screw these auto hubs. Done wheeling for the season, will be getting manual hubs over the winter and getting ready to go for next year.