I was messing around in my truck yesterday in the yard because it's not registered yet,

And i was in 1st gear with hubs unlocked and went to put it in 4HI and it wouldn't budge, so i stopped, tried engaging it every which way and it won't even try. 4-LO slides right in though and works perfect.

The trans was out about 40k ago, is it possible somethings binding or will it just not engage in 1st gear going that slow?

I know nothing of 4x4's so you know, for all i know i could have the whole sequence wrong.

Brandon

 

could be the linkage is binding or the detent ball on the slide is stuck

 

Lock the hubs and try it again.

 

do the hubs really have to be locked first? that's crazy.

I'll try it later

 

If the hubs are locked, they will turn the front drive line.

I will tell you this, for the first 2 years i had my truck i didnt have 4-low. One day i decided to pull off the inspection cover and look inside, while i pulled the 4wd shifter rearward while my dad took a screw driver and tapped on the fork and it slid rite into 4-low and it still almost always goes rite in.

So could be a jambed fork not letting it shift on yours.

The really weird thing on mine is when in 4-low, only the front wheels have power sometimes.

 

theres a detent between the 4x4 and hi/low shift rails that prevents the front from independence, a grind modification will enable independence, i three sticked my jeep, some times a rod will vibrate loose and lock, usuall you can slide underneath and knock the rail into the desired gear.

 

theres a detent between the 4x4 and hi/low shift rails that prevents the front from independence, a grind modification will enable independence, i three sticked my jeep, some times a rod will vibrate loose and lock, usuall you can slide underneath and knock the rail into the desired gear.

 

You shouldnt have to lock the hubs to pull the lever down to 4hi. I guess it would just be two high but I notice alot of these things are tricky. Try engaging it while the trucks off. Thats the only way I can unengage mine sometimes. If not then read above

 

That's weird mine pops in n out of 4 high no problem n my shifter has hella play in it.

 

I had a similar but different problem with a donor truck for my crew cab project. This one was it refused to easily go into 4-LOW. there were two issues. One was it had not been in 4-LOW for a while because there was excessive corrosion on the shift rails where they enter the transfer case seals and the shift fork and the slide gear were marginal from wear. I ended up having the shift rails laser welded and the worn parts replaced. Winter salt here in the northeast has devastating effects on exposed metal. Plow trucks turn out to be excellent donors.

 

My linkage wore out and kept me out of 4 hi. I added some weld to one of the rods going to the t-case and that was all it needed.

 

Oh shoot i never updated this!!

Found out it was in 4-hi the whole time since i got it! no wonder it wouldn't go back any farther, i pushed it forward a click and thought it's probably neutral and i let the clutch out and sure enough it was 2-hi ........ there's alot of play in the shifter in the 2-hi / neutral area......but it slides right into 4hi or 4lo so that's good.

 

Newbie. You have been hangin with the D crowd to much. Welcome to the W side of the world.