3wd ???

tyhuck · January 15, 2013

OK, I was out at the deer lease after about 8" of rain in just as many days, and I had to lock the truck in 4wd to get through some of the stuff. Once I got in, I started noticing that the mud on the rear fenders, and the passenger fender was being thrown up to the windows and top of the bed rail, but on the driver side it was barely up to the body side molding. It got me to wondering if the front driver wheel was pulling, so on the way out, I hit some of the holes and watched the tire so see what happened. I never could really get the struck to slip long enough to see any wheel spin (it just crawled right out not matter how much I hit the throttle), so Im not sure if the drivers tire was pulling or not.

is it even possible for that to happen? Is the front diff open, or is there some sort of locker in it. When I hit the 4wd button, I know that the T-case clicks in, and it engages the front end, but Im not really sure of the specifics of how the front diff locks in. Could someone explain whats going on and let me know if I have a problem or its just my imagination? Thanks.

TimmyG · January 15, 2013

No locker in the front

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kstruckcountry · January 15, 2013

Open diff in front

dirtfan21 · January 15, 2013

As others have said, we have open diff fronts.

tyhuck · January 15, 2013

OK, so that means I probably dont have any kind of problem?

I was concerned that the actuator may have quit. The one in my 01 ZR2 went out, but I lost all 4wd when that happened. I know in the older Dodges that still had solid axels, one of the wheels was released by the actuator when in 2wd, but the other was still connected to the transfer case. That meant that if your electric actuator went out, you really did have a 3wd. I didnt know if our trucks worked this way, or if the actuator completely disengaged the entire front drive, like in my S10.

Silverado4x4 · January 15, 2013

As said the fronts are open diffs on all 4WD systems Ford, Dodge etc, sometimes both fronts will pull and sometimes the right sometimes the left, lockers in the front are not fun on the street. Turning the front steering lock to lock while not gassing it will sometimes engage the other wheel.

MikeNH · January 15, 2013

With an open diff power will go to the path of least resistance. So the tires in the soupy stuff will spin and ones on more solid ground won't.

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tyhuck · January 15, 2013

OK, as long as nothing is wrong.

waumo1 · January 16, 2013

Some 4WDs don't even have locker on the rear axle so they are really only 2WD. I know when I bought my 1998 K1500, the rear locker was an option.

KMGZ400 · January 16, 2013

Some 4WDs don't even have locker on the rear axle so they are really only 2WD. I know when I bought my 1998 K1500, the rear locker was an option.

true. 4WD with both diffs open is technically 2WD and a truck with a locker in the rear and open front is 3WD

MikeNH · January 16, 2013

true. 4WD with both diffs open is technically 2WD and a truck with a locker in the rear and open front is 3WD

Not at all. Going down a straight road with equal traction at all tires then you have an essentially even split to all four.

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KMGZ400 · January 16, 2013

wow i did not mean to edit your post, i hit the wrong button and dont know how to undo it. my bad!

anyway, i should of added, in low traction situations. when i go up my driveway in 4WD and the left side is ice and right rock, the front and rear left will only spin

Chris · January 16, 2013

Hahaha I did that from my phone first day as a mod, I fixed it right away though

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tanked_darren · January 16, 2013

Discovered this in my friends one ton mega cab diesel super frustrating when your tires spin opposite of what you want therefore sinking you deeper.

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MikeNH · January 16, 2013

wow i did not mean to edit your post, i hit the wrong button and dont know how to undo it. my bad!

anyway, i should of added, in low traction situations. when i go up my driveway in 4WD and the left side is ice and right rock, the front and rear left will only spin

On an old 4x4 club site I was a mod in back in NH I used to do that all the time. The buttons were all icons and edit took the place of quote. Thankfully it was a small group and we all knew each other so they knew I was a bit special.