Would the Front Differential Actuator click when its motor is struggling? (1 Viewer)

[slickrock]

Hi All,

It's been a long time for me to return to the Forum. Glad to be back. and I searched first before posting.

Anyway, my son was using my 2007 during high school and I have it back now that he left for the Navy. I was doing a "systems check" to see what he did to the poor thing. I was on soft, loose dirt/mud and engaged 4 Low and heard clicking in front (not CVs). All lights on the dash were normal and it engaged fine, but would the front diff actuator make a clicking noise if the electric motor might be going out? It seemed to engage 4 high and 4 low fine with A-trac and the locker working as it should, but this damn front-end clicking was going on when I was moving or not.

Ideas?

Thanks,

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[BMThiker]

The actuator shouldn't be always "on" when in 4wd. It's a momentary movement that engages or disengages. Perhaps the actuator was removed from the axle housing and something inside the diff shifted (engagement collar, something might be off. If the actuator was reinstalled while the collar was halfway in or out, it might cause noise or to happen. The shift fork in the actuator assembly needs to engage that collar when it goes back on and it's pretty apparent when it does or doesn't. I am doubtful that is what's wrong, just a theory.

I would put the truck on jack stands or a lift and test all 4wd modes again to see if you can reproduce the noise. Maybe remove the actuator assembly and see what it does when you go from 2HI to 4HI (assuming this is an auto trans).