hi all;

ever since i bought my '97 ram 1/2 t 4x4 this past spring, the 4x4 never worked...the transfer case engaged but the front driveshaft just spun...
last friday i went and bought the vacuum switch that goes on the transfer case, the elec switch that operates the light on the dash and mounts on the front axle, and the actuator for the front axle...
i replaced the vacuum switch first and tried it, nothing...so i replaced the actuator and while i had it off i replaced the elec switch for the light...

now the 4x4 works, the actuator was the problem...but no dash light.

now when i first got the truck i took the dash apart and replaced all light bulbs so i know the bulb is good...

any ideas where the elec problem is between the switch and the dash light?

i will also add, tho i don't know if it is on the same circuit, but the cruise has never worked, and the horn works sometimes...

anyone else had this problem and were successful in tracing it?

thanks as always...

 

Sometimes, if there is a small hole in the vacuum lines going from the tcase to the actuator, it wont have enough vacuum to completely engage the switch. The way the switch works (if you didnt know) is the vacuum is applied and moves the fork over, the fork pushes the little switch inside and activates it. So, although you have 4x4, maybe vacuum isnt good enough or the fork doesnt slide over enough.

Hope this helps.

 

http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/repair/..._engagment.htm

 

^ha, i've posted that link a million times. you beat me to it today.

on the drivers side end of the cad is an electrical connector. unplug it and spray it with wd40 to get all the mud and crud out. if you jumper those 2 wires, the 2wd light on the dash will illuminate. if so, then your wiring and bulb is good. if not, you have a wiring problem.

assuming this is good, then the switch screws into the end of the cad, and when it all slides over, the cad shaft closes that contact switch.