Another 4wd post. 4wd won't engage.

[nvanadm]

I know there are a ton of 4wd and 4x4 posts but my situation is a bit unique. Haven't found anything with the search to help much.

We got around 70cm of snow here in London, ON over the weekend. Needless to say I needed 4wd (but it wouldn't work).

Background:
MANUAL locking hubs
1993 L300 w/ LSD
Haven't used 4wd in about 2 years.
Washed the van last weekend and it's been very cold ever since.

I'm not new to using 4wd on the delica so it isn't just a matter of "are the wheels locked, is it in 4H"

So I manually locked my hubs (they were very hard to turn...I had to use a wrench).
While in NEUTRAL I can put the 4wd lever into 4H or 4L no problem. The 4wd light comes on and the "wheel lock" light comes on. While driving I can shift from 4H to 2H no problem, but then the "wheel lock" light goes back off. I thought I remembered from a few years ago that with the manual hubs the "wheel lock" light will stay on if the hubs are locked (I could be wrong).
While in 2H the "wheel lock" light kind of comes and goes, so I'm thinking that they aren't actually locked.
Like I said, while driving I can shift on the fly from 4wd to 2wd but when I try to go back to 4wd from 2wd I get a little grinding noise, but when I stop I can put it in no problem and both 4wd light and "wheel lock" light come back on.
Either way I DO NOT get 4wd. I know this because I got stuck twice yesterday Luckily I was able to wiggle myself free both times without help.

Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

[sub-arctic]

Might want to pull apart your hubs and see if they are engaging properly, they shouldn't be too hard to engage, maybe they need grease?

[nvanadm]

Might want to pull apart your hubs and see if they are engaging properly, they shouldn't be too hard to engage, maybe they need grease?

Yup, that's exactly what they needed. When I installed them a couple years ago I was told I did not need to grease them.

I wasn't sure if I need to put any type of lubrication or packing grease in there or not.

Nope, just follow those instructions that were in the other thread and have
at'er

Nobody's perfect.
But just for anyone who wants to install manual hubs or hasn't checked theirs in awhile. They need lube!

I took them apart today, cleaned them up, greased them and the 4wd worked right away. So glad to have it back.

Before

1.jpg (94.08 KiB) Viewed 3448 times

2.jpg (106.34 KiB) Viewed 3448 times

After...Probably over greased them, but I wanted to be sure

3.jpg (78.91 KiB) Viewed 3448 times

And this is why I could have used 4wd. This was only Sat, we got more Sunday than we did on Sat!

4.jpg (86.09 KiB) Viewed 3448 times

Thanks for the advice!

[Firesong]

Hi. Just read this thread.

Initially the hubs came with some grease ( mine did) I didn't mean to say don't ever grease them. It was an initial install question. Sorry for the miscommunication. Glad things got fixed up

FS

[nvanadm]

No problem at all. I don't remember mine having any grease in them that's why I initially asked. It was a couple years ago now so I probably should have re-greased them anyway!
I think the combination of not greasing them to begin with, not re-greasing them after time, and not using 4wd were all factors.
I just wanted to make sure if anyone was reading that old thread to make sure they put some grease in there anyway. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt.
1 hour job and it was fun

[philmeup1]

Hey glad to hear you got it sorted too Matt. I haven't used the 4WD in my '93 Super Exceed much either. However today in Peterborough, Ont It was quite necessary. Damn Old Man Winter... :( Man you guys got it worse than us though...

I always thought you had to stop the van and have it in park when you switch from 2WD to 4WD?? This tells you what I know about this feature. Anyway, when I did put it in 4, the dash light didn't come on right away but I could hear and feel that it was in 4WD. Then the light came on after about 5 minutes

Apparently there's more snow on the way... What has global warming come too??????

Philthy

[philmeup1]

Sorry, meant to say Adam. I'm not sure where Matt came from.....

[FalcoColumbarius]

Sorry, meant to say Adam. I'm not sure where Matt came from.....

There's a "Northvanmatt" picture on the front page of this site (nice guy if you ever meet him), perhaps you mentally made the subconscious connexion &c..

Falco.

[philmeup1]

Thats totally it