Front locker not engaging

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pufft

pufft

Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Threads
56
Messages
159
Location
Asheville NC
When I turn the magic switch the rear engages. I can hear the worm gear (sound and duration). When the front is tuned on I can hear the exact same sound and duration of but no locking. Ive spent time in a hay field driving in figure 8's for what seems like hours but no results.
 
Pufft, what year is yours? what are the lights on the dashboard doing when you lock? is the front locker actuator a recent install?
 
izzyandsue said:
Pufft, what year is yours? what are the lights on the dashboard doing when you lock? is the front locker actuator a recent install?
Click to expand...
It's a 95. The rear engages and goes to a solid light the front continues to flash. I replaced the gear while changing out outer seals today. Went back to the grassy field and did figure 8's again and no go. The elocker is factory. Haven't messed with the actuator yet due to the fact I hear it turning and I'm intimidated to much to mess with it.
 
Okay, that helps. Has the front actuator been removed and reinstalled? My recommendation is to get the truck up on 4 jackstands and verify locking that way. Ignition on only (not engine running), neutral, 4 low, then engage lockers and move the wheels by hand back and forth a little to make sure it is not locking for certain. Front flash could be the part present switch is old and dirty, easy fix. Or the front actuator was installed without the front being locked and the actuator in the locked position.
There are quite a few posts for both conditions. I found in my case the actuator was installed incorrectly.
 
Thank you. That makes since about the bad switch and it would also make my day! I will do that today. Thanks for your help.
 
put it up on jack stands and unfortunately its not just a bad switch. That would have been easy. Well here we go time to do some studying and reading. Thanks for all the help.
 
A few more things that could still make this easy; so up on jackastands, no locking up front, correct? And you can hear the little motor whirr when you turn the switch, correct? That was the same symptoms I had in mine. The fix came from:
  1. All 4 wheels on jackstands, key on ignition, neutral, 4Low, lock it up, turn the rear wheel until lock, turn the front wheel just in case
  2. Key to off position
  3. Remove front locker actuator after unplugging it
  4. Key ignition on, plug actuator so you can verify the gear rotates, if it doesnt work, you need a rebuild or new one
  5. If it works, continue with 6
  6. Look in the hole where little gear goes in, using large flat screwdriver push the gear teeth to the left (driver side) while slowly rotating the front wheel. See the pic on my post, you want the farthest right teeth aligned with the middle of the hole
  7. now plug in actuator that is still powered up into hole, and install all bolts
  8. go back up to cabin and do a couple of on/offs and verify it works.
For me the most difficult part was removing the actuator until Rice (another ONSC club member) told me to use a rubber mallet to tap it out, then it was very simple to reset a poorly installed actuator. Read through the post in case you need to do the 9 volt battery seting of the gear.
 
Last edited:
izzyandsue said:
. Front flash could be the part present switch is old and dirty, easy fix. .
Click to expand...

My truck does the same thing - front locker indicator keeps flashing. If it were the switch as you mentioned - are you referring to the actual locker switch that I am turning on the dash? And is the fix to remove and clean the contacts?

Thanks!
 
That could be it for you, but in his case I was referring to the lock indicator sensor. See post #80 here Izzy's amateur hour. There are a few threads on how to clean that sensor. But his was flashing and he can hear the motor turning, the front wheels do not lock and the dash light flashes.
If your front actuator motor is not turning, could be the solenoid or the motor is dead. Mine was a dead motor. The solenoid you can hear if you are in a quiet spot, when you turn the rear locker you should hear a click sound in the cabin, then the whirrrr of the motor back there. Then turn the front and you should hear the same again for the front.
If you dont hear the front click in the cabin, could be the solenoid is faulty or not getting power.

In my case, a new actuator was installed incorrectly by specialist, has to be installed in the lock position. Once I removed and reinstalled correctly per FSM, works perfectly.
 
Sorry to hijack the thread but does anyone know the correct replacement spring for the electrical brush in the front locker actuator?

I appear to have misplaced one :/
 
My front locker wouldn't engage when I first tried to use it, but like yours sounded like it was working. Often times the fork rod gets gummed up and won't slide in and out. On the outboard side of the housing you will see a 2-bolt cap with a bulge between them. Just take that off and, with the lockers actuated, push on the rod inside the bore to free it up. Mine took a little tapping to unstick it, but then moved freely on its own. The way I understand the front locker, the motor just winds up the spring which applies tension to the rod/fork. If the rod is stuck but the motor works fine, the spring will load up but may not move the fork until you apply some additional force at the end of the rod. Takes very little time to try FWIW. It's the least fancy troubleshooting that usually works. Hope this helps. Good luck.
 
Its alive! shaft was froze up. The motor was turning but just the spring. Had to soak it an pursued it with a vice and pipe wrench but back in business.
 
izzyandsue said:
A few more things that could still make this easy; so up on jackastands, no locking up front, correct? And you can hear the little motor whirr when you turn the switch, correct? That was the same symptoms I had in mine. The fix came from:
  1. All 4 wheels on jackstands, key on ignition, neutral, 4Low, lock it up, turn the rear wheel until lock, turn the front wheel just in case
  2. Key to off position
  3. Remove front locker actuator after unplugging it
  4. Key ignition on, plug actuator so you can verify the gear rotates, if it doesnt work, you need a rebuild or new one
  5. If it works, continue with 6
  6. Look in the hole where little gear goes in, using large flat screwdriver push the gear teeth to the left (driver side) while slowly rotating the front wheel. See the pic on my post, you want the farthest right teeth aligned with the middle of the hole
  7. now plug in actuator that is still powered up into hole, and install all bolts
  8. go back up to cabin and do a couple of on/offs and verify it works.
For me the most difficult part was removing the actuator until Rice (another ONSC club member) told me to use a rubber mallet to tap it out, then it was very simple to reset a poorly installed actuator. Read through the post in case you need to do the 9 volt battery seting of the gear.
Click to expand...
Man, you’re the best. Saved me a huge headache following your steps. Thanks.
 
BigRedFJ80 said:
Man, you’re the best. Saved me a huge headache following your steps. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Armchair quarterback here to point out a glaring error.

Step 6 is and has always been :beer:

THEN carry on. Renumber appropriately for best results. 👍
 
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