Update of lost 4wd in duramax

Paul Shuler · Jan 20, 2016

I followed some of your guys advice and removed the big square 30 amp fuse and waited a bit and put it back in and everything is as it should be this morning. I do enjoy all the new and fancy stuff on new cars but I find it ridiculous that a computer and a fuse can determine when I might want to use 4wd. I miss the day when you could just lock in your hubs on a bad day and use the shifter in the floor as you needed it. Heck we had a new 77 chevy with a small block 400 and fulltime 4wd and that old truck never failed to go when you needed it. It would either jump you right out of a hole or sink it to the frame in 10 seconds. lol. At least you knew you where big boy stuck and not just a fuse. Thank you all for the help. You saved me once again.

RBoots · Jan 20, 2016

I love that my old Powerstroke F250 has manual hubs (converted from unreliable automatic) and a true floor shift 4X4, not like some that are a floor shift lever hooked to electrics. But people that don't actually use their 4X4 truck for work, and just use it to cruise around town don't need it to work when it is really needed, such as trying to get a gravity wagon out of a field or getting out to help a neighbor stuck.

Ross

krm · Jan 20, 2016

The GM work trucks still had the mechanical 4x4 in 2011, I don't know about the later ones.

Bryce Frazier · Jan 20, 2016

On my 1995 K1500, it has the stick on the floor. I figured I would have rather had the push button like moms 99 Tahoe, but, I have grown to like the stick! Pull the lever, feel it fall in, and D for drag race!

BUT, my generation (and older) trucks had that nifty little "Gas Shock" with the heater element in it, that once you locked up the TRANSFER CASE, heated up, and took like 4 minutes to lock up the front end. . . .. :

Mine failed, and when dad went to order a new one, it turned out to be CHEAPER to throw in an electric motor like the newer cars (like moms Tahoe) had. So now there really is no waiting, pull that lever, 2-3 seconds, light comes on, you are good to go. L O V E it!

mj · Jan 20, 2016

i think that the electric shift was optional on most makes, maybe still is(?), On my '91 K1500 The stock, floor-mounted, electrically-heated gas cylinder activation was a joke! I changed it to an electric motor type 10 years ago, still works! :shock:

Andy Martin · Jan 20, 2016

It took me a lot of years to reboot a computer before calling IT. There first question was always "did you reboot?" Always had a lot of stuff going on and didn't want to reboot. Finally learned.

Now I guess I have to learn to reboot the truck too. Got an FJ Cruiser (does have a 4WD lever) but all the lights will come on while driving sometimes. Battery disconnect is all that will fix it.

The next curve the auto companies will throw at us will be internal batteries so you can't force a computer reboot.

Keeping my 12 valve Cummins.

Rick Kr · Jan 20, 2016

Manual t/cases (floor mounted lever) are still available for 2015 GM trucks. You rarely see one.
Most people buy the uplevel models with more bells and whistles.

Rick

the tractor vet · Jan 20, 2016

Well gee , look what has to have a four wheel drive today. YOu don't really except them to have to get out of there heated leather seats and get there designer shoes wet or god forbid get MUD on them to lock in the hubs and have to reach down and mess up there fancy clothes and so something manually now do you . I am like you i can still get out and lock in the ft. hubs and PULL a lever on the floor . In all the years since 1973 when i bought my first 4x4 the one thing i never had to do was replace wheel bearings . Now today we can replace HUB and bearings about every 100000 miles or sooner and they don't just cost a few bucks now it is more like a couple hundred bucks and the joy of changing them is priceless.

juniur · Jan 20, 2016

Hate to tell you this but all that " manual lever " does is move a sensor. Just went to a class on the modern four wheel drives all are computer controlled.

ss55 · Jan 20, 2016

I may be in the minority here, but I don't miss those manual lock-out hubs at all.

GVSII · Jan 20, 2016

(quoted from post at 10:15:05 01/20/16) Manual t/cases (floor mounted lever) are still available for 2015 GM trucks. You rarely see one.
Most people buy the uplevel models with more bells and whistles.

Rick

Still available but you probably won't find one on the lot.Gotta order in or hope the dealer can find one at an other dealer.

Rick Kr · Jan 20, 2016

You have a TCCM to control the tcase and an actuator on the front axle.

If you want a true manual t/case, all the other bells and whistles that people love go away too.
ABS, traction control, stability control, etc.

Ron-MO · Jan 20, 2016

yeah, and I don't think manual hubs have been available on 1/2 tons for years. I bought a new 92, and to my knowledge that was not an option then on the 1/2 tons, I think that was gone in 1988 models with the independent suspension.

Old weldor · Jan 20, 2016

I don't miss the 9 mpg. of the 70s trucks.

GordoSD · Jan 20, 2016

Lose the four wheel drive on the highway on ice. In fact don't use in on road if you can maintain 35 mph..

mj · Jan 20, 2016

(quoted from post at 12:09:38 01/20/16) Hate to tell you this but all that " manual lever " does is move a sensor. Just went to a class on the modern four wheel drives all are computer controlled.

That's what I'm a-thinkin' :shock:

ericlb · Jan 21, 2016

another reason i keep the told ones, my 95 may or may not have 4x4 when you need it, the old 80 model will have it every time, and with a locker in the rear, i havent found anyplace it wont go, while a 95 is an old truck now the difference overall between it and my 80, 83 and 71 models makes it the newest truck ill ever have, all the high tech features on the new ones may be nice, but we need simple, strong, and most of all reliable, and if something does break, the ability to repair it now ourselves, not 2 weeks down the road at a dealer

495man · Jan 21, 2016

Relative has a 2015 GMC 1500 with floor shifter 4x4. Truck was on lot!

Ford still has manual hubs and manual transfer case lever on 2015 Super Duty trucks like my old 2000, but most have the electric shift knob.

HossinMe · Jan 21, 2016

Got a guy up here whats got a Lincoln Navigator with an 8ft Fisher plow hanging off the front! Hoss

JimEvans · Jan 22, 2016

I guess no one remembers having frozen mud or even just rusty linkage making it impossible to move the transfer case lever. Or even if it does move, the locking hubs are froze (rusted) up so bad you can't get them to twist with a big pair of channel locks. Even if the new trucks have a lever on the transfer case, there is still an electronic shifter on the front axle.

495man · Jan 23, 2016

(quoted from post at 19:01:44 01/22/16) I guess no one remembers having frozen mud or even just rusty linkage making it impossible to move the transfer case lever. Or even if it does move, the locking hubs are froze (rusted) up so bad you can't get them to twist with a big pair of channel locks. Even if the new trucks have a lever on the transfer case, there is still an electronic shifter on the front axle.

Ford Superduty has manual twist hubs.

As far a jamming, if you are using it, it shouldn't jam up. My hubs/transfer case get put in 4x4 once a month, and front hubs are locked most of the winter.

Update of lost 4wd in duramax

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