Hello everyone and thanks for having me. I'm trying to figure out how to manually put my 98 ram 1500 in 4wd, or a cheap kit to engage and disengage. I rarely use the truck. It's for hauling or snow days. I would engage myself in winter and put it back in 2wd in spring. I found a cable kit online but it was 200 dollars. I can't justify the expense. Any ideas and suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks.

 

Have a look here. Easiest fix is to make it work the way it is supposed to.

Welcome to DF!

 

That's not the easiest for me. I work 12 hrs a day 6 days a week, and I'm not gonna drop a ton of money into it. I'm all for just forcing it into 4 wheel or running a crude cable. That's easiest for me. As I said, I hardly ever drive it and only want 4 wheel drive for the winter. Anyone know how to force it into 4 wheel drive?

 

The run a single vacuum line from a source up by the manifold, down to the CAD housing inboard port. It should lock the front axle shortly after you start the motor.

 

That's a pretty good idea. Then I guess I'll know if that actuator at the axle is my problem. When it gets a little warmer and I can try it I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

I hear ya on the 'warmer' thing. It might actually make it into double digits here today, but, I am not going to hold my breath......... Of course, in the 40's by Wednesday......

 

I'm in nj and it just hit 10 degrees and no real snow expected for a while. I'll get to it this week when the balmy 40s get here. This problem reared its head the other day when it snowed. I was pissed.

 

Well of course.

Mine did that to me once as well. Seems there was moisture in the vacuum lines, that froze..... Parked it in the garage, pointed the torpedo heater at it for a while, then blew the lines out with air, end of problem.

 

The posi-lok is cheaper if you get it with out the cable. That's what I did on our truck. The axles are turning all the time anyway. You can add the cable later if you want. Part # 1100 $82.76

 

I got moisture in my lines that rusted the tube shut, No vac getting through. Replaced the lines and all is well.