Hey everyone, I've only got about a half hour... I pulled the vacuum disconnect off of my front axle. Dana 30. I'm getting vacuum (not a lot but I guess that's how it is) to the vacuum disconnect. When I opened it up I saw a long bolt coming through which appears to be holding the collar to the right. Is this how it should be?

 

thanks!

 

I pulled that bolt out and put the unit back on. Now the 4wd light comes on and off when I shift, but I don't think it's engaging. When in 4, I jacked up the driver side tire and could spin it freely.

What's next?

 

looks like someone drilled that hole and inserted a bolt to hold the collar in the engaged position so the 4wd works.

you could either replace the vac motor with another one to see if it works, or just put that one back on so you have 4wd when needed.

 

if your light is coming on and going out when you engage and disengage the 4wd then your vacuum actuator is working fine, the switch engages when the fork shifts the collar into the engaged position, so it wouldnt be turning on and off if the fork wasnt moving in and out

if I recall correctly mine has that bolt too. I dont know what its for, but I know its there.

Hate to say this, but you might have some Transfer Case problems

 

I was hoping that wasn't the case, but if it is what it is... Any way I can go about testing that? I do see that the front shaft is spinning at least. I haven't check the t-case fluid either. Could it be something so simple?

 

well if you see the front shaft spinning and the axle is engaging then everything should be good.

Maybe manually force the front axle to engage and see what happens then.

 

i have the same problem as you. slight vacuum but nothings engaging and the front driveshaft spins going to it when i put it in 4x4. My light doesnt come on and it never did even when my 4x4 worked. ive been out without 4 wheel drive for 3 weeks now...i hope you figure it out it will help me out too

 

put a direct vacuum line to the vacuum actuator from the motor and see if it moves

 

I'll try to manually engage it tomorrow, but I don't think that's the case. Would the gears in the pumpkin be ruined? Or the hubs stripped? I'm just trying to see what's going on. How would I tell if the transfer case were screwed up? I don't really know anything about the T case but from my understanding, if I can shift through and the front shaft is spinnign I should be good?

Thanks for all the help guys!

 

bump

 

yes you are correct, if the front shaft is spinning then then the t/c is good

yea just check if the collar is engaging, and if it is, then sounds like you have diffy problems

I would pop open the pumpkin and check stuff out in there, you could have any of a number of problems from snapped shaft to a broken spider gear

 

the green one directly on the passenger side of the diff or the one of the other two that are part of the rubber connector??

 

bump

 

the port that is on the same side as the actual actuator is the one that will engage the fork, the other is a vent line to disengage the fork