no movement in all gears

[20bucks]

here is a confusing issue i have a 1998 ford explorer and went to warm it up today because it has been parked for a week and it has been really cold so i put it in 4x4 go back and forth between forward and reverse then locked it in 4x4 low went forward and back then when i went to put it back in auto 4x4 it wouldnt move as if it is stuck in neutral in all gears it also made a funny noise when i tried putting it in park . any ideas

thanks andrew

 

[swetrid]

Transfer case problem, there is a gear that strips in the transfercase. Put it in 4x4 and see if it drives now.

 

[20bucks]

i tried the 4x4 and 4x4 low nothing happened then decided to get a hammer and hit it a few times and works perfectly again wich is reaally odd will it still be ok to drive do you figure or why did it do this.

 

[KPT]

You likely have the very common shift rail bore issue.

Its not a "gear that strips". The bore that the shift rail rides in gets enlarged and the rail binds. I'm guessing beating it with a hammer freed it enough to lock in high or low.

If its in high now I wouldn't put it in low until the t-case is rebuilt. The issue is between high and low, not 2WD and 4WD. They are separately controlled.