Gents,
This is my first post in this local forum. I recently acquired a 2000 Ram 2500 4WD with the Cummins diesel and autop trans. Among the 300 problems I discoverd AFTER I bought the truck is the fact that 4wd does not engage. I have diagnosed and determined that it is the vacuum actuator on the front axle/differential. I just got off the phone with AutoValue about the part. They can't source it and said my only option is the dealer. A couple of guys back on the main board pointed me to a supplier in the states on Amazon.com but they can only ship within the United States. Do any of you have any suggestions about a good parts supply place in the Calgary area? Dalemead (where I live) is just southeast of Calgary near Carseland. Thanks in advance for any help for the newbie.

 

now is the time to get rid of that pos and convert it to a mechanical cable actuator.

 

My sisters 1999 truck did not have 4wd. I found a hole in one of her vacuum lines that had fallen down and was rubbing on the front drive shaft.......... Maybe you could be as lucky!

 

First off welcome to this secret forum.. LOL...

I would try any of the 4WD shops in town to see what they can come up with. Lots of those danas out there with those problems and a cable setup like "firing order" posted is probably the best bet.

 

One of the bonuses of my truck, the last of the 2nd Gen 02's didn't even have the CAD system so I don't have to worry about that failing to engage.

Problem is everything spins all the time though.

There are some good after market kit's out there but usually it's just a vacuum leak in a hose.

Jeff

 

Dorman makes a replacement-part # is 600202. Not sure whether you will actually be able to find anyone up here that can get it-you can try taking that manufacturer name & # to a few parts places to see. The cable setup is more positive, but I eventually killed that as well-the sliding collar and shaft splines get worn over time and severe use. The way to fix it once and for all is to convert it to a 1 piece right hand axle shaft, although like Jeff says, everything turns all the time. If it is just a truck that sees very occasional 4x4 usage, I'd be tempted just to repair the factory setup and be done with it.

I'd test the vacuum motor first with a hand pump before I condemned it, as lots of times it is a simple rub through in a line or a hose. But I have had the motor itself fail as well.

HTH
Jason

 

The free spinning manual hubs fix the entire front end from spinning

 

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. The tuck isn't a 'daily driver' but when the roads are icy it will be my commuter vehicle and I camp in places that require 4wd to get in and out of. Not extreme off-road but off the beaten path enough that 4wd is required. So, I definietly need to fix this. I was truly stunned at how fragile the vacuum lines are. Why would anyone ever design a system in such a fragile manner on a truck? I am leaning towards converting to a manual/cable setup.
I am going to call some wreckers this afternoon to see if I can get the whole actuator (not just the vacuum pot) so that I don't mess up my original if I make a mistake. I actually considered trying to use some kind of 12v solenoid instead of the vacuum pot but I can't think of a good source for the solenoid. I will reply back to this next week on my progress.
A couple of things I am keeping in mind as I try to convert to cable activated:
- Ice and snow buildup
- How am I going to stop fluid/oil from leaking out of where the cable comes out.
It sure would be nice if one of the 4x4 shops around Calgary sold a kit to do this.

 

I just found out that Modern Motors in Calgary does indeed sell a kit for exactly this application. Guess what I am going to buy tomorrow? Now I know what my Saturday project is going to be.

 

Put in the posi-lok kit on Saturday. The instructions were right dead on. It took about 3 hrs to do but I was being really careful. I don't mind doing a job once but I hate doing it twice because I rushed. There is absolutely no doubt now when the front axle is locked. You can actually feel it engage through the cable. It seems like a pretty good setup now. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

 

Cool stuff buddy, good work. We (dtr boys) like guys here that do there own work. Your going to have to come out to one of our GTG's or a dyno day outting so we can plant the bombing bug into ya.

 

Good day. Just came here up not for any reason but to make a suggestion. Know this is an old thread but guess it would be useful to place information to be use by folks in the same problem in the near future. I'd on the same issue way back six months ago. I did was got a new Standard 4WD actuator in the nearby shop in our place. I cut the actuator wire, put a voltmeter on the wire, then I have 12 volts. That works fine man!