To clear up any doubt all 2002 dodge rams did not have an actuator it was constantly locked as yours will be if you do this mod! They also share the 241 style transfer case!
1500’s came with 231 cases. 2500/3500’s came with 241/241HD cases. Secondly, the 2002 1500’s may have been “constantly locked” but not the 2500/3500’s.
@@adriananoelle4699 02 2500 and 3500 were constantly locked the axles don’t have a spot for the actuator. That’s why every one wants an 02 axle. Unlike the 94-01
This video just saved a 96 3/4 ton gasser's life. Went down to the back of the property just now, and it's on a grassy slope, anyways the 4x4 WOULD NOT KICK IN, but luckily it started raining while I was underneath it looking for any broken VACUUM lines...... Watched this, and in 10 minutes it's fixed. No more finger crossing. Awesome video and thanks!
98 2500 12V. Such a great mod! And here I was, getting ready to pull out the transfer case actuator switch(which is a pain in the Ass!). I watched your video and did it. Works great! Just wished I'd seen this before I bought the parts. Lol. Thanks man!
I’m a mechanic on a ranch ranch in NV. I work on these trucks a lot. The front Driveshaft always spins because the front driver side wheel has an axel that is always connected to the carrier in the front diff (Roll out the factory like that). It free spins the drive shaft cuz the wheels are rotating. All this is doing is making the passenger side the same. Guys it’s a good fix and I just wanted to clear up the confusion.
For one no the drive shaft doesn't spin when the passenger side is unlocked if it does spin its very very minimal and not at vehicle speed. This is not a long term solution. Been there done that and last at best a couple of years before the double cardan joint goes out. Also your spinning the transfer case chain and front drive components needlessly and driving them from the wrong side. This also causes excessive chain wear and stretch resulting in loss of 4x4 and a due to lubrication issues usually means replacing rather than rebuilding the transfer case. Be smart spend the 100$ on the cable operated setup and save yourself 1000s$ and many unnecessary repairs. This is from many years experience with these trucks and actually using them plowing inevitably they all get seized in 4x4
Thank god someone figured that out. I just got my 2500. Never seen a vacuum system on a 4x4. Definitely not needed. I'm going to do this. Should clean up all the clutter. Thanks!
On the rear diff yoke nut. Set your truck on the ground and put a 36" pipe wrench on the yoke where the ujoints go to (the big square part) then take a breaker bar with the socket and put it on the yoke nut. Then take a floor jack and put it under the end of the breaker bar. Then jack the truck up till the nut breaks loose. Worked on my 2000 3500 dually Dodge ram. Works great and you won't pull a muscle trying by hand.
Thank you sir. Straight forward and to the point. Excellent fix for my 1999 2500. With the 8.0 liter and 410 gears I doubt I’ll see any difference in mpg. Worked great for me. Just finished up. Thanks again.
I am looking to this to my 1999 2500, cummins truck , due to transfer cases not matching, the 99 uses 4 vacuum lines and the 2001 tcase uses a two pin electrical connection, do you have any pointers that may not have been in the video above
great video and mod thank you. kinda off the beaten path here but, with the passenger side axle split and the other direct drive there has to be all kinds of excess wear on the spider gears in the rear end. this would definitely put an end to that which is a real good thing. full time 4wd has been accomplished through the front axle always engaged and locking in at the transfer case in the good ol' days anyway. that's why manual lock out and automatic hubs became a great addition to that type of set up. thanks again for your time and effort.
With the driveshaft and the passenger side shaft disengaged, the left front wheel won't be able to spin the carrier at full speed. GM and Mopar both used this method. It works well when all the components are working. It also helps the lifespan of the front axle u joints. Spider gears won't wear that unevenly when under no load.
🤟 the posilock kit is trash im stoked i found this before pitting the old system back on. Posilock kits actuator got a bend in it, wedged the collar partially engaged and chewed my inner axle shaft.
Excellent video! I’m tired of hoping it will lock in when I need it , I’ve caught and torn my vacuum lines on sticks ect. ( I actually use my 4 wheel drive)it sucks when the actuator won’t suck 😆. The only down side of this is you will have increased front tire wear , and possibly a little less mpg.To me it’s totally worth it to know when I pull back the transfer lever I WILL have 4 wheel drive .....
Done 3 yrs ago on a daily n honestly haven't noticed a difference. Except when I go into 4wd its instant. Yesterday was stuck on hill on ice. Stop. 4wd n she moved soon as i released the brake
I’m in Jacksonville North Carolina funny thing is my 97 dodge ram 2500 12 valve you worked on it before the previous owner had taken it to you. I purchased it last June and have had it ever since I actually still have one of your stickers in the truck. Thanks for this video. The four-wheel-drive was working in it and now it is not. Hopefully this video helps. The name of the previous owner his name was david If I’m not mistaken, you adjusted the bands in the transmission for him.
Thanks for doing this. Worked well on my 99 1500. I Like it alot better then the vacuum system, The 4x4 light wont come on dude to the switch not being pushed by the vacuum but if you know your truck and feel the 4x4 turn on you will be fine. I did keep all the vacuum lines intact so there's no vacuum problems. Good video man helped alot 👍
@@EvanTownsend ah yes but also the front driveshaft will spin constantly so i don’t want that. I fixed mine it was the actuator not a vacuum line thank God
Cool! Didnt know there was a difference between 01 and 02 axles. Mine is an 01, and with the 4wd not working and snow coming, i will definitely be doing this mod today!
Thank you I had my motor replaced by a complete idiot and all my vacuum lines lead to no where now that I work on all my own shit I couldn't figure out my 4x4 issue and u just solved it so tkx a ton.
@Mr.DIY69 the shifter. So the only thing that happened when you switch the actuator U bolt around. Is you lock your axle to spin full time. There's no power to it until you shift into 4wd. So the shift gets you back to 2 wheel drive. Easy money.
Just bought my first dodge. 99 ram 2500 flatbed dump. Tuned with an intake and straight pipe. LOVE IT With tune on mileage I get crazy mpg to it's nuts.
Worked for me....just did this a few hours ago...i disconnected the 4wd light switch but ol well...took is for a test drive and all turned out good...in and out of 4wd easy.... 1997 2500 12v :)
Thank bro for the help I searched to do this and your video came up I have a 1998 2500 ram I live in Wisconsin the vacuum hose stop holding after replacing them it worked for a few years but now it keep kicking out the front locks its a work Truck not driven very much so I wanted to do this with out adding the locking cable thks🍺
With my '99 2500, I've still got good vacuum pulling through each line at the axle, so my actuator itself has failed. With everything upstream still good, I'll probably try my luck with an el cheapo replacement actuator and see how long that works. In the meantime, I moved the shaft lock collar by hand to lock the axle shafts together for working 4x4 when I need it. It should stay put without the shift forks installed, as I already removed the failed actuator motor from the housing. In my case, sliding the collar fully inboard as shown in the video did not provide 4x4 with the t-case engaged. For me, that was no different than having the collar slid all the way outboard in typical 2 HI mode. I found that the collar needs to be positioned so that an equal amount of splines are visible on each shaft with the lock collar basically centered evenly between them.
Nice job buddy what an awesome 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 also what an incredible job for the installation for showing how to go from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive really cool and interesting installation I love Diesel Trucks so much I’ve always loved them since I was little so I’m a big supporter for all Diesel Trucks and also Lifted trucks too keep on making great videos you rock buddy
I’ve changed those double u joints on both my 99s they are a pain to to I used hammer sockets and a vice to do it. Never have had to use a press with any u joints I’ve done.
@@dirtydiamonddiesel5901 if it saves you 500 bucks it's worth the time. And it's not that hard. I've Done mine a couple times. Have over a half million miles on the ol truck and still going. Considering the mod in this video. Making sure there's no downside to it first. 👍
@@allanbarr5186 used that for a bit but the adjustment is finicky. Locked the front together yrs ago. Shoulda saved my money n just did that from the beginning
They do make manual hubs for 01. It's obviously aftermarket and I am not sure what the cost is but if you can afford it I would change differentials to something stronger. The 2 piece axle setup doesn't seem very strong. I have a 2001 dodge ram 1500 4x4 slt and I want to upgrade my differentials to something stronger and lockers, manual hubs on the front. I definitely want to get ride of standard front differential because of the 2 piece axle.
So by doing that does that mean you're always in four wheel drive? Or does it just mean that the axle is already locked so that when you engage the four wheel drive you don't have to count on the vacuum system to lock it in?
With the tcase not locked it's still in 2wd you will have extra rolling resistance because your spinning the entire diff and drive shaft not just the hubs so Gass milage would almost be the same as if you where in 4 high...
I ask bcoz my brother has a Ram 2013 Cummins and hated the way it handled in 2 wheel. Ended up installing pricey after market lockout hubs and loved the results. Understand we are 65 and 82 and can’t get our heads around why the engineers feel it is such a great idea to have all that gear running putting added stress on bearings and other front end parts. I do understand your thinking, I wouldn’t want to rely on the weak link actuator either.
So then what do you do with the vacuum lines that were running to that actuator? Do you still have to have a vacuum line running to your transfer case correct?
I appreciate the video . I just had a g56 installed in my 95 4x4 and all of the vacuum hoses to the t case look like they need replaced. The truth is Dodge deleted the cad later on . So I don't see a down side to this I don't remember exactly which year the cad I'd gone 2002 or 1 . At any rate I have planned on using a 2002 I think in my truck with 3 Gen brakes.. I never knew what the reason behind the cad was . Must have not been a reason to continue with it
The vacuum system is a poor design. Running a cable lock or permanent lock type of system that can be purchased is the best route. Then there’s this by keeping it simple and swapping the fork on the other side of the clip. Ingenious! There’s no additional wear. My old CJ5 operated the same as his does now and I had lockers. No additional wear, unless you don’t keep up with lubrication maintenance. All he has addressed is getting rid of the Stone Age 4wd system and making it something that virtually all 4wd trucks now have. No need to keep fixing something that will break again. Make it better.
I installed dynatrac locking hubs on my ram 2500 if I put actuator in lock position and have my hubs unlocked my front axle shouldn’t turn? Or am I wrong
You can purchase a setup that will manually lock in the four wheel drive for 150 dollars. They sell them on Amazon. There are videos on TH-cam showing how to do it. It will save you wear on your tires and front driveline parts. You can also get locking hubs to completely disconnect the 4x4.
I just put on a new actuator (number two to replace the1 year old one) I started sucking gear oil in the diaphragm into the vacuum lines. Never saw that before. I'll be doing this mod next if it happens again! How does the cable conversion work? is it worth it? -97 3500 4 wd CTD with 5 speed
@@jerrywaynemarshall8503 front axle will be permanently locked. Front driveshaft will permanently spin. You will not have power to the front wheels until you manually shift into 4wd. This bypasses vacuum and electrical. Pretty fkn cool if you ask me
AAHHH MAN!!! LOL!!! THIS VIDEO JUST SAVED ME HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FROM HAVING TO POSSIBLY CALL A TOW TRUCK TO PULL MY ASS OUT OF A FIELD IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!!! So I just bought a 1996 Dodge Ram with a 3 inch lift and it looks sick, like it will just stomp a mud hole in your ass and walk it dry... I asked the guy I bought it from if the four wheel drive worked like it should and without hesitation he responded " OH YEAH!! WORKS AWESOME!!" So I take his word for it and pay the man for the truck and off I go.... ( 1 month later...) I take my lady out on a date and after dinner we decided to just go back roads country cruising because it was a beautiful August night. We were miles from nowhere and decided to pull off road and get a "quicky" in... It starts RAINING and I mean POURING DOWN RAIN!!, We go to leave and after driving a few hundred feet, my back wheels start spinning (ooops) No big deal, right?? I got four wheel drive!! We're good!! WRONG!!! I throw the gear shift up in neutral, lock it in on 4H and pull it back down in drive (my lady is getting turned on by this I can tell because she's squirming all up against me and hanging on for what we think is going to be a fun experience) I hit the gas and the truck didn't move and inch, only dug myself a little deeper with the back tires. I keep my cool like it's a normal thing and it'll kick in and we'll crawl outta there.... Forward, Reverse, Revving, Forward, Reverse, Revving, We are officially STUCK!!! I hop out of the truck to see why the hell we weren't moving and I immediately see that the Four Wheel Drive did not engage!!! I was pissed off and embarrassed and ashamed!! My girl was bitching for the rest of the night about how I spent all this money on a piece of shit truck and blah blah blah while I'm researching TH-cam videos to see how to fix the issue and be her hero once again. I finally found this video as daylight started to break and luckily I had my tools in my tool box in the bed of the truck.... I manually locked it in four wheel drive, put the actuator back on, hopped up in the truck and was greeted by a pissed off beauty and I could see the hope in her eyes as I fired the truck up and stomped the gas and I bet you there was mud slinging 100 feet in the air and the truck started creeping forward inch by inch as I'm turning the steering wheel left and right to gain more traction and got our asses outta there!!! The excitement of that moment will last a lifetime and I'm forever grateful and thankful for this video!!! I'm now a subscriber and huge fan!!! Thanks again man!!!
I like this, I was thinking just a hose clamp on axel, but this is easy and simple, was wondering if there was enough clearance to engaging the coller to shafts, and simple slithe fork in beside the coller and keep it engaged that way, I might try to this on mine then if it doesn’t work I will swap E clips like you did
Man mine always jumps so much when turning, I've checked everything u joints everything you got a fix would be nice to turn without feeling like it could break something, it's manual..
My transfer case harness vac line got too cold and snapped right at the pump feeder. And I'm consider this or posilock. Or just cut my own lines. If I do this, will it keep the 4wd light on the dash on all the time?
Mine looks different it’s a manual truck. My shaft isn’t even spinning at all I’ve tried to put it in any of the 4l, 4h,N. Put it in first and nothing happens
If i do this to my 97 v10, it locks into 4x4 permanently. High or low range? And can i still select which one? Will this do any damage to my t-case? How did you plug the vacuum lines so you didnt lose any vacuum?
My 2002 high output 6 speed manual don’t have all that vacuum crap. The dana 60 front dosent even have the CAD (center axle disconnect). My trucks all factory and stock. His truck prolly wasn’t a factory 6 speed, cause they inly did a 6 speed in 2001 and 2002. And in ‘01-‘02 the front axle was a true 35 spline dana 60 with no CAD garbage. 2002 is the absolute best year second gen you can get. Non vacuum CAD front dana 60, 6 speed manual nv5600, np241DHD t case., dana 80 disc rear axle, and no worries of KDP! Has a better cam gear sensor setup. Just all around better bigger and stronger drive terrain. Its 2023 and I’m Still under 100k miles on mine! Isn’t even broken in yet.
Can someone clarify for me please... Does this mod permanently lock the truck onto 4 wheel or are you still able to put it into 2 wd and 4 low using the shifter? It maybe missed that explanation...
Hey man. So just to clearify. My four-wheel drive shaft locks when I put it in four wheel drive but the four-wheel drive doesn't work. Does that actuator still have a purpose
So its 4 wheel drive all the time??? If so wont that grenade the transfer case and quiet possibly the front diff too especially running it like that on a dry road?
So when the axle is disconnected and not turning the diff, what about the left wheel. It still spins. Does it just rotate the spider gear inside the diff and that’s it?
Shifter lever is slipping.... What connects floor handle to the "accuature "? Is it called? It's stuck in 4H. I can move the linkage through each gear 4L,N,2H, and 4H. Issue is somewhere in the handle connection
Hi buddy my truck 2001 ram dually don't work. Is any way send others videos whit vacuum line.. because . probably can be different deal or is all time.the Lock in front.diferencial???
To clear up any doubt all 2002 dodge rams did not have an actuator it was constantly locked as yours will be if you do this mod! They also share the 241 style transfer case!
1500’s came with 231 cases. 2500/3500’s came with 241/241HD cases. Secondly, the 2002 1500’s may have been “constantly locked” but not the 2500/3500’s.
@@adriananoelle4699 02 2500 and 3500 were constantly locked the axles don’t have a spot for the actuator. That’s why every one wants an 02 axle. Unlike the 94-01
@@dirtydiamonddiesel5901 so basically your locking the front axle but I can still use 2wd whenever I shift it to 2wd?
@@b.c.rlandscaping3452 I wanna know the answer to this too and if it’ll produce more wear and tear elsewhere
@@b.c.rlandscaping3452 Yes that's how they have done it since 02 and Jeeps have been like that since the early 90s.
This video just saved a 96 3/4 ton gasser's life. Went down to the back of the property just now, and it's on a grassy slope, anyways the 4x4 WOULD NOT KICK IN, but luckily it started raining while I was underneath it looking for any broken VACUUM lines...... Watched this, and in 10 minutes it's fixed. No more finger crossing. Awesome video and thanks!
So you deleted your vacuum lines? Don't they do other stuff like hold your HVAC fan vents in place?
@@vlsr71 I'm sure they do, but for what this truck is, a flatbed 4x4 farm truck, I don't care, as long as my 4wd kicks in when I need it to.
@@vlsr71 No. The other vacuum lines control the vents.
98 2500 12V. Such a great mod! And here I was, getting ready to pull out the transfer case actuator switch(which is a pain in the Ass!). I watched your video and did it. Works great! Just wished I'd seen this before I bought the parts. Lol. Thanks man!
I’m a mechanic on a ranch ranch in NV. I work on these trucks a lot. The front Driveshaft always spins because the front driver side wheel has an axel that is always connected to the carrier in the front diff (Roll out the factory like that). It free spins the drive shaft cuz the wheels are rotating. All this is doing is making the passenger side the same. Guys it’s a good fix and I just wanted to clear up the confusion.
Did it this morning. Such a great idea.
For one no the drive shaft doesn't spin when the passenger side is unlocked if it does spin its very very minimal and not at vehicle speed. This is not a long term solution. Been there done that and last at best a couple of years before the double cardan joint goes out. Also your spinning the transfer case chain and front drive components needlessly and driving them from the wrong side. This also causes excessive chain wear and stretch resulting in loss of 4x4 and a due to lubrication issues usually means replacing rather than rebuilding the transfer case. Be smart spend the 100$ on the cable operated setup and save yourself 1000s$ and many unnecessary repairs. This is from many years experience with these trucks and actually using them plowing inevitably they all get seized in 4x4
Thank god someone figured that out. I just got my 2500. Never seen a vacuum system on a 4x4. Definitely not needed. I'm going to do this. Should clean up all the clutter. Thanks!
Great info! Just got a 99 don't need vacuum bs
I've got a 02 with 500k
love these old trucks
On the rear diff yoke nut. Set your truck on the ground and put a 36" pipe wrench on the yoke where the ujoints go to (the big square part) then take a breaker bar with the socket and put it on the yoke nut. Then take a floor jack and put it under the end of the breaker bar. Then jack the truck up till the nut breaks loose. Worked on my 2000 3500 dually Dodge ram. Works great and you won't pull a muscle trying by hand.
You literally just saved my family and I who’s been stuck in the house throughout this winter disaster. No 💩
do you notice any difference???? can you still drive highway speeds
Thank you sir. Straight forward and to the point. Excellent fix for my 1999 2500. With the 8.0 liter and 410 gears I doubt I’ll see any difference in mpg. Worked great for me. Just finished up. Thanks again.
I am looking to this to my 1999 2500, cummins truck , due to transfer cases not matching, the 99 uses 4 vacuum lines and the 2001 tcase uses a two pin electrical connection, do you have any pointers that may not have been in the video above
Yes! Just saved me a lot of money converting to a manual locking hub.
great video and mod thank you. kinda off the beaten path here but, with the passenger side axle split and the other direct drive there has to be all kinds of excess wear on the spider gears in the rear end. this would definitely put an end to that which is a real good thing. full time 4wd has been accomplished through the front axle always engaged and locking in at the transfer case in the good ol' days anyway. that's why manual lock out and automatic hubs became a great addition to that type of set up. thanks again for your time and effort.
With the driveshaft and the passenger side shaft disengaged, the left front wheel won't be able to spin the carrier at full speed. GM and Mopar both used this method. It works well when all the components are working. It also helps the lifespan of the front axle u joints. Spider gears won't wear that unevenly when under no load.
This was an easy fix. I think I did it in less time than is the length of this video. Which happens, like, never. Thanks!
I’ve personally rebuilt 5 of those front drive shafts. They’re cake work
🤟 the posilock kit is trash im stoked i found this before pitting the old system back on. Posilock kits actuator got a bend in it, wedged the collar partially engaged and chewed my inner axle shaft.
Excellent video! I’m tired of hoping it will lock in when I need it , I’ve caught and torn my vacuum lines on sticks ect. ( I actually use my 4 wheel drive)it sucks when the actuator won’t suck 😆. The only down side of this is you will have increased front tire wear , and possibly a little less mpg.To me it’s totally worth it to know when I pull back the transfer lever I WILL have 4 wheel drive .....
Done 3 yrs ago on a daily n honestly haven't noticed a difference. Except when I go into 4wd its instant. Yesterday was stuck on hill on ice. Stop. 4wd n she moved soon as i released the brake
A little less miles per gallon? We all wish that was the case..lol you're going to lose five MPG at least
I’m in Jacksonville North Carolina funny thing is my 97 dodge ram 2500 12 valve you worked on it before the previous owner had taken it to you. I purchased it last June and have had it ever since I actually still have one of your stickers in the truck. Thanks for this video. The four-wheel-drive was working in it and now it is not. Hopefully this video helps. The name of the previous owner his name was david If I’m not mistaken, you adjusted the bands in the transmission for him.
Thanks for doing this. Worked well on my 99 1500. I Like it alot better then the vacuum system, The 4x4 light wont come on dude to the switch not being pushed by the vacuum but if you know your truck and feel the 4x4 turn on you will be fine. I did keep all the vacuum lines intact so there's no vacuum problems. Good video man helped alot 👍
Vacuum problems? Like what? What could go wrong if you delete them?
Cruise control is affected by vacuum
How do u get it back in 2wd?
@Mr.DIY69 using your transfer case shifter. This only affects the front axle. When you switch back to 2HI it will turn back to just rwd
@@EvanTownsend ah yes but also the front driveshaft will spin constantly so i don’t want that. I fixed mine it was the actuator not a vacuum line thank God
Thank you so much with 15" of snow this should fix my problem. Keep it up
Cool! Didnt know there was a difference between 01 and 02 axles. Mine is an 01, and with the 4wd not working and snow coming, i will definitely be doing this mod today!
Thank you I had my motor replaced by a complete idiot and all my vacuum lines lead to no where now that I work on all my own shit I couldn't figure out my 4x4 issue and u just solved it so tkx a ton.
you go girl!😃😉
Bro. I've litterally be screwing with my 4x4 vac lines all freaking day tring to get them to work. Thank my dude!
How do u get it back in 2wd?
@Mr.DIY69 I did. It works great. Screw those vac lines. Lol thanks man
@@gonnabeover-comingallodds4532 i mean how do you switch back to 2wd?
@Mr.DIY69 the shifter. So the only thing that happened when you switch the actuator U bolt around. Is you lock your axle to spin full time. There's no power to it until you shift into 4wd. So the shift gets you back to 2 wheel drive. Easy money.
@@gonnabeover-comingallodds4532 oh wow hey. Why didnt dodge just do that in the first place since the axles spin full time anyway haha
Just bought my first dodge. 99 ram 2500 flatbed dump. Tuned with an intake and straight pipe. LOVE IT
With tune on mileage I get crazy mpg to it's nuts.
That really saves me a lot. Thanks. From Missouri
good job showing what is going on clear camera angles and discriptions
Nice job! Easy project for this weekend!!!
Good video. I’m listening from the panhandle of Florida! GOD BLESS!
Worked for me....just did this a few hours ago...i disconnected the 4wd light switch but ol well...took is for a test drive and all turned out good...in and out of 4wd easy.... 1997 2500 12v :)
Does it still steer the same?
@@KScathGarage yep...works fine
@@reitzy69how do you get it back into 2wd?
He doesnt…idk why people keep saying this…obviously he didnt do the mod because its permanently in 4x4 after the mod
I did it this morning. The posi-lock upgrade is a POS. Now I can confidently cruise up to Laramie Peak in mud season.
Watched the video this morning and it works awesome thanks bub
Thank bro for the help I searched to do this and your video came up I have a 1998 2500 ram I live in Wisconsin the vacuum hose stop holding after replacing them it worked for a few years but now it keep kicking out the front locks its a work Truck not driven very much so I wanted to do this with out adding the locking cable thks🍺
Would of never thought about this vacuum lines are shot, this way better then replacing the lines
Replacing the lines is very easy.
@@adriananoelle4699how so
With my '99 2500, I've still got good vacuum pulling through each line at the axle, so my actuator itself has failed. With everything upstream still good, I'll probably try my luck with an el cheapo replacement actuator and see how long that works. In the meantime, I moved the shaft lock collar by hand to lock the axle shafts together for working 4x4 when I need it. It should stay put without the shift forks installed, as I already removed the failed actuator motor from the housing. In my case, sliding the collar fully inboard as shown in the video did not provide 4x4 with the t-case engaged. For me, that was no different than having the collar slid all the way outboard in typical 2 HI mode. I found that the collar needs to be positioned so that an equal amount of splines are visible on each shaft with the lock collar basically centered evenly between them.
Nice job buddy what an awesome 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 also what an incredible job for the installation for showing how to go from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive really cool and interesting installation I love Diesel Trucks so much I’ve always loved them since I was little so I’m a big supporter for all Diesel Trucks and also Lifted trucks too keep on making great videos you rock buddy
Watching from around Grissom area,had a good talk at the Jamboree thanks
I’ve changed those double u joints on both my 99s they are a pain to to I used hammer sockets and a vice to do it. Never have had to use a press with any u joints I’ve done.
Definitely possible but not worth the time IMO
@@dirtydiamonddiesel5901 if it saves you 500 bucks it's worth the time. And it's not that hard. I've Done mine a couple times. Have over a half million miles on the ol truck and still going. Considering the mod in this video. Making sure there's no downside to it first. 👍
Thank you for this I'm doing my 2002 2500 cummins tomorrow
From Minnesota just did mine 85 hope it works for plowing this winter thanks
Watching from ohio. My 01 still goes into 4x4 but when it dont I might try this
You should can buy a manual setup to lock it in for around 150 dollars.
@@allanbarr5186 used that for a bit but the adjustment is finicky. Locked the front together yrs ago. Shoulda saved my money n just did that from the beginning
They do make manual hubs for 01. It's obviously aftermarket and I am not sure what the cost is but if you can afford it I would change differentials to something stronger. The 2 piece axle setup doesn't seem very strong. I have a 2001 dodge ram 1500 4x4 slt and I want to upgrade my differentials to something stronger and lockers, manual hubs on the front. I definitely want to get ride of standard front differential because of the 2 piece axle.
Dude thank you this is exactly what I need
I'm trying this here shortly. From Texas
I’ve replaced every line, every actuator. Have vacuum going down but not coming out. I ripped it out in anger and did this mod
This is fkn sweet dude. Can I run full speed like this and not worry about tearing parts up?
Good video, watching from Bozeman, MT!
Cool 😎 I used to live in 3 forks
All I did was literally flip the actuator, move the collar to 4wd on the axle shafts and reinstall it facing the opposite way and it works perfectly.
Is it still working good? Thanks 🤠
@@rvrandy1710 it started spitting out gear fluid after a few hundred miles.
@@mag2395 wow thanks for the reply what did you do
Love this just did it laying in the driveway thanks! What about the oil that we lost do we need to replace it?
Nah just ship it, it'll be fine... Till it's not 🤷♂️
So by doing that does that mean you're always in four wheel drive? Or does it just mean that the axle is already locked so that when you engage the four wheel drive you don't have to count on the vacuum system to lock it in?
With the tcase not locked it's still in 2wd you will have extra rolling resistance because your spinning the entire diff and drive shaft not just the hubs so Gass milage would almost be the same as if you where in 4 high...
@@gaelenspirko2527 so the front axle would always be ready for 4x4 and still have to shift it on the floor then?
Did you find out?
Thanks for the info because these vacuum switch are unreliable I live all the way up in top of the world Barrow alaska
I ask bcoz my brother has a Ram 2013 Cummins and hated the way it handled in 2 wheel. Ended up installing pricey after market lockout hubs and loved the results. Understand we are 65 and 82 and can’t get our heads around why the engineers feel it is such a great idea to have all that gear running putting added stress on bearings and other front end parts. I do understand your thinking, I wouldn’t want to rely on the weak link actuator either.
So then what do you do with the vacuum lines that were running to that actuator? Do you still have to have a vacuum line running to your transfer case correct?
That really helped me now i know i can drive my truck with out that actuator.
Ya but how do you get it back into 2wd?
I appreciate the video . I just had a g56 installed in my 95 4x4 and all of the vacuum hoses to the t case look like they need replaced. The truth is Dodge deleted the cad later on . So I don't see a down side to this I don't remember exactly which year the cad I'd gone 2002 or 1 . At any rate I have planned on using a 2002 I think in my truck with 3 Gen brakes.. I never knew what the reason behind the cad was . Must have not been a reason to continue with it
Madison county kentucky. And yeah you don't no how mutch you did help.becous .mine does not work and you just showed me where to get started.
The vacuum system is a poor design. Running a cable lock or permanent lock type of system that can be purchased is the best route. Then there’s this by keeping it simple and swapping the fork on the other side of the clip. Ingenious!
There’s no additional wear. My old CJ5 operated the same as his does now and I had lockers. No additional wear, unless you don’t keep up with lubrication maintenance. All he has addressed is getting rid of the Stone Age 4wd system and making it something that virtually all 4wd trucks now have. No need to keep fixing something that will break again. Make it better.
My front drive shaft is locked in I did it manually. But when I put the transfer case into 4x4 it still isn't in 4x4 only the rear axle spins ?
Thank you this worked great
What do the red and black wires do that you pulled back the plastic case and cut?
Nice video u are very knowledgeable thank you for this video
Thanks! your video was very helpful!
I installed dynatrac locking hubs on my ram 2500 if I put actuator in lock position and have my hubs unlocked my front axle shouldn’t turn? Or am I wrong
thanks.......i been having problems for years .......3 times i've rebuilt the vacuum pump in my 2000 dodge.....
You can purchase a setup that will manually lock in the four wheel drive for 150 dollars. They sell them on Amazon. There are videos on TH-cam showing how to do it. It will save you wear on your tires and front driveline parts. You can also get locking hubs to completely disconnect the 4x4.
I just put on a new actuator (number two to replace the1 year old one) I started sucking gear oil in the diaphragm into the vacuum lines. Never saw that before. I'll be doing this mod next if it happens again! How does the cable conversion work? is it worth it? -97 3500 4 wd CTD with 5 speed
Seems like a great fix. Do I just plug the vacuum lines after I do this? Plug it with a bolt or something?
Why did you cut the vacuum lines?
so basically you are bypassing the vacuum lines so front axle is spinning all time?
@@jerrywaynemarshall8503 front axle will be permanently locked. Front driveshaft will permanently spin. You will not have power to the front wheels until you manually shift into 4wd. This bypasses vacuum and electrical. Pretty fkn cool if you ask me
Wouldn't that help wear out the transfer case faster?
Thanks bro great video!
AAHHH MAN!!! LOL!!! THIS VIDEO JUST SAVED ME HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FROM HAVING TO POSSIBLY CALL A TOW TRUCK TO PULL MY ASS OUT OF A FIELD IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!!! So I just bought a 1996 Dodge Ram with a 3 inch lift and it looks sick, like it will just stomp a mud hole in your ass and walk it dry... I asked the guy I bought it from if the four wheel drive worked like it should and without hesitation he responded " OH YEAH!! WORKS AWESOME!!" So I take his word for it and pay the man for the truck and off I go.... ( 1 month later...) I take my lady out on a date and after dinner we decided to just go back roads country cruising because it was a beautiful August night. We were miles from nowhere and decided to pull off road and get a "quicky" in... It starts RAINING and I mean POURING DOWN RAIN!!, We go to leave and after driving a few hundred feet, my back wheels start spinning (ooops) No big deal, right?? I got four wheel drive!! We're good!! WRONG!!! I throw the gear shift up in neutral, lock it in on 4H and pull it back down in drive (my lady is getting turned on by this I can tell because she's squirming all up against me and hanging on for what we think is going to be a fun experience) I hit the gas and the truck didn't move and inch, only dug myself a little deeper with the back tires. I keep my cool like it's a normal thing and it'll kick in and we'll crawl outta there.... Forward, Reverse, Revving, Forward, Reverse, Revving, We are officially STUCK!!! I hop out of the truck to see why the hell we weren't moving and I immediately see that the Four Wheel Drive did not engage!!! I was pissed off and embarrassed and ashamed!! My girl was bitching for the rest of the night about how I spent all this money on a piece of shit truck and blah blah blah while I'm researching TH-cam videos to see how to fix the issue and be her hero once again. I finally found this video as daylight started to break and luckily I had my tools in my tool box in the bed of the truck.... I manually locked it in four wheel drive, put the actuator back on, hopped up in the truck and was greeted by a pissed off beauty and I could see the hope in her eyes as I fired the truck up and stomped the gas and I bet you there was mud slinging 100 feet in the air and the truck started creeping forward inch by inch as I'm turning the steering wheel left and right to gain more traction and got our asses outta there!!! The excitement of that moment will last a lifetime and I'm forever grateful and thankful for this video!!! I'm now a subscriber and huge fan!!! Thanks again man!!!
I like this, I was thinking just a hose clamp on axel, but this is easy and simple, was wondering if there was enough clearance to engaging the coller to shafts, and simple slithe fork in beside the coller and keep it engaged that way, I might try to this on mine then if it doesn’t work I will swap E clips like you did
Bro we have the same truck. Same wheels... did you sell it? Cuz I own it.
Why do u want it permenetly in 4x4?
Hello?
How do you get it back in 2wd?
I did this modification is it okay to take front drive shaft out and drive
Man mine always jumps so much when turning, I've checked everything u joints everything you got a fix would be nice to turn without feeling like it could break something, it's manual..
You probly know by now but it's a 4x4 and that's what they do when engaged. If you have a locked axle it's does it worse.
My transfer case harness vac line got too cold and snapped right at the pump feeder. And I'm consider this or posilock. Or just cut my own lines. If I do this, will it keep the 4wd light on the dash on all the time?
Where do you put the fluid in at for that part ?
And what vacume lines do you plug off on top of engine an
Thanks for the info ... worked awesome
Slick, I was wondering if the electric actuator from the13-18 ram would work. B.C. Canada.
Mine looks different it’s a manual truck. My shaft isn’t even spinning at all I’ve tried to put it in any of the 4l, 4h,N. Put it in first and nothing happens
Good information, thanks for the video 👍
Man I appreciate it I'm going to try it bub
Thankyou for the video. Very helpful.
Thank You!!!
If i do this to my 97 v10, it locks into 4x4 permanently. High or low range? And can i still select which one? Will this do any damage to my t-case? How did you plug the vacuum lines so you didnt lose any vacuum?
My 2002 high output 6 speed manual don’t have all that vacuum crap. The dana 60 front dosent even have the CAD (center axle disconnect). My trucks all factory and stock. His truck prolly wasn’t a factory 6 speed, cause they inly did a 6 speed in 2001 and 2002. And in ‘01-‘02 the front axle was a true 35 spline dana 60 with no CAD garbage. 2002 is the absolute best year second gen you can get. Non vacuum CAD front dana 60, 6 speed manual nv5600, np241DHD t case., dana 80 disc rear axle, and no worries of KDP! Has a better cam gear sensor setup. Just all around better bigger and stronger drive terrain. Its 2023 and I’m Still under 100k miles on mine! Isn’t even broken in yet.
Wouldnt you still have to plug the vacuum lines that went to the actuator otherwise youd have a vacuum leak and the hvac controls wouldnt work.
Yes you would
Simply plug them up? Nothing else to it?
Just got a 99 2500, been slipping in and out of 4x4. Want to check this out as TC still seems good.
@@diegoelguea9077did you plug them and it worked?
Can someone clarify for me please... Does this mod permanently lock the truck onto 4 wheel or are you still able to put it into 2 wd and 4 low using the shifter? It maybe missed that explanation...
Before you put the drive shaft, did the back of your front differential continue spinning?
Hey man. So just to clearify. My four-wheel drive shaft locks when I put it in four wheel drive but the four-wheel drive doesn't work. Does that actuator still have a purpose
No
Thanks a million thanks 😊🙏
So its 4 wheel drive all the time??? If so wont that grenade the transfer case and quiet possibly the front diff too especially running it like that on a dry road?
No response?
@@steveopoppins875 not yet
So when the axle is disconnected and not turning the diff, what about the left wheel. It still spins. Does it just rotate the spider gear inside the diff and that’s it?
My actuator housing where the bolts are are rusted 2 of the screws broke so i just left it alone. 😔
Big help!
Shifter lever is slipping.... What connects floor handle to the "accuature "? Is it called? It's stuck in 4H. I can move the linkage through each gear 4L,N,2H, and 4H. Issue is somewhere in the handle connection
Hi buddy my truck 2001 ram dually don't work. Is any way send others videos whit vacuum line.. because . probably can be different deal or is all time.the Lock in front.diferencial???
Appreciate the video. I’ve installed a free spin kit but this also looks like a great mod
Do you have a link to the one you used? What year is your truck?
i have a 2002 ram 2500 diesel should the front drive shaft spin all the time.
thats a lot of help thanks
So it will just stay in 4 wheel drive all the time after this?
But wouldnt thia cause it to be all time 4wd instead of shifting from 2h to 4h its just constantly locked in?
hey i was just curious on how those exotic head studs are holding up? im getting ready to order some for my 12 valve race truck