Truck wouldn’t move after used 4lo

I had a scare this weekend. I was doing some pretty back woods camping which involved me using 4lo pretty much the whole time to get where I was going.


The trail was about 2 miles of rough terrain. I did cross a water crossing which only went to the bottom of the door jam.

well once I got to my camping spot, I switched my truck out of 4lo which went fine, I then switched it to 2wd which the light didn’t stop flashing, so I just turned off the truck.

The next day when I was leaving my truck wouldn’t move. It felt as if the brake were being applied. I switched to 4lo to see if that would help, still nothing it was stuck. I tried putting it in reverse and trying, which helps when the rear drums stick. After putting it back into D and attempting to go, I heard a LOUD bang, then the truck moved.

ever since it’s been fine, I’ve put a few hundred miles on the truck since then and it’s been okay.

I do not believe it was my brakes, because once I got down, I tried to pull the barking brake up pretty hard and then tried to move the truck. It moved effortlessly.


Was something in my transfer case getting stuck? Or jammed up?

2018 Off-road
5.29 gears
Automatic transmission.

thanks in advance!

 

Remember that when you use 4 wheel drive and especially 4lo, the truck's driveline needs to move and wiggle a bit so things unbind and move like they should. Using neutral is handy with 4lo. Manuals you just push the clutch in. If you've ever dealt with a lever controlled transfer case, you would feel what your transfer case actuator motor is trying to do. Also, remember that going from 2hi to 4hi is nothing for a tcase, there's no gear reduction, you're just engaging the front drive shaft. For 4lo, you're changing gears in the tcase to a planetary reduction and the additional torque involved in that puts a lot of force in places that you don't feel/realize, plus the deep gears you have. Next time you're in that boat, use neutral when switching in and out of low, if it binds you can turn the steering wheel to move things slightly to help. No park, no parking brake, not in reverse or drive when going in and out of low. Not usually required but since you had the issue, keep that in mind. And your manual will tell you maximum speed for going in and out of 4lo. It's not much.

Also, raise your diff vents before you go swimming again and check your gear oil for water contamination sooner than later. You're probably fine but you would be pissed if you blew your regear because a seal was knicked and wept water in. Yes, that can happen without leaking oil outward.

 

Thank you for the response. These trucks require you to be in neutral for 4lo changes. It was in neutral with brake off. I didn’t try moving the wheel though, so that may have helped.


It was very strange though, as if I was holding the brake and gas at the same time.

 

Brake shoe rusted to the drum. Pretty common. The Big Bang was it letting go.

 

Good to know. My gut was telling me it was the brake. If it didn’t let go I was planning on jacking it up and taking the wheel off. Is there anything able to be done to prevent this in the future? Or should I not leave the parking brake on when parked after going through water?

 

If conditions allow, use your regular foot brake a few times before parking, to generate some heat and evaporate the water. Otherwise just live with the sound. Not safe to park without the parking brake on uneven terrain, unless of course you chock the wheels.

And it's fine to stay in 4lo for several days while camping. When I had my 2nd gen, I even left the rear locker engaged overnight, but 3rd gen releases the locker when the engine is shut off.