Rear Differential not engaging?

Tried to engage my rear diff lock and couldn't get it to go in. Tried turning the wheels and everything, just beeped and showed the blinking light. Think it went out or what could be wrong with it now?

 

when was the last time it did work ?

if you are in low range

keep trying, might take 15 minutes and 50 feet of driving forward and backward slow a few times to make it pop if it is 'sticky' from lack of use

do this on a dirt road for best results

 

Shouldn't be beeping. I think you are still in 4H

 

if it was beeping, i suspect he wasn't even in 4lo. The only time i've been beeped at is trying to switch into or out of 4lo wrong. I suspect he may have turned his switch right to 4lo, without first being in 4hi. That'll trigger the beeping

 

Mine will lock if i 1)engage 4hi 2)shift to N 3)engage 4lo 4)press diff lock button 5) roll forward or back

 

yes correct .. I just worded my statement a little wrong

 

and once he finally gets it, he should use it monthly to keep it moving. At least i do anyways..

 

How I usually get it to kick in. Maybe I had the button engaged too early and rolling forward and back from a dead stop and it wasn't kicking it in? Its been awhile since I've used it (6months), so I figured it just figured something went wrong with it. When I get off blacktop, I'll give it another shot.

 

This works for me. I have noticed monthly use makes the engagement easier. Also disengagement.

 

For the last month I've tried to use mine as much as possible just to get it to engage and disengage easier. It still will not do it without some movement. Is this common and what's the use if you really need it to get unstuck?

 

It is so sweet that A-TRAC has 0 issues working, gives more traction than the locker, and life is all good!
But seriously, a monthly engaging of LOW RANGE and the locker should keep it nimble for that "emergency only" application it is labeled for.

In case it wasn't covered, the beeping is the L4 not being engaged, not the locker. The locker light blinks when it isn't locked if you press its button and goes solid when it is locked. Only works in L4, once you are in L4.

 

it will engage when you need it. spin the wheels slowly a bit when you are stuck, forward and reverse.

don't overthink it, gears have to mesh and rarely are they lined up perfect when you
hit the switch

 

Make sure it is in neutral when you push the diff. switch. If it does not go in shift to reverse, then to drive, then back to neutral then turn diff switch off and then back on. Repeat until it engages.

 

Why is it that turning your steering wheel will help the REAR diff lock?

If mine doesn't want to lock up turning the steering wheel a little aways works

 

it this a serious question ? try driving and steering on pavement with rear end locked, do you feel the tires fighting
angular velocities ?

 

I disagree with this 'be in neutral' thing

I hit locker while moving forward... 20-30 feet before I need it, it always goes into lock by the time I get to known nslippery spot

 

this movie at 1:35 shows a no mesh situation
at 2:02 it slams in (sometimes in the woods it makes a loud CLANG)
2:20-ish shows how this stuff works

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoniaipOCdU

 

What always works (for my truck): Push Button creep ahead slow. If light is not solid, turn steering wheel to one direction (left or right) and then creep ahead in that direction. Light goes solid in a few feet!

 

For instance, I'm in 4low.. Im completely stopped, I hit the Rear diff, nothing happens, I turn my wheel left and right a little, it engages, No moving of the truck, just the front wheels going left and right..

I understand binding ect but just turning the wheel while the back wheels aren't moving at all shouldn't help it slide in gear...

 

That is exactly what I do as well and it always works. My concern is if I'm ever stuck and can't creep any direction. I haven't thought that spinning the tires would essentially be the same as moving forward which would line the gears up and it would engage right?