Followup on my question above.

I pulled the shift boot off, and lubricated everything. Found that the shifter still wouldn't shift easily from 4x4 to 4x2. Disconnected the hubs, and it shifted like it was new. I shifted it back and forth about 30 to 40 times thinking I would loosen it up for future ease of use...... Didn't work.


Seems as though you guys are correct that it's pressure on the gears which is causing the binding, and hub disconnection is the easiest way of getting it out of 4wd.

Oh, well.

 

There's no harm in unlocking the hubs before I shift it out of 4hi? That's good to know.

For what its worth, when I shift mine I always do it at idle, moving of course.

 

ya same here. i find it works if the hubs are locked in four hi that if i let of the throttle and coast a bit i can get it out pretty easy. if you look on the visor it says to shift out of lo you have to have it in park, and you have to be in motion to get it out of hi. i think lol

 

What we have is driveline lockup due to both axles being the same ratio. It gets worse the more you do cornering. We all have felt the 4wd walk on tight corners.

The trucks will lockers in the rear will find it even harder. The easiest I have found to shift out of 4wd is during decel. Having the front hubs unlocked (or FREE) will get the driveline non-windup to happen faster, because you will not have to find or feel when the unload is happening.

One of the things to think of in a positive setting is that when you put it in 4wd(as long as the system is good) you know that you are locked in.