4x4 problems

[hung4wheeler]

my 4x4 light stays on at all times and my 4wheel drive wont work
even when i hit the low range 4x4 it doesnt work but the low range light comes on .when i drive my truck in low range it revs high but all 4 wheels are not locked please help ??is there some thing wrong with my transfer case or is it something simple i here it click up front bye the wheels when i hit the 4x4 button but still no 4 wheel drive iam lost..I DONT HAVE LOCKING HUBS ..JUST PUSH BUTTON 4X4 COULD IT BE A SHORT OR SOMETHING//? ALSO MY 4X4 LIGHT ON MY DASH BOARD NEAR MY STEERING WHEEL DOESNT LIGHT AT ALL JUST THE ONES NEXT TO THE 4X4 BUTTON?

 

[hung4wheeler]

1994 ford ranger 4x4 problems

my 4x4 light is always on and my 4 wheel drive wont work in eathier high range or low range but the weird part is when i put my truck in low range the truck sounds as if it wer in low but the 4x4 isnt engaging? what would cause this my truck is standard five speed with the 3.0 motor with the electric 4x4 buttons my dash 4x4 lights dont work only the ones bye the 4x4 buttons is it something major i hope it aint my front differantle ?

 

[Tbars4]

...sounds like your hubs then...if one hub is not working you will be in 4x2 even if the t/c engages correctly...another thing could be your shift motor if the lite is always on,,,check out this link...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123542

 

[RangerX]

Yep, suspect the hubs. You have the auto hubs?

 

[hung4wheeler]

yes i have the auto hubs

auto hubs with 5 speed standard shift trans

 

[manaen]

sounds like a shift motor problem

look at this post (specifically DeRocha's comments)
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202150&highlight=4x4+shift+motor

 

[DeRocha]

my 4x4 light stays on at all times and my 4wheel drive wont work
even when i hit the low range 4x4 it doesnt work but the low range light comes on .when i drive my truck in low range it revs high but all 4 wheels are not locked please help ??is there some thing wrong with my transfer case or is it something simple i here it click up front bye the wheels when i hit the 4x4 button but still no 4 wheel drive iam lost..I DONT HAVE LOCKING HUBS ..JUST PUSH BUTTON 4X4 COULD IT BE A SHORT OR SOMETHING//? ALSO MY 4X4 LIGHT ON MY DASH BOARD NEAR MY STEERING WHEEL DOESNT LIGHT AT ALL JUST THE ONES NEXT TO THE 4X4 BUTTON?

If the T-case is engaging (lights indicate 4x4), but the front end doesn't feel like its locked then one or more hubs are most likely blown. When you engaged 4x4 Low and it revs high it indicates the T-Case is correctly in LOW and one or both front hubs are blown..

The easiest way to test hubs while the vehicle is still on the ground:

To test for a blown Auto Hub;
1) Put T-case in 4x2 (disengage 4x4)
2) Crawl under the truck and rotate the axle shaft (any direction). After several revolutions the autohub should click and lock. If you can still rotate the axle shaft the hub is blown..
3) Repeat #2 on the opposite axle shaft..

To test for a blown manual Hub;
1) Put T-case in 4x2 (disengage 4x4)
2) Lock in the Hubs
2) Crawl under the truck and try and rotate the axle shaft (any direction). If you can rotate the shaft the hub is blown..
3) Repeat #2 on the opposite axle shaft..

 

[manaen]

When you engaged 4x4 Low and it revs high it indicates the T-Case is correctly in LOW and one or both front hubs are blown..

Good catch I didn't notice the part about reving high in low range

 

[gijoecam]

my 4x4 light stays on at all times and my 4wheel drive wont work
even when i hit the low range 4x4 it doesnt work but the low range light comes on .when i drive my truck in low range it revs high but all 4 wheels are not locked please help ??is there some thing wrong with my transfer case or is it something simple i here it click up front bye the wheels when i hit the 4x4 button but still no 4 wheel drive iam lost..I DONT HAVE LOCKING HUBS ..JUST PUSH BUTTON 4X4 COULD IT BE A SHORT OR SOMETHING//? ALSO MY 4X4 LIGHT ON MY DASH BOARD NEAR MY STEERING WHEEL DOESNT LIGHT AT ALL JUST THE ONES NEXT TO THE 4X4 BUTTON?

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything, but if you have a 94, then yes, you have locking hubs. They're either automatically-locking hubs or manual locking hubs, but you have locking hubs. (The only exception would be if you replaced the hub locks with some sort of solid hub, in which case, you're leaving out a critical piece of the story...)

If the 4x4 light stays on all the time, it's telling me that the shift motor (or at least the encoder on the motor) is stuck in that position. That could be a shift motor issue, or it could be an electrical issue, or it could be a mechanical issue with the transfer case.

If low range engages, but the front axle is not driving, figuring out why is a simple issue. Pt the truck up on stands, lock in 4low, and check the front driveshaft. If you can turn the front driveshaft, you have a transfer case issue (my money would be on a broken chain). If you can't turn the front driveshaft, the t-case is locked andyou have a front axle issue... could be a blown hub as mentioned, could be a busted diff or axle shaft among other things.

Start there and check the hubs too. Let us know what you find.

 

[gijoecam]

No need to double-post:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202449

Can a moderator please combine these threads?

-Joe

 

[DeRocha]

No need to double-post:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202449

Can a moderator please combine these threads?

-Joe

I have combined the threads...

 

[scrogginsjoe]

my 4x4 dont work the front drive line spines but the cv axles dont it probally in the pumpkin right and it went out through a small puddle is these axles just **** or what i need it fixed immedietly what do i do already looked in the auto hubs and nothing seemed out of place or broke how hard to get inside the pumpkin and fix it i need help before i sell this peice of ****

 

[MrShorty]

my 4x4 dont work the front drive line spines but the cv axles dont it probally in the pumpkin right

Yes, if the driveshaft can spin while both axleshafts remain still, then something is broken inside the diff.

it went out through a small puddle is these axles just **** or what

The Dana 35 is generally considered a stout axle in this application. Clearly it's not a D44 or D60, but it doesn't fail very often in RBV's, even locked and bigger tires. If the diff failed just going through a mud puddle, it was on the verge of failing anyway.

 

[DeRocha]

my 4x4 dont work the front drive line spines but the cv axles dont it probally in the pumpkin right and it went out through a small puddle is these axles just **** or what i need it fixed immedietly what do i do already looked in the auto hubs and nothing seemed out of place or broke how hard to get inside the pumpkin and fix it i need help before i sell this peice of ****

Hi Joe, I just want to confirm we are talking about your '94 correct? If so it doesn't have any CV joints (they are all U-Joints). As Mr.Shorty pointed out if the front drive shaft is rotating then power it being supplied to the front diff and would rotate at least one of the front axle shafts. If neither shaft rotated then something would be broken in the diff which would cause alot of noise and vibration when you engaged 4x4. IMO this would be a RARE event even for an Off-Road vehicle. Typically the Hubs and U-joints are the weak links in the drive train and would break way before anything in the diff.

How exactly did you determine the front drive shaft was moving, but the axles weren't?

 

[scrogginsjoe]

i look under it while a freind press the gas to go up some ramps and it was in slick grass so i could see the drive shaft spin but niether axle spun there is no noises going on in the pumkin so i dont know

 

[DeRocha]

i look under it while a freind press the gas to go up some ramps and it was in slick grass so i could see the drive shaft spin but niether axle spun there is no noises going on in the pumkin so i dont know

Put some tape on the drive and axle shafts and repeat the above. It should then be easy to see if the tape moves after engaging 4x4..