Hello All, I am a new owner of 2nd ger Ram2500 Cummins with 6 speed manual transmission



. I was looking to do service on actuator and I cant find it, I looked around on passenger side front axle and there is nothing there. Is it a 2wd model that was sold as 4x4 to me???

 

In your last pic there, it should have been on that passenger side axle tube, but, it's not there. Likely you have an earlier axle, before the vacuum actuator. (or late model, that also did not have it.) Jack up the front of the truck, and spin the passenger side tire. The drivers side should turn the opposite direction, or, the driveshaft to the front should turn. The dash indicator likely won't work, as the switch for it was in the front axle actuator housing.....

 

Last run Dana 60 didn't have it, first time seeing one on a 2001, as I've had two 02 6speed trucks, one had it, one didn't. Both my 01 trucks had em, they were autos though. So ime not sure what conditions on a build sheet would give you a disconnect versus not. Consider yourself lucky, and grease your front driveshaft and/or get it rebuilt

 

Thank you so much all for helping me understand this situation. It is an 02, Date of manufacture is 06/02. People always confuse this with 3rd gen that's why I put an 01 in. @dodgetruck2 thank you for your knowledge on the subject and helping out.

How do you know that the front axle needs to be greesed or rebuilt? Sorry I am so new to this truck and any truck... honestly, a lot to learn on my side.

 

Thank you so much @HeyYou for your prompt answer, I was going crazy looking for it... So how does it engage 4x4 mode? I am sorry for confusion, people mixed up my truck when I said that it was an 02, they mixed it with 3rd gen, so I put 2001 ram 2500, mine was made on 6/2002.

Any word of advice on my setup? What to watch for or what to rebuild? Like @dodgetruck2 suggested? I am a newbie to trucks so any advice or words of wisdom are greatly apreciated... Thank you so much for being super helpful.

 

The front stuff is engaged all the time, you get 4wd when you put the t-case in some flavor of 4wd. (hi or lo) When you are in 2wd, the stuff up front just kinda freewheels. I don't know if they had some other method of turning on the 4x4 light in the dash on the 02 trucks. Don't have a manual for them, and never had a chance to play with one. Does the 4x4 light test when you first turn the ignition on?

 

Thank you so much for your explanation. When I turn it on, the light that stays on is 4WD lock is on. I found some 2001 service manuals but they all talk about vacuum line ones, nothing about 2002 without vacuum controlled 4x4 engagement... Do you or anyone else might have a 2nd gen 2002 dodge ram service manual?

 

I haven't seen one...... They are likely available in PDF format for pretty cheap on EBay, and other like places, ever even from the Publisher. (Bishko, I think it is.)

On yours, if the front axle hasn't been changed, I would expect the switch for the 4x4 light is probably in the same place the vacuum switch would be, on trucks that actually HAVE the actuator.

 

First picture on the first post, you can actually see the wire and connector for the 4wd light switch above the CV-joint.

 

Yup. You are indeed correct.