lost 4 wheel drive

drove on to the beach tonight to see the stormy weather got a little stuck so selected 4 wheel drive and the light come on but still only had two wheel drive got out checked my hubs were locked on and they were (manual hubs) also unlocked the relocked just incase, managed to get unstuck some how and drove home ive had a look on the drive but only quick as its tipping it down unlocked hubs and selected 4 wheel drive and the front shaft doesn't turn but does when in two wheel drive so the transfer box seams to be working, I had a bit of a play on the stones spinning the wheels up and only the rear were spinning and not both the front does this sound like front diff as both side not working, there's no funny noises all would seam fine I would of never noticed if not needed 4x4

I could be wrong or I've read it wrong, but say if you've snapped a shaft/ broken a cv all the "power" would go through the broken side as it's an open diff ?

Hope that makes sense

sort of makes sense so if a cv half shaft or hub was broke the other wheel should spin I thought it would just act as if the wheel was in the air, say the hub spline was stripped it would spin and the other wheel wouldn't, im sure there would be some sort of noise I drove home with hubs locked and head out window and didn't hear a thing think ill just strip the lot and have a quick look regrease etc. wile im at it

I would start with taking the hubs off & make sure they are actualy locking

What happens if you put it in 4wd?
Can you rotate the front drive shaft with your hands?

no stick it in 4 wheel drive and the shaft doesn't turn 2 wheel drive it does transfer box seams fine and its a quite new rock lobster so glad that's ok

I was hoping it was just hubs but wouldn't it have to be both broke at same time its possible but surely unlikely

if 1 hub is not locking you will have no drive to any of the front wheels as its a open diff

ya that make sense I did get he farm jack on the front and jacked the lot up locked the hubs to see if I could feel a difference both felt the same but all this has been done in my drive in the dark in the rain I will be in the workshop tomorrow so can have a better look hopefully its just a hub and needs a bit of tinkering and no money spent to much latley

Sounds like its probably a hub.

Get the front off the ground completely up on axle stands. Stick the transfer box in 4wd to stop the prop spinning. Lock the hubs. Spin each wheel one at a time. They should both spin when you turn one but in opposite directions because of the diff.

If only one turns, there's a problem.

Take it out of 4wd. Leave the hubs locked. Allow one wheel to touch the ground so it can't spin. Turn the one in the air. If it causes the front prop to spin then that side is likely ok. If it doesn't there is a problem with that side. The problem is likely the hub.

There must be a guide on refurbing them on YouTube. It's only taking them apart and lightly greasing them.

The problem might be that the grease in the hubs has gone hard in the cold.

I doubt it's anything more or you'd have know the last time you were in 4wd that the rear wheels were spinning. Broken CVs often stop you steering properly.

Hope that helps.

Kirkynut

cheers ill go through that tomarrow ive had cv go on other things and don't think its a cv ive had no noise at all and still no noise cheers for the advise makes it much easyer to track down the problem

No probs. It'll be a hub I'm sure of it.

I've gone to fixed hubs so they are always locked. They don't need adapter rings and just bolt on as a lump of cast metal. Nothing to go wrong.

I know it causes drag to increase fuel consumption and wear on the front axle and blah blah blah, but hey, fuel consumption is crap anyway and I change the kingpin bearings & the oil seals and the oil so often it really makes no difference. Also I have a spare front diff and another after that would be cheap, not that the one that's in the car now will ever break. So who cares about all that stuff? Not me!

Kirkynut

I leave my hubs locked all the time only unlock them if driving far to get some were but still forget most of the time so I would say 90% locked don't know if this would cause the problem they have been locked since I went out lanning last and lkeft like it and there were defo working then