Hello Fellow Dodge fans.

I recently purchased a 1996 Ram1500 4x4 for my son.. first mistake was I trusted the guy and bought site unseen... but anyway when we got it home we got messing around and noticed the four wheel drive would not engage. I looked it up and noticed the vacuum actuator. .. we havent had time to mess with it when he was backing it into the shop and turned sharp and the front end started popping and clunking. It looked likr it was jumping a little to like the four wheel drive was engaged and binding.. I havent had time too pull the front wheels and tear into it yet (mainlycause he lost the key for the wheel locks)

 

You sir are posting in the wrong section... this is for 2002-2009 Dodge Rams....

 

Wrong section, but based on what you're saying, it could be a number of things. Pull the diff cover first, and make sure the spider gears aren't Lincoln locked. Also, maybe the previous owner put a lunchbox locker in there (they have a tendency to ratchet and pop). Next, I would dig into the vacuum actuator.

 

check front outer u joints. I believe that you have a solid axle.

 

Either engaged in 4wd or the u-joints are rusted solid (shot).

 

I think your four wheel drive is working. If you have it in four wheel drive and youre on dry pavement or even gravel and turn sharp, its going to hop and maybe pop. It does that because the tires are turning at different speeds when turning sharp.