4x4 Not Engageing

[jmag]

Hi All,

I'm hoping that someone has an idea on what might be wrong with my 4x4 system, if that is the correct term.

We were in Moz a few weeks back, and when I Shifted into 4x4 the front wheels were not engaging, fortunately my truck didn't let me down in the sand, back in Dbn I took my truck to the workshop where the guys told me all that was needed was a bit of grease and some cleaning to have the inner parts moving and working again, and I thought that was that, never tested it though.

Then yesterday I had to engage 4x4, and nothing. The transmission shifts into 4h and 4l, but the front wheels still not engageing, the guys at the workshop today said that some of the gears inside the diff are worn and have to be replaced, at a cost of approx. R 8000.00 on parts alone. I'm collecting my truck in the morning and will then get all the particulars on what exactly the parts are called and so on.

My apologies for the lack of information, but my knowledge of my trucks parts and how they function is terribly limited.

I would appreciate any help.

Thanks
Jacques

[Freakazoid]

Do you have auto hubs or manual? Have you checked if it is transmission or front axle with the problem? Put in 4x on driveway and get under and try and turn driveshaft by hand. If it turns it is probably transmission. If not put back in 2x get under and turn. See what happens. You should be able to feel if there is damage. If you have manual hubs engage them, if you can turn driveshaft then there is a problem. Lift both wheels with jack and turn it, opposite wheel to you should turn in opposite direction or driveshaft should turn. if driveshaft turns then engage 4x and see if opposite wheel turns. If it does you should threoretically not have a problem. My guess is hublock or CV could be the problem. Follow this approach till you find the problem. engage something and disengage something else, you'll find the culprit soon enough. My guess is hublock or CV could be the problem. Hublocks, manual ones, are easy to check, unbolt them and see if they are clean and well greased and also if they are in one piece. To check CV you'l need to remove hub, also not such a big deal.

4x should still engage if diff is worn. i find that hard to believe though as Patrol diffs are just about indestructible. Most likely it is hublock, second on the list is CV. If transmission is shot car should not be able to move as it would most likely be the chain and that causes big issues if it is broken.

These are my guesses, good luck

[jmag]

Hi,

Thanks for your advice, it is the auto hubs that are buggered, the guy at the workshop suggests changing to manual locking hubs. So the search begins.

Will keep you updated to what I find, or if anybody has had to replace them on their trucks, suggestions are welcome.

Thanks again.

[Stefan]

Hi Jmag,

What model Patrol do you have? Which workshop did you take it to?

[Langman]

JMag: For what it's worth there is a guy on Junkmail advertising a set of autohubs for a Patrol. Apparently brand new and he wants R1900 for the set. It's been on for sometime already and he has already dropped from just over R2K for the set. Try him...maybe you are lucky.

[jmag]

Hi Stefan,

It's a '99 4.5 GRX. Took it to Rory's in Pinetown.

[jmag]

Langman. Dankie sal dit probeer.

[jmag]

Langman,

Thanks for the tip on the hubs, the guy still has them. Just got to count the number of splines to see that it matches.

Cheers.

[Langman]

As a matter of interest did you eventually buy these hubs? Quite ironic that 6 months after giving you this contact I would need hubs myself and had to fork out R10K for that which I could have got 6 months earlier for R2K!!

At least it hopefully helped you at the time.