Issue / Question Regarding disengaging LE 4WD

[DannyLlama]

Wondering if this is a known issue or common among limited 4WD owners.

This happens to me from time to time, however, the last time it happened I was stuck in 4L for a while (10 miles) on pavement before it shifted out of gear.

Usually when I am off the trail, I stop, put in neutral and I switch the dial it back to 4WF (full time). At times I have to drive a little back and forth at slow speeds before it actually shifts into 4WF. I click the little button and move it but it's stuck as if it can't disengage.

This last time, it wasn't budging. Not until I got to a parking lot and for some reason it worked when I had the wheel turned while I was parking, it let spin the darn thing and disengage.

Than as I'm reversing in to park i hear a lout CLICK/Thud as if I ran over a metal object, but i didnt.

I drove home fine and like i said, this isn't the first time. Someone mentioned to me that they have read about it somewhere but I'm not able to find a thread that touches on this.

For those that need a visual... I'm talking about this

[MENTION=55815]Okki[/MENTION] any issues with yours?

 

[jhguth]

are you shifting out of N before the 4-wheel drive indicator goes off?

 

[DannyLlama]

are you shifting out of N before the 4-wheel drive indicator goes off?

Negative... I can't shift out at all is my issue

 

[jhguth]

Negative... I can't shift out at all is my issue

does the indicator never go off?

 

[Whippersnapper02]

Since your basically unlocking a diff, I'd try turning the wheel from one direction to another while moving forward to get it to unlock. There's some binding in the drivetrain that you have to relieve.

 

[nglayton]

Is this the tread? Disengaging 4WD HELP!

 

[DannyLlama]

Since your basically unlocking a diff, I'd try turning the wheel from one direction to another while moving forward to get it to unlock. There's some binding in the drivetrain that you have to relieve.

That's exactly how it came unstuck, I was turning and in reverese and it worked. The rest of the time I had the wheel straight.

So what could be binding the drivetrain? did one of the teeth in the gears maybe get bent or something? How concerned should I be?

Is this the tread? Disengaging 4WD HELP!

I read it but couldn't find anything helpful... in fact, what is the take away from that thread? Maybe i missed something

 

[jhguth]

That's exactly how it came unstuck, I was turning and in reverese and it worked. The rest of the time I had the wheel straight.

So what could be binding the drivetrain? did one of the teeth in the gears maybe get bent or something? How concerned should I be?

manual says to leave in N until the light goes off, but it sounds like you are in gear when shifting out of 4lo

 

[Whippersnapper02]

That's exactly how it came unstuck, I was turning and in reverese and it worked. The rest of the time I had the wheel straight.

So what could be binding the drivetrain? did one of the teeth in the gears maybe get bent or something? How concerned should I be?

You shouldn't be concerned at all. Locking the center diff doesn't allow the front and rear wheels to spin at different speeds when you turn which causes binding. By turning the steering wheel when your trying to unlock, you're trying to relieve that bind so the center diff can unlock.

 

[bobstoy16]

bind

Make sure your tires are the same size

 

[IanB]

I find the transfer case locks and unlocks best when in N on the trans shifter. I've also had good success with shifting the momentum, like accelerate lightly then abruptly let off and let engine braking take over.

 

[DannyLlama]

Thanks for all the info... still seems odd why it would get stuck but I'll take the tips and try it out..

 

[mattr]

So, this happened to me when my LE was brand new and I was on my first trail run with a bunch of friends. I eventually realized the knob doesn't only require a turn, but a press at the same time to get in and out of 4LO. Think of it like a child proof medicine top. Are you pushing the whole button down, while also depressing the side small button and turning? I wasn't doing this and eventually felt like and idiot when I figured it out. There's nothing mechanical in the switch on the LE, so there should be no resistance in the knob ever, even if the drivetrain is bound and it can't engage / disengage for some reason.

 

[nglayton]

I read it but couldn't find anything helpful... in fact, what is the take away from that thread? Maybe i missed something

Well since it's a 3rd Gen thread, it might not be to useful, but the same logic might apply.

Bad sensors and/or bad actuators. Seems the guys in that thread didn't use 4wd very often if ever and the stuff gummed up from non use. After pulling/exercising or replacing actuators, things went back to normal.