Question about our 4x4 on our trucks

[JinxCanada]

so today I got stuck in the snow. I put my truck in lock 4x4 mode...but my front wheels weren't spinning. shouldn't they be locked and spinning even if they are off the ground? Even in 4x4 low they weren't working. I'm confused...can someone explain this to me? is there something wrong with my 4x4 or is it working as intended?

 

[Seth_5.7]

so today I got stuck in the snow. I put my truck in lock 4x4 mode...but my front wheels weren't spinning. shouldn't they be locked and spinning even if they are off the ground? Even in 4x4 low they weren't working. I'm confused...can someone explain this to me? is there something wrong with my 4x4 or is it working as intended?

Did you try 4x4 auto? That leaves your truck in 2wd untill it senses slippage and then engages the front 2 wheels

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[JinxCanada]

Did you try 4x4 auto? That leaves your truck in 2wd untill it senses slippage and then engages the front 2 wheels

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yes I tried everything. just the back wheels kept spinning and dug me in further. I did finally get out in 4x4 low...but the front wheels never seemed to engage and spin.

 

[Seth_5.7]

yes I tried everything. just the back wheels kept spinning and dug me in further. I did finally get out in 4x4 low...but the front wheels never seemed to engage and spin.

Hmm. Very strange, maybe someone else here has some input on that

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[sbarron]

That definitely sounds like something is amiss. Should be readily apparent when you're in 4WD.

 

[Ramitiner]

Even in 4wd low?

 

[crash68]

I'm going to guess you have the BW 44-44 transfer case(if you have the "Auto 4X4" button), this is one of those situations where the transfer case fell on it's face. It's possible if both your rear wheels spinning, that the truck never "commanded" full power to the front wheels (just speculation).
There may be a problem with your transfer case as you would think it would engage the front wheels in Low range.

 

[muddy12]

Check out the thread titled “how does auto4x4 work/what does it do?”

It’s almost 20pages about how the 44-44 T-case works.
If your front wheels weren’t spinning at all, then something is wrong(axle disconnect frozen, clutches worn, etc...).
However, the 44-44 case does not actually “lock” the drive shafts together like a traditional case would.


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[S0CAL]

I may get shot for this, but this is how I engage 4L: I put truck in neutral, shift to 4L, cover brake, shift into reverse, foot off brake, then back on. I then move it to Drive, and "boom" 4L is engaged.

Dunno if that helps, but hope you get it squared away.

 

[huron519strong]

Any solutions yet?
My truck did the same thing a few days ago , all options tried , was stuck in the mud and my front tires did not spin they were clean !

Although I swear when I put my truck in 4wd on these snowy days it makes a difference .
Looking for some help from the ram fam before chasing parts


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[JinxCanada]

ya when I drive in the snow and put into either 4x4 auto or 4x4 lock I am 100% positive im' in 4 wheel drive, however, today it sure didn't work. like I said I did manage to get out but I was SHOCKED that my wheels weren't spinning in the front...only the back. It was frustrating to say the least. I'll do some more research and if needs be go get it checked out. thanks for the help guys. any other information you can give would be great. I bought a truck to have 4x4 not to get stuck in snow!

 

[cbsmith]

You have something wrong with your truck. In any 4x4 mode the front wheels should spin when the back wheels are, it may take a second if you are in 4 Auto, but other than that at least one front wheel should spin.

 

[ColdCase]

Ya, something wrong, sounds like perhaps the transfer case clutches are burned out or its chain is broken as most any other thing should throw a code and service 4WD message.

 

[huron519strong]

ya when I drive in the snow and put into either 4x4 auto or 4x4 lock I am 100% positive im' in 4 wheel drive, however, today it sure didn't work. like I said I did manage to get out but I was SHOCKED that my wheels weren't spinning in the front...only the back. It was frustrating to say the least. I'll do some more research and if needs be go get it checked out. thanks for the help guys. any other information you can give would be great. I bought a truck to have 4x4 not to get stuck in snow!

Let us know what you find my truck is doing 110% what you described , I’m fairly positive it works in snow


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[ColdCase]

You know, if the front axle disconnect fails to engage (lock the two axle shafts), you may get something like this.

 

[jasonw]

I have found with the 44-44, sometimes you have to coax it. I hit snow once, and spun and spun the rear tires. Created a little extra strain on the drivetrain by turning the steering wheel slightly, and BAM, 4x4 engaged. I also found that it won't engage if you give it too much power to quickly. If I slowly increase power and take it slow, 4x4 engages.

Do I like these extra steps to get it to work? No. However, to get the nicer options I like in a truck (Longhorn edition), I don't have any other options, unfortunately. It does work for me the majority of the time, so I call myself fortunate.

 

[01Ram2500]

After reading this thread, I went out to my truck to practice putting it in 4WD. Then I remembered it is a 2WD. Getting old is no fun. I do remember the good old days with my 2001 Ram 2500 4x4. When the going got tough, I just reached down and pulled the 4WD lever. In 4 wheel drive first time every time!!

 

[Casper]

At least we don't have locking hubs. What a pain that used to be. If you didn't know it was coming, or plan ahead you had to jump down into the soup to rotate the left, wade over to the right and rotate that one. Swim back to the driver's side, claw your way up out of the muck, slime up the inside of the cab, then shift the lever to get front traction.

 

[01Ram2500]

At least we don't have locking hubs. What a pain that used to be. If you didn't know it was coming, or plan ahead you had to jump down into the soup to rotate the left, wade over to the right and rotate that one. Swim back to the driver's side, claw your way up out of the muck, slime up the inside of the cab, then shift the lever to get front traction.

Yeah, had the manual locking hubs on a 1979 Bronco. What a pain. Fortunately did not have them on the 2001 Ram.

 

[VA10]

based on that description.....something is wrong. regardless of it being a 44-45 or a 44-44 transfer case.