Front diff 4WD Actuator

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Richard Kim

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Posts
183
Reaction score
260
Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7 hemi
Drove my son to San Luis Pass (Galveston, TX) for a fun night of gigging. Tried to engage 4WD and the 4WD service light lit up. My son who was standing outside the truck said it sounded like crap. Sure enough a terrible grinding noise was coming from the passenger side. Got home and sure enough the plastic housing for the electronic was cracked near the metal housing. Has this happened to anyone else? No sign of something hitting the plastic housing as I rarely off road where a rock could reach the assembly. Any ways ordered OEM (68216944AA) and will install soon as it arrives. Will post pics of the damaged part when I change it out.
 

crazy jerry

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Posts
1,164
Reaction score
800
Location
WY
Ram Year
2016
Engine
6.4
if something hit it there will be obvious impact damage. the plastic main body is fairly thick. surely it cant just crack for no reason
 
OP
OP
R

Richard Kim

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Posts
183
Reaction score
260
Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7 hemi
Jerry,

I looked at it closely and it looks like the motor torqued the housing and cracked it. The new part is on the way; will take pictures of the broken unit to get a better idea of what exactly happened. Glad it happened now vs. in the middle of nowhere Big Bend National Park!
 

crazy jerry

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Posts
1,164
Reaction score
800
Location
WY
Ram Year
2016
Engine
6.4
ive not taken one apart but theres a spring in there i believe to prevent over torq
 

Gr8bawana

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Posts
1,274
Reaction score
1,059
Ram Year
2017
Engine
6.7 CTD
Jerry,

I looked at it closely and it looks like the motor torqued the housing and cracked it. The new part is on the way; will take pictures of the broken unit to get a better idea of what exactly happened. Glad it happened now vs. in the middle of nowhere Big Bend National Park!
I seriously doubt that just the act of trying to engage 4wd would crack the housing. That would mean every truck out there would break the housing when engaging 4wd because of the motor over torqueing? :rolleyes:
 

22hemi13

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Posts
3,805
Reaction score
5,795
Location
Tucson AZ
Ram Year
2014 2500 4x4
Engine
5.7
Something got lucky and smacked it. I’ve wheeled my truck hard for the last 4 years and never had an issue or even broke it on a rock. I’m very aware it’s there but it’s pretty solid. I’ve seen one truck I was wheeling with have it go bad after a creek crossing. But I think it was cracked already too. That truck was the poly performance ram and it was a quick easy fix. I wouldn’t worry to much fix and forget about it.
 
OP
OP
R

Richard Kim

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Posts
183
Reaction score
260
Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7 hemi
Pictures as promised. Surprised at the plastic gears and brushed motor.
 

Attachments

  • 957CFB35-F2A6-48F0-8AF1-260D207242EC.jpeg
    957CFB35-F2A6-48F0-8AF1-260D207242EC.jpeg
    119.8 KB · Views: 12
  • 34E920C0-065D-4895-86C2-9AD2C1111DD0.jpeg
    34E920C0-065D-4895-86C2-9AD2C1111DD0.jpeg
    166 KB · Views: 12
  • 463CDD89-C05A-4712-BC99-FC6AFD4E6B0C.jpeg
    463CDD89-C05A-4712-BC99-FC6AFD4E6B0C.jpeg
    162.3 KB · Views: 12
  • BBFDF40F-4180-4A91-AFA4-A5AE416F0728.jpeg
    BBFDF40F-4180-4A91-AFA4-A5AE416F0728.jpeg
    120.1 KB · Views: 12
OP
OP
R

Richard Kim

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Posts
183
Reaction score
260
Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7 hemi
Something got lucky and smacked it. I’ve wheeled my truck hard for the last 4 years and never had an issue or even broke it on a rock. I’m very aware it’s there but it’s pretty solid. I’ve seen one truck I was wheeling with have it go bad after a creek crossing. But I think it was cracked already too. That truck was the poly performance ram and it was a quick easy fix. I wouldn’t worry to much fix and forget about it.
It was an easy fix. Got the OEM part for $400 and it took 10 minutes (4 10mm bolts and a connector).
 

crazy jerry

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Posts
1,164
Reaction score
800
Location
WY
Ram Year
2016
Engine
6.4
oe part is only 125 at cm gearworks. did you take apart the piece that has the fork ? wondering if theres a spring on both sides. is that a hole at the red arrow ?


463CDD89-C05A-4712-BC99-FC6AFD4E6B0C.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Top