• Welcome to The Truck Stop! We see you haven't REGISTERED yet.

    Your truck knowledge is missing!
    • Registration is FREE , all we need is your birthday and email. (We don't share ANY data with ANYONE)
    • We have tons of knowledge here for your diesel truck!
    • Post your own topics and reply to existing threads to help others out!
    • NO ADS! The site is fully functional and ad free!
    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

    Problems registering? Click here to contact us!

    Already registered, but need a PASSWORD RESET? CLICK HERE TO RESET YOUR PASSWORD!

Stuck in the mountains - your advice welcomed!

Veg_Out

Veg_Out

Walking J Designs
Messages
724
Reaction score
5
Location
Boise, Idaho
My friends. I've travelled to McCall Idaho, just north of Boise. My brother in law's place has a steep driveway into it. Of course, I get to the bottom of the hill, decide to throw on the 4WD (which I tested a month ago) and nothing. No light, no 4WD, no shit I'm stuck now.

Got a NAPA that has the proper actuator if I need it, I have voltage at both sides of the fuse #24 "4WD".

I've got my tools, and it seems like an easy enough job. Not going to do the upgrade to the newer year since I'll be under it in freezing and soaking conditions.

Is there a way to get it to engage just one more time?
 
Do you have voltage at the actuator? If you do, the actuator probably isn't going to engage, just swap it out. If you don't have current there, you might manually jump the actuator with a 12v jumper wire.
 
OK, I'll test that. It's the original actuator. The weather sucks for this!

Is the change out easy? Just a plug and 1 bolt?
 
IIRC it just unscrews and the plug, easy job in a heated shop on a creeper.;)
 
Veg I hope ya get her unstuck...& it's OK for me to but in here with a question...

Alright educate me a little, my 95 Tahoe with the rod selector on the floor is the 1st 4wd I have ever owned...does mine also have this actuator?

Or is the actuator only on the vehicles that have the electronic 4wd dash button?
 
Interesting factoid. At first, the RWD light was on, then I engaged for 4WD, nothing happened, and now, the RWD light is shut off too. Weird!
 
RWD light is out on all of my trucks.

Crankme, yes all 4x4's have them. It is a solenoid that screws into the front axle, you can see it by crawling under there and looking straight up in the middle of the axle.
 
There is a switch on the transfer case that powers the actuator. If the linkage is out of adjustment the switch won't power up the actuator. The switch is next to the shifting arm and shaft. If you make a jumper wire to plug into the plug it may engauge the actuator.
 
Your description is precisely when the thermo actuator goes out: cold weather, bad situation.

You need not only the electric actuator, but the harness that goes with it. Look for a post of mine on this in the 4wd forum here at DTR. You'll need to tap into the brown wire, but do so at the plug at the firewall. Others recommend splicing into the brown along the transmission tunnel to keep it out of weather, but that never worked for me. Buy the actuator and harness at RockAuto or eBay motors. Again, search for my posts on this from about a year or so ago.
 
Did you leave it enganged and wait a few minutes ? My old K2500 at work didn't always engage right away, sometimes it took upto a minute. It was a 96.
 
I've got about 5 miles on it, and she's not switching. It worked when it was warm just a few weeks ago. Now it's cold and I'm done. Got no mechanical clothes, but going under her in the cold tomorrow morning anyway. Sure thinking that new Subaru would really be great when this happens.
 
Buy a tarp. Throw it down under the work area of the truck and roll out area to keep the wet off you.

And when you get the new Subaru stuck - where are you going to hook the tow chain to it to pull it out rather than in half?
 
dragogt said:
Why not get rid of it all together??

http://www.4x4posi-lok.com/app_chevy-k.html
Click to expand...


YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !

That's why I switch to this system. Most times the actuator or stepper motor fails when need in snowy conditions or already stuck.
Posi-Lok rules ! Manual, works when needed AND stays engaged, when ignition is shut off.


Cu,
Sven
 
Thanks to all. Just replaced it, quick and easy, with a part from NAPA. Didn't upgrade, didn't go to the manual, figure that the first one lasted 15 years and 240K miles, I'll take my chances.

Works perfectly and another family makes it home safely with the help of the TruckStop!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top