This weekend I was in the process of pulling out a stuck vehicle on a very slippery surface. I was in 4W-Hi and I noticed that my rear wheels were spinning but the fronts were not. Shouldn't they have been spinning along with the rears?

 

do you know that both wheels were not spinning or did you just see ONE of the fronts and it was not spinning? If that is the case, then that is perfectly normal as the front differential is not locked.

 

I don't recall looking at both fronts, just the right side. If both fronts aren't locked then why do they call it 4-wheel drive?

 

It is a little misleading, but all four wheels will pull if they have traction. When one wheel loses traction with an open differential, it will spin with no power going to the other wheel. The differential (front and back) is needed for drive-ability while turning since one wheel has to travel further than the other. An on-demand locking differential like ARB gives you the best of both worlds, open or locked when needed. Dodge has an optional limited slip differential in the back which is not a true locker but works fairly well in both situations.

 

If you pulled the rig out, your 4wd was probably working.

 

ARB and OX are the way to go for lockers!!!!!!! **** expensive but well worth it if you like to offroad!!!!!!

 

are there even any lockers available for our applications?

 

Factory 4WD is actually 3WD at best in these trucks.

Are they making a selectable locker for the AAMs yet?

 

Powerwagon!!! I wish they'd but a CTD in there, even a detuned one. That is an awesom truck. Factory locking diffs, swaybar disconnect, gears, tires, winch. Stuck with the Hemi though... My buddy has a 2005 and it is a kickin 3/4 ton "stock" truck.

 

Just weld the front & rear up if you want true 4wd traction.