Advice needed please! Last winter my CDL was stuck in locked and had a horrible clicking/clanking noise when I would turn the wheels while moving. Checked the relay, fuses and switch which were all fine so I decided to remove the front drive shaft and drove it as is all summer. Everything ran fine, no noise or anything. With winter coming I dove back into the problem and found that the actuator would not run (9 volt battery test). So I got a used actuator, plugged it in and shifted into 4 lo and then installed it. The CDL is now disengaged, but will not engage when I shift into 4 lo. I can hear the actuator run, but no lights come on the dash and the front wheels do not bind up in a turn like they normally would when locked. Does anyone have any suggestions please? I've even unbolted the actuator and turned the drive gear that fits down into the transfer case by hand and the diff lock light still doesn't come on.
CDL issues (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Farmhouse
- Start date
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Sounds like you need a FSM.
click the resources tab and follow the instructions.
click the resources tab and follow the instructions.
The sensor that turns on the indicator light isn't connected to the motor circuit. The sensor is probably bad. You might be able to clean it.
i just "fixed" mine, that had similar symptoms. FWIW, i have a CDL switch but haven't completed the Pin 7 mod yet. no matter how many time i pushed the button or shifted to 4-Lo the dash light wouldn't indicate it. i did hear the relay click, and could hear the actuator under the truck.
here's what i did:
1. jacked rear axle up on jackstands, jacked up pass front wheel
2. i could rotate the front wheel with the CDL switch "off". i could NOT rotate it with it "on". so that means its "working"
3. disconnected CDL indicator switch and jumpered chassis side connector w/ paperclip. with ignition on, the CDL and ABS lights were on. progress.
4. removed the CDL switch from the tcase with a crescent wrench as i didn't have a 27mm. testing it with a multimeter was hard as the pins are recessed but i did get a reading or two that showed it working. i banged it on the ground a couple times for good measure. reinstalled and the light worked. success
but a few hours later at a traffic light i tested the CDL and the lights didn't come on. dang. but at the next light it did. i cycle it every chance i get, and its getting more reliable. but i have a Autozone #JA449 switch on standby ready to pop in if it continues to act up...which i'm sure it will.
here's what i did:
1. jacked rear axle up on jackstands, jacked up pass front wheel
2. i could rotate the front wheel with the CDL switch "off". i could NOT rotate it with it "on". so that means its "working"
3. disconnected CDL indicator switch and jumpered chassis side connector w/ paperclip. with ignition on, the CDL and ABS lights were on. progress.
4. removed the CDL switch from the tcase with a crescent wrench as i didn't have a 27mm. testing it with a multimeter was hard as the pins are recessed but i did get a reading or two that showed it working. i banged it on the ground a couple times for good measure. reinstalled and the light worked. success
but a few hours later at a traffic light i tested the CDL and the lights didn't come on. dang. but at the next light it did. i cycle it every chance i get, and its getting more reliable. but i have a Autozone #JA449 switch on standby ready to pop in if it continues to act up...which i'm sure it will.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thank you all for the info! I will work on it this weekend and report back. What I'm worried about is that it isn't just the switch. If the switch was broke then the dash light would not come on but the front wheels would still bind up in a turn when the CDL is engaged. My wheels do not bind up when CDL is engaged which has me thinking something else is wrong.
- Thread starter
- #6
I jacked up all four wheels and could spin both sides but I see now I guess I should've left one side down. But still I drove around today and could not get the front wheels to bind up like they should in a parking lot. I also jumped the the CDL switch but no lights came on. My main concern is the cdl not actually engaging. Is it possible I did not install the new actuator correctly?
I had one front wheel still down. It was a noticable difference between locked and unlocked.
But if you jumpered the chassis side of the cdl indicator switch and the light didn't turn on, you must have a burnt out bulb
But if you jumpered the chassis side of the cdl indicator switch and the light didn't turn on, you must have a burnt out bulb
