i have an 04 4x4 and my drive shaft spins while driving in 2 wheel drive.is this the way it is or is it not spose to spin 2wd.

 

Yes, its ok.

 

Yup the front spins all the time, only the transfer case will engauge disengague 4 wheel drive. The older trucks had a air/electric front end disconnect. I'm sure this was good for a mpg or so but you sometimes had to wait for 4x4 to engague (I'm talking only seconds). With the new ones you let off the gas to stop spinning, shift and hit the gas, you don't have to wait long and it's in gear. Almost like manual hubs you pick when it's in and not. no worries about backing up to unlock or anything like that. I love it this way. The biggest plus is you don't have to worry about ripping any of the lines off the front end, I always hated stuff like that.

 

Been like that since the 2002.5 model- no more front axle disconnect.
And yeah, it'll cost you 2 mpg or so. But, that's ONLY 4.5 gallons of $3 diesel per tank...

Just DCX's way of saving themselves money making the truck, while costing the owner instead.
Just like dropping Dana axles for AAM's and their throw away ball joints.
And dropping NV trannys for in house built Mercedes G56 trannys with way less torque ratings.
We the owners will pay in the long run...

 

I do aggree that some of the things they do is stupid, however the AAM one isn't. They stoped using Dana as they weren't passing the inspection process Dodge specked, so they went with AAM. Trust me I love dana the large array of parts for them and rears, but if they didn't meet the quality standards DC had and AAM did, then I'm all for it. The AAM's are also pretty beefy.

I do wish I had manual hubs so I could lock, unlock when I want. I just hate when wires or air lines hang down low. It's one more thing to break, or get torn off. I like simple. My old bronco had 5 wires going to the motor, so simple to fix, these new ones, wow.

 

I have noticed with alot of the truck pulls I go to that the new AAM's are breaking less than the Dana axles that preceeded them.
Pinions especially.

 

Guys, I never owned another dodge before this one but all I heard from my friends who did was the front ball joints were crap on the 2nd gens. I have to replace mine and I'm replacing them with Moog and Dana/Spicers but the stock ones lasted for 140,000 miles and are probably good for anothe 20k. There is still no play or steering problems. It just doesn't bite when cornering like it used to. I've run this truck on and off road pulling 4 lo loads on woods roads up to 35k #. This truck is awesome. I'll get e or air lockers when they are available. I'm looking at the front diff and eaton's as we write. I've never gotten stuck yet but then again I can be pretty resourceful when I get close. (the old drive line winch) I use to get my duramaxes stuck all the time and they tracked like a snake. I remember taking one of my pharma clients for a drive to a harvest site. I had been there a week before and a beaver family moved in and flooded out the woods road for about 500 ft. I had a f150 with manual locking hubs. I drove into the pond and water started coming in the doors. The water was up to the trim on the side and the client in his loafers had to put his feet on the dash. I had to stop in the middle to let a mother duck and her flock swim by. Never got stuck in that truck not even close. I wouldn't take this truck in that pond. I think the coopers in the back would float and one wheel drive wouldn't do it. ks