Read the manual and was doing everything right it just took more force than I think it should to change from locked to unlocked. I love the truck just wish I could find a brush guard that is not as rusted out as bad as mine! 1wd sucks and I will be buying a detroit locker. I think I found one off egay for $549 shipped new!

 

Check with Justin at www.lucky8llc.com for your locker. He had them on sale for $488 I think it is.

 

If I can't switch from Hi to Hi Locked and Low to Low Locked does that mean it's my linkage thing? I briefly skimmed over all the previous threads over this topic and sorry for asking already answered questions. I've heard to PB Blast the linkage under the front passenger side, AntiChrist telling people to look at his pics for tearing the entire CDL apart, and also that a solenoid under my shifter and on my t-case needs to be taken out or something along those lines. Also how easy should shifting from Hi to Low be? When I am in Neutral it takes a little bit of work, I shift out of Hi trying to get into Low and it won't shift all the way up so I am stuck in Neutral. But once I stop give it a break and try again 90% of the time it will pop in no problem.

 

Did you click on the picture albums in my signature. If you take the time to look at them, you will see the entire linkage piece by piece as I disassembled first the little box on the top, then removal of the clevis pins and such down the entire linkage to the very bottom pivot. Mine had severe corrosion all the way. I took apart the top box and lubed it really good. I replaced all the little pieces in the actual linkage due to it being severely stuck with corrosion. Finally to actually move that bottom triangular piece, I placed a socket on the center nut, using extensions on a speedhandle to reach it from above. When I rotated the socket in a loosening direction, the piece moved and actually moved the shifter handle.

That engaged the CDL. However, the light did not come on. The plunger on the CDL switch had frozen in place. I had to replace the switch to get the light to come on.

Go to Rovers North website and you can see each and every part, part number and price.

Until you get in there and visually examine it, you do not know how severe the problem may be. You may get lucky with some spray. You could also damage the linkages if you apply too much force.

Mine works very smoothly as it should after my complete teardown and reconditioning. Do whatever you choose, it is yours to do with as you so desire.

 

Have a friend wiggle the t-case shifter while you are under the truck, no need for the engine to be running.
You will see the linkage move, spray that with your favorite pen/lube.
Now try and shift hi to lo.
Repeat as needed.
You only need to remove the solenoid if you cannot shift into low at all.

 

I am not really a fan of totally deleting the solenoid as some people strong advocate. Maybe to troubleshoot or for an emergency, but if you totally remove it you have removed a safety feature they thought was advisable to include.

Some people may claim that they don't need it but if they ever allow anyone else to drive it, what is to prevent them from an inadvertant downshift into LOW while cruising or if you are wheeling and go to lock the CDL you may accidently downshift without intending to. It is there to prevent accidental downshifting. Why would you want to permanently disable that function?

Depending upon the degree of degradation/wearn in the linkage a good spraying may restore it. If it does not, then removal of the console is usually required to fully correct the problem. I would never force it or leave it in the engaged position as some people have advocated drivng it like that to "see if it does finally engage". You may regret such actions.

 

I leave it in Hi Unlocked, for ALL my driving. I used Low once, when I went into a big field and played with the diff SLOWLY. I never knew it could be locked xD and now I'm about to un-corrode the shifter xD
Well tmr.. hopefully along with taking a look at the diff finally!