4WD Issue. Engages but front tires do not work.

First off I want to apologize for not searching. I am on my phone and need some help as soon as possible.

I recently installed new diffs from ECGS. Everything has went smooth up until today...well a few days ago but I didn't know it at the time.

The issue is that my front tires are not working with 4WD. I can engage both high and low with zero issues. We saw it today in the snow when both rear tires would always spin but the fronts did nothing. We did our best to go through all the steps to double check all parts and plugs were put back correctly.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

For the record...Baby Taco is still a beast even with 2wd

 

Haha thanks. I was starting to get upset today when I was barely making it through basic stuff.

 

Check the connection to the actuator on the front diff. They aren't soldered, it could just be gummed up.

If you can get into 4hi/lo but no power to the wheels there's your problem. If soldering the leads doesn't work you may need a new actuator.

It's very easy to pull it off and check, drop the skids and it's 4 bolts to pop the whole assembly off. Once it's off it's a few Phillips head screws to pop the cover off and have a look inside.


Oh and enjoy being in 2wd, prerunner wannabe

 

Time to "chain up"!

 

Apply solder to where the leads of the actuator are touching the brass colored connections with friction alone

 

Oh and if it looks nasty inside check the breather line for cracks, that's how most of the water ends up in there and causes corrosion.

 

Thanks bud! I will pull it in the morning. I hope its that easy.

And yes...I think its fair to say karma kicked me in the butt today haha.

 

All these guys make good points. Just out of curiosity, can you hear the actuator when you turn it on? Mine makes an audible motor noise, then a click/clunk once it engages.

Nice looking truck by the way!

 

It's all good man, hope it works out for you!

My transfer case actuator actually burned out somehow so simply soldering didn't fix my issues. Hopefully it works for you though, it does for many!

 

front diff actuator, either not working, or not plugged in is my bet.

With it in 4wd, (high or low) parked, can you turn the driveshaft from the tcase to the front diff?

 

I was able to hear it click/clunk.

 

I'll go try that now.

 

If he can get it into 4lo he will not be able to turn the driveshaft. The fact that he can make it to 4lo means he can go into 4hi and his transfer case actuator is fine.

It is the front diff actuator

 

Yeah I was able to hear the clunk as well. Was definitely engaging just not doing it's job lol.

 

Yep wasn't able to turn it.

 

You guys sure you're hearing the right clunk? There are 2 actuators, transfer case and ADD. His described problem he should hear the clunk when his transfer case engages. I don't know that you'd be able to hear the ADD as it's so far forward and I don't know that it would make a clunk sound. It's just moving a fork from side to side...

 

I have heard one clunk. Same one I have always heard so probably the transfer case.

 

That's my bet, I don't think you would hear the ADD even if it was functioning. How does the ecgs swap work? You swapped out your entire front diff? Actuator and all?

 

That makes sense. That's similar to locking the hubs, right? I didn't think about that.