Front end locked up while in 4 wheel in snow. why???

I was in my 4x4 tacoma in about 7inches of snow driving about 15 miles per hr while in 4 wheel drive when all the sudden my front end locked up and i started to slide. I slammed in the clutch and about had a heart attack. I can still drive in 2 wheel drive but if i try to put it in 4x it wont budge . oh Man what did i doooooo.

 

Crawl under the truck and start poking around. Is the front drive shaft intact? Are the u-joints OK? Put it in neutral....grab the front driveshaft and spin it with your hands. Does it spin freely? Put it in 4WD and spin the driveshaft by hand - what does it do?

Shift it back-n-forth from 2WD & 4WD - what does it do? Is the 4WD light still on in 4WD? do you hear anything when shifting? Is it hard to shift?

 

I hope its nothing too serious.

 

thanks janster ill try and get back to you on whats going on. i appreciate all insight on this . It will shift in and out of 4wheel drive and the 4wheel drive light does come on but once it is in 4wheel drive it will not move forward or backward.The front drive shaft is intact and the u-joints are ok.

 

If it is the front ring and pinion is it easier or harder than doin the rear. I have replaced the rear myself and it was not so simple.

 

The truck won't move at all in 4WD?? Are your wheels straight? Have you tried rocking it back-n-forth?

Have you tried engaging 4LO - just to see if it'll move?

Something else to try - remove the front driveshaft and drive in 4WD.

 

Was there a solution to this problem. My 01 is doing the exact same thing