4LO wont engauge

Ok so when I bought my 2005 double cab v6 sr5 I tested the 4H out and it worked no problem, but didnt test the 4LO. Last night I went river fishing ( fourwheeling on some sand bars and ended up needing 4LO I tried every trick in the book and even read the book and it wont engauge into 4LO the knob turns but then the system just beebs at me know matter what I try. Anyone have any ideas as to why? Maybe somthing is wrong in the actuator?

 

If it is beeping that means you are doing something wrong. Since you have a manual, make sure your clutch is pushed ALL THE WAY to the floor before turning the switch to 4 low.

 

Check Tried it multiply times last night.

 

Maticuno is correct.

Switch on clutch must be actuated (clutch all the way down) before you switch to 4 Lo. Same coming out of 4 Lo.
Try it with the engine off, in a quiet place with window down, and you will be able to hear the actuator work. If you don't do it in just the right sequence, no joy. That switch tells it ok to start, as well as ok to go in or out of 4 Lo.

 

ok thanks guys i can try it tonight when i get off work. I was trying it last night with the clutch ALL the way to the floor and the truck completly stoped then would try rollin forward/backwards sitting still. But didnt try it with the truck off. Could there be a problem in the actuator that wouldnt let it shift?

 

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure if it's beeping that means something was done out of sequence. Did you switch straight into 4LO from 2HI or were you already in 4HI?

 

Was already in 4HI. The light would keep flashing along with the beep if that makes a difference.

 

I did not mean to imply the truck has to be off. Only that if you have it off, and are in a real quiet place, especially next to a wall, you can roll down your window and hear the actuators click and whirr, to see if you are doing it right.

Yes, your actuator can be bad, and there is also a 4 WD computer module. I doubt if that is the issue though. I've had trouble when I first got mine as well. Has to be done in exactly the right sequence for 4 LO.

 

Pretty sure it's brake & clutch. Not just clutch.

 

Start by shifting into 4hi on the fly like you did. Then you have to be completely stopped and clutch floored, like when you start it. You have to get that part right BEFORE turning the switch to 4lo, if you are still moving a bit or don't have the clutch all the way down when turning the switch to 4lo, it won't retry until you cycle the 4wd switch back to 4hi, then 4lo again.

The procedure is essentially the same for shifting back to 4hi.

If that doesn't work, its possible the limit switch in the t-case actuator is faulty, possibly just dirty or gummed up from not being used. The motor in the actuator is fine if it shifts to 4hi. Search here for DIY on disassembly and cleaning.

 

I know for autos you have to be in neutral, maybe its the same for manual? Mine will beep at me if I try to put it in in gear. Perhaps that's what yours is doing too.

 

Mine won't go into 4lo as well, tried all the suggestions. 4hi is fine, I can hear it engage and disengage. I have the 6sp trans.

 

The only gear position that the manual transmission senses is reverse. Having the stick in neutral might help, but I don't think its necessary in this case.

 

Thanks everyone. Tonight when i get home I will keep playing with it and try some more. If all else fails my father inlaw is a mechanic and i'm sure he can help me clean it and check it out.

 

The key is the truck being stopped. If the foot brake is on and the clutch depressed, the truck is stopped. For an automatic, neutral is the same as the clutch being depressed.

 

So it's not worth trying in neutral?

 

There are a couple of reasons why not. One is that there is no "neutral" switch. Second is there is a switch that detects the clutch being depressed.

If it doesn't work, by all means try.

 

does keep flashing mean the little green light on the dash was flashing when you were in 4hi? i had that same problem, ended up that i had no power to the front axle when trying 4x4 (which was impressive since i thought i had it and hit serious mud w/out getting stuck). i took it to a local repair shop, paid $50 for them to diagnose the no power thing, opted not to pay like $500 for them to fix it, and it started working on the way home.

ive read in other threads that a lack of use causes the actuator to stick, you just have to smack it and keep trying to use it for it to fully engage

 

The actuators in the front end and T-case are shit. For some reason they collect condensation, which corrodes the terminals. You can take them apart and clean the sludge out, but if there is pitting present they won't last long. I ended up converting mine to a manual shift (hillbilly engineering method).

 

Looks like I will be braking into mine. I just spent the last 30 minutes trying everything possible and it still won't engage. Thanks for all of the help guys.