4WD Front End Noise

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Truemagnum15

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Location
Washington State
Ram Year
1999
Engine
5.9L
We have a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad with 5.9L automatic transmission with 4 wd. A while back my husband was using 4hi and there was a loud bang, the truck jumped a little and all of a sudden he had no 4wd. He assumed at the time that he lost all 4wd. Since that day, when slowing down (usually coming to a stop), you can hear something clanging somewhere underneath the truck as if the object is swaying and hitting something.
We thought it might be the chain inside of the transfer case. But now we are puzzled. My husband took the transfer case out and opened it up. When he opened the case, he found that he has his lo 4wd gears and two neutrals (no 4hi). The chain seems to be intact and everything else seems to be okay. Nothing looks broken and there are no marks from anything banging around. Amy ideas?
 

dapepper9

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Location
Iowa/Nebraska Border
Ram Year
2001
Engine
5.9L V8
Pull the cad housing in the front axle. Little actuator, passenger side. Likely where an issue would have occurred
 
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Truemagnum15

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1999
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Yes, it was in 4hi when he hot the roof. Hre took it out of 4hi ( so he thought) and headed to town). When he got app. 3 miles down the road is when it ****** and made the loud clunking sound. He figures that is when it popped out of 4hi. After that, it did not work any longer.
 

dapepper9

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Front axle, actuator housing on the passenger side. More than likely the collar popped off and possibly broke of the Eclips or the fork
 

MagSport

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Location
South Carolina
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1999
Engine
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These trucks should not be operated in four wheel drive on dry asphalt ever. Peppy is right. The collar has either popped off or there has been some failure in the axle.
These trucks don't have any kind of mechanism to allow for speed differences between front and rear axle. This can cause components in the drive train to effectively bind up if the tires are not allowed to slip (which is the case on asphalt).
 
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Truemagnum15

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Location
Washington State
Ram Year
1999
Engine
5.9L
Thank you we will check it out He did not intentionally drive on the road while in 4wd He thought it was disengaged Thanks again
 
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