4 X 4 does not stay engaged when put in park ??

1 Ram Guy · Jan 8, 2021

I have a 2016 Ram Big Horn Crew Cab 4X4 with Hemi and 3.92 gears with limited slip rear differential. My problem is that my truck will back-up (in 4X4) my steep concrete driveway with a dusting of snow on it-BUT- when I put the truck in "park" the 4X4 disengages and the truck slides down the driveway with only the rear tires sliding. I took it to my dealer and the shop foreman said that is normal (because he took a new truck off the lot and it would do the same as mine while testing on the hoist). The first time it happened I thought it was because I had it in "4 wheel auto". So I recently tried it in "4 wheel lock" with no change, so I tried it in "4 wheel Low lock", and it is still the same. Is this normal? What can I do to correct this?
I'm not positive that is from putting it in park or from opening the door to get out of the truck, (with engine running) but about the time I close the door and start walking away- the truck slides away!!

Do all brand trucks operate this way?

Could some reprograming fix this?

Thanks for any info on this.

Brandon-w · Jan 8, 2021

You have the 44-44 t case which only engages the front wheels when The back slip. These trucks also disengage the front axle and t case when shut off. It's a poor Design.

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G-Ride990 · Jan 8, 2021

Normal

The transfer case with the auto 4wd selection only engages the front wheels when the rear tires start to spin.

Few ways to fix this issue...

swap your transfer case to the 44-45

or

Reach out to Brandon here and get his 4wd over ride switch. His switch will force the Tcase to stay engaged.

Edit: beat me to it lol ^

Brandon-w · Jan 8, 2021

G-Ride990 said:
Normal

The transfer case with the auto 4wd selection only engages the front wheels when the rear tires start to spin.

Few ways to fix this issue...

swap your transfer case to the 44-45

or

Reach out to Brandon here and get his 4wd over ride switch. His switch will force the Tcase to stay engaged.

Edit: beat me to it lol ^

Though my switch may help in this situation if you are parking it and leaving it say overnight or something it will kill your battery. If you are just hopping out to do something I Beleive it will help but never really messed with the switch that specific situation.

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1 Ram Guy · Jan 8, 2021

Brandon-w,
What is the cost of the switch? I would only be using while on this driveway for short periods of time- my garage floor is level. Will this interfere with normal operation of the truck? Will it set off codes?
Thanks

corneileous · Jan 8, 2021

1 Ram Guy said:
Brandon-w,
What is the cost of the switch? I would only be using while on this driveway for short periods of time- my garage floor is level. Will this interfere with normal operation of the truck? Will it set off codes?
Thanks

Wow, I have that auto-4WD t-case also but I didn’t know it did this. I shoulda known I guess, bein that even in all modes of 4WD, the front end only starts receiving power once the back end slips.

But yeah, I hear Brandon’s switch works pretty good with no warning lights.

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kurek · Jan 8, 2021

We also have the front axle disconnect on these trucks, that prevents the front driveline and the bottom half of the transfer case from spinning while in 2wd.

I haven't actually inspected mine but are those vacuum actuated? I expect that for either transfer case, the 4wd system first spins up the front driveshaft then commands the axle connect but I'm only guessing at the mechanism they use for that.

My last 4wd vehicle had a vacuum actuated front axle disconnect but its normal state was engaged, it would only disengage when the engine was running (producing vacuum) and the transfer case was in 2wd. Any other time including while parked with the engine off it would revert to engaged.

Brandon-w · Jan 8, 2021

kurek said:
We also have the front axle disconnect on these trucks, that prevents the front driveline and the bottom half of the transfer case from spinning while in 2wd.

I haven't actually inspected mine but are those vacuum actuated? I expect that for either transfer case, the 4wd system first spins up the front driveshaft then commands the axle connect but I'm only guessing at the mechanism they use for that.

My last 4wd vehicle had a vacuum actuated front axle disconnect but its normal state was engaged, it would only disengage when the engine was running (producing vacuum) and the transfer case was in 2wd. Any other time including while parked with the engine off it would revert to engaged.

These ones are activated by an electric fork it stays engaged as long as its running and in 4x4.

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1 Ram Guy · Oct 5, 2021

Brandon-w, did you get anything figured out to fix the driveline from disconnecting 4 wheel drive when in park for me?

corneileous · Oct 5, 2021

Man, that’s weird. I wonder what the research was behind that decision to not let the truck stay in 4WD when parked.

But well, I just thought of something…. Based on Brandon’s findings when he said earlier that he found a way to keep it engaged even with the ignition off but it ran the battery dead so, you’re probably screwed because obviously the electronic clutches inside our transfer cases need power to keep them engaged so when the power gets switched off, the transfer case disengages.

But as far as to go calling that a bad design, how would you call that a bad design if those electronic clutches is what makes our auto four-wheel-drive possible? Which yeah, I get it, 4HI ad 4LO shouldn’t be anything automatic but then again, the BW 44-44 wasn’t meant for the off-road enthusiast so that’s probably why it was designed as such. As far as your sliding problem when parked, is there not a different place you can park where your truck won’t slide away when icy? I don’t know, I may be wrong but if your truck slides away with just the back wheels locked that I wouldn’t trust it to not slide away even with the front wheels were engaged.

I really don’t know what your solution would be If there’s no other place to park than on a steep slippery slope.

GTyankee · Oct 5, 2021

someone should be able to design a E-Brake for the front drive shaft
similar to what they use on some other vehicles

I seem to recall that on some of my grand dads old farm trucks
That the E-brake actually encircled the drive shaft & when that E-brake handle was pulled, the brake shoes actually clamped around the drive shaft.

I could not find an image of a 1935 Ford 3 yard farm truck e-brake

4 X 4 does not stay engaged when put in park ??

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