Just bought 85 4wd this week. Truck has 9 in lift with 38 super swampers. We can not get the truck into 4wd. Can someone please tell me the EXACT process for getting into 4wd and possible problems if it will not go. We have newer automatic AWD vehicle, but this is new to us. Any help appreciated.

 

4 high? 4 low? Moving or not moving? Hubs locked or unlocked?

 

We have locked the hubs, but it is locked into something and we can not move it. I don't think it is in 4wd. I think it is locked in 2wd and it does not move.

 

Im not even sure what that means...

So, unlock the hubs so you can move? Its a lever action transfer case, move the handle. Sometimes if it binds up try backing up a little.

 

Sorry if I was confusing. This is all a bit new to us. We have tried backing up, pulling forward a bit-nothing helps. We have moved the handle in the transfer case, it seems to have some play in it, but does not actually move and engage.

 

We locked the hubs, put the truck in neutral and tried to move the shifter(lever) . As I said, it seems to have a bit of play in it, but does not actually shift or move into an engaged position. We tried moving the truck forward and backward, but the shifter will not move.

 

Ok, well the hubs only engage the front wheels to the axle shafts and are powered via the transfer case when it's shifted into 4hi or 4lo. Does the truck move at all? Basically, the lever in the forward position(towards the dash) and bring it straight back towards the seats should engage 4hi. Now, I have an '86 so to engage 4lo I have to push the lever towards the passenger seat and THEN move it forward towards the dash to get to 4lo.

How much "play" we talkin here, got a video maybe?

 

The lever is stuck in the position back towards the seat. It will not go forward toward the dash. The play in the lever is about as much as you have when a gear shift in neutral. It kind of moves around a bit in all directions, but will not go far enough forward to engage. Thanks

 

Sounds like the shifter in the t-case may have been removed at some point and then re-installed incorrectly. What you need to do is to get the end of the shift lever into the slots in the shift rails:



There are about 3 ways that shifter end can go in there and if you get it outside those two slots, it'll move around but not change anything.

 

That sounds like it's in 4hi. Another way to check is to see if the front drive shaft will spin, but first unlock both hubs back to the "free" position. If the shaft won't spin then you should be in 4hi at that lever position.

I'm thinkin the shift rail has come loose or broken maybe? idk.