4x4 problems.

Hi all, got my jimny into a sticky situation today. I was driving through the yard and then I entered a field with a large deep muddy patch in the gate hole, which I thought was dry. I managed to get into the field but as I was leaving I got stuck in this soft muddy spot ( perfect time to try low box) I selected normal 4WD and then 4L which is the sequence you have to do on my 06 plate. I heard the hubs lock in but when I started to drive the front wheels were not spinning only the rear ones. The light was on the dash that 4 wheel high and low were engaged. In the end I was pulled out by the manitou. Any suggestions and common problems that people have have before on a 2006 jimny. 
cheers will

The usual things that the hubs didn’t engage. The green light on the dash will light steady f a vacuum was detected and the transfer box goes in to four wheel drive. However, if like my 2011 the vac lines becomes blocked or the hubs don’t engage you still get a steady green light.

The way to tell is jack one front wheel up, put the car in 4wd and see if the wheel locks, rock it a few times in case it is stuck on the diff.

If it does lock try turning the front drive shaft by hand, it shouldn’t turn in 4wd, but will in 2wd. Repeat for the other wheel.

My vac hubs seemed to fail off road, then I would do that test, they would be ok, but finally the vac line was well and truly blocked and I went to manual hubs.

Robin

Just had it up on the jack, and put in on low box, the front wheels were still able to spin even in 4 wheel. I’m not sure what to try now.

Sounds like a transfer box issue possibly. With the front wheels up did turning one cause the other to spin the opposite direction?

Put it in 4WD (engine ticking over in neutral, handbrake on) and jack up one front wheel.
Try and rotate it, it shouldn't rotate.

If it does rotate

See if the front prop is rotating. If it is, the transfer box isn't in 4WD

If it isn't  switch off and touch nothing.

Grasp the front prop and try and rotate it, if it is in 4WD it won't move and the transfer is fine.

So either the hubs aren't locked, or a CV is blown. (or the diff I suppose...)

Whip the hub off the jacked up wheel, and check it was in 4WD. You can tell because the splined centre won't rotate. If it rotates there is a fault with the vacuum circuit, then you can use your finger to pull the slidey bit outwards into 4WD. Oh so carefully put it back so as not to knock it back into 2WD.

Whip the hub off the on the floor wheel, and check it is in 4WD. If it wasn't there is a fault with the vacuum circuit. Don't put it back yet.

Get someone to rotate the jacked up wheel.
You should see the end of the CV rotate. If it doesn't then a CV has gone. If it does, put the hub carefully back on and check that you now can't rotate the wheel.

If the front prop rotates the transfer isn't going into 4WD
If the both hubs weren't locked, fault with vacuum system.
If the hubs were locked, and the wheel rotates but the propshaft doesn't, blown CV or diff.

If it is a CV, most likely the one with the shortest driveshaft, RHS.