4x4 not working

That’s your problem. driving down a mountain road,( so I assume was twisty), a little bit of snow means the tires still have very good traction and that’s how you bust 4x4 parts. You need loose traction for 4x4 and usually as a rule of thumb, don’t use on pavement unless you can’t get up a hill so something due to snow / ice, It’s not an AWD system! my guess is front diff is the problem, maybe it was not the best install and then using it incorrectly means break prematurely.

 

I think you are jumping to a conclusion prematurely.

 

You’re right it is my problem because now I have to deal with it. Second nope not twisty at all, it’s a section of 203(mammoth, ca) that is straight and downhill slope but not steep. There was patches of ice and snow on the ground hence I had 4h on. I usually turn it on when I start to loose traction not just Willy Nilly. I use the 4x4 per the truck handbook amongst other contributing factors.

 

Can I have “No oil in the front diff for $2000 please Alex?”

That’s my guess with the recent gear work. And on that note, I wouldn’t continue to drive it even in 2wd until it’s figured out though, it might be able to turn with the ADD disengaged for now, but how long until the spider gears seize to the cross and it locks up completely.

 

In my limited experience, a diff with no oil makes a loud howling sound long before it grenades.

 

my truck already howls in 4 lo. i guess if it starts doing it in 4 hi, you shall be concerned.

 

Think about it
Gears were recently installed so unless a drive shaft or a u joint is going bad ( probably not )
The gears in the front diff have a problem ( installed wrong or just went bad ) aftermarket gears can be very sketchy sometimes. The installation is very very critical

That’s my guess

 

No kidding..

Where was the human last? There's your answer..

 

Gear installers is saying that the front wheel bearing/pinion got fried due to not having enough oil at the front diff.

Also saying it should’ve never happened but it did.

I’m under warranty so they are replacing it with brand new gears.

Fingers crossed that this never happens again!

 

not enough or flat forgot to fill it?
Well, it is good they owned it and are making it right. Even better, you didn't wreck the damn thing when their mistake caused a sudden stop!

 

who knows….I’m gonna make sure they put enough oil in there before I leave the shop

 

Wheel bearing and pinion bearings are vastly different items and of no relation to one another. Your gear install was garbage.

 

OP, any update?

 

Let's assume it is a bad bearing (somewhere, after I forgot to ask about his regear...)

I guess my brain is having trouble today, I am having difficulty deciding which bearings COULD be bad to cause these symptoms...
OK, I think its starting to work now slightly, it could only be the main pinion bearing, right? (I mean other bearings may be bad too)... But the big delta he is seeing from 4wd to 2wd, would have to be in the transfer case or the front pinion bearing? Am I missing any other reasonable possibility?

Wonder if that front diff temp sensor would have been handy...

 

Lifted truck?if so how high ...above 2..1/2" ..problems start ...cv angles...needle bearing ...drive shaft angles ...ujoints

 

you can't switch from 2wd to 4wd going over like 45 or 50, I don't think you can go out of 4wd unless under 50mph too...not sure though, never tried...if you've engaged 4wd it won't matter how fast you're going it will stay in 4wd. I've gone 80mph in 4wd many times. think of this...in 4wd or 2wd you should still be able to move even if not fully engaged so something else is going on

*sorry I don't read all the replies to threads, I just respond to op's first post...just saw that op had some sort of bearing failure...

 

Front pinion bearing was the issue.