I have a 89 p/u 4cyl, manual tranny, manual locking hubs. Since I've owned the truck the 4wd indicator light hasn't worked but 4wd did until today. I have made sure the hubs are locking in and they are. I tried turning the front drive shaft which causes the front wheels to want to turn. I'm just trying to isolate the problem to the front different or transfer case

 

Differential*

 

1. Raise the front end till the wheels are off the ground.
2. Put truck in 2wd, lock hubs.
3. Turn driveshaft, wheels should turn. If not, bad diff, or ADD not engaging (if equipped).
4. Lower front, raise rear tires off ground, or to be safer, remove rear driveshaft.
5. Put truck in 4wd hubs UNLOCKED.
6. Start truck and put in gear. Make sure it doesn't move on you, or have someone else inside with the brakes on.
7. Front drivetrain should spin all the way to the hubs. If not, tcase problems.

 

Narrowed it down to the transfercase not engaging power to the front driveshaft

 

Yikes.

If it is, you'll need to take the transfer out to find out what's up.

Hope it's something easy.

Edit: if you have a chain driven case, let me know. I've got one sitting in my garage.

 

I have been looking for another truck or 4runner for a few months now so I will take this as a push into a another vehicle. The 4wd was the only positive it had going for it, body is gone frame is patched and rotting think its time for the graveyard

 

Don't drive it to a junk yard. Drive it to my house lol.