I have a '89 Dakota 4x4 and also a '98 4x4. On my '89, when the transfer case is in 4x2 mode, the front driveshaft is free and can be turned by hand. On my '98, I was just under it a day or so ago and I noticed that although the transfer case is in 4x2 mode, I cannot turn the front driveshaft by hand. Is that the way it is supposed to be? Was there a design change different from the '89 or could there be a front actuator problem going on? I had to replace the vacuum switch on my '89 (the switch at the transfer case with the 4 vacuum fittings) because the 4x4 light would not go off.


Any help please

 

That's just how it should be.

There is no actuator on the 2nd gen Dakota. The entire front drivetrain rotates all the time. All the transfer case does is disconnect the front prop shaft from the transmission.

When you tried to turn the driveshaft you were trying to move the truck.

 

Thank you DakDan for answering. I was afraid something wasn't right. I can't believe that Dodge couldn't have come up with a better way or should I say a way at all to keep all of that upfront stuff from turning all of the time. To me that seems like a step backwards from the Gen 1 trucks where you can disconnect the from driveshaft from the CV axles. But what do I know.

 

I don't know, sometimes simple is better.

Doesn't help the mileage though.

 

Yeah but that setup is the reason you have shift on the fly and don't have to get out and lock your hubs.

Either way is better to me than the auto lock hubs that were around for a while (I had them on an old Toyota) they were terrible.

 

I had a Chevy Suburban with those. I took them off, threw them as far as I could, and replaced them with Warn manual hubs.