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Next Step in Determining 4x4 Problem?

coalkickin

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OK guys...I now have checked the hubs by rotating my axle shaft...it is locked in...when I disengage 4x4 it rotates freely..when I put it back in...the axle shaft wil only give a bit, then it locks in. My 4wd is engaging...however it is not working...Any ideas?
 



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we need more info here like what year Explorer,Ranger? were dealing with,does it have manual or electric Transfer case? etc
 






Sorry...it is a 1993 Explorer...push button 4x4. When I first got the truck the 4x4 light wouldn't come on...fixed that thanks to this forum. Anyway I thought everything was ok...Indicator lights come on...I could hear it engaging, but I got the truck stuck in my driveway last week. The rear end keeps slipping to the left. (this is in only three inches of wet snow)
 






Have you looked at or done anything the shift motor? that would be the next step in trying to figure this out....
 






Yeah...shift motor did not work when I bought the truck...I took it off, cleaned it etc...then it worked, or so I thought. The indicator lights both come on (they didn't when I bought it) Also when I had it in 4L...it was "crawling" so I know the transfer case is engaging...??
 






hmmm it starting to sound like you might have a deeper problem inside the t-case itself

or maybe something is wrong with the diff in the front too.......
 












Sorry...it is a 1993 Explorer...push button 4x4. When I first got the truck the 4x4 light wouldn't come on...fixed that thanks to this forum. Anyway I thought everything was ok...Indicator lights come on...I could hear it engaging, but I got the truck stuck in my driveway last week. The rear end keeps slipping to the left. (this is in only three inches of wet snow)
Are you certain no power is getting to the front? I don't know what you level of understanding is, but, you have an open front diff, it is common to only have one front wheel spinning. I would suggest verifying that no power is getting to the front wheels (might be easiest with an assistant or two to watch the tires). If no power is getting to the front, then try to figure out what's spinning and what isn't (front driveshaft spinning? which axleshaft is spinning without spinning the wheel).

Rotating the front driveshaft by hand is a good first test, but your hand can't apply near the torque the engine can apply. It wouldn't take much imagination to envision the hub working well enough to keep your hand from turning it, but slipping under the torque of the engine.

The system isn't very complicated. It's a matter of following the power flow and seeing where it's failing.
 






Yeah..My BIL was with me when it got stuck..two rear tires were spinning..front..nothing. The rear end would spin and then slide to the left side...I'd straighten it out, try it again and it would slide to the left. But there is definitly no pull from the front end??
 






Was your BIL watching closely enough to see if the front driveshaft was turning? Either front axleshaft? If he wasn't, can you get him to come back over and watch to see what's spinning and what isn't?
 






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