We have that on our '97 1500 4x4. Eventually things get stuck and it costs $400+ to have it fixed. Aaron Z
On ours, there is a vacuum actuator in the front axle. Something internal started sticking and it would get stuck in or our of 4wd (vacuum lines were good).If they are turning all the time how do they get stuck? And a $400.00 repair on a 97 truck I don't think is too bad. I think it was $1,800.00 to fix the 4x4 hubs on my 02 f250 7.3. Plus it had to have ball joints at 110,000 and 230,000 miles
Yeah, it looks like crap. I'd take it off your hands for a small fee.
Nice looking truck, I'd love to find an old 12 valve in near mint condition, low miles, and priced cheap. They are pretty hard to find.
i am one. my trucks are a 94 and a 97. i have no fear of working on them and i can fix anything that is fixable on the side of the road, no pulling of cabs needed. i have always carried a toolbox with and will continue to do so. some people might think i'm crazy, but my tucks get better MPGs than the current offerings, are paid for, and are simpler, sure little things break but hey it's 17 or 20 year old truck and still cheaper than a new one.
On ours, there is a vacuum actuator in the front axle. Something internal started sticking and it would get stuck in or our of 4wd (vacuum lines were good). Had it fixed and did the seals, bearings and the balljoints at the same time (total was over $1000 IIRC). Lamentably, the moron who did it didn't do the ujoints (he told me that "they should probably be done soon" when I picked it up) and one let go within 3 months, so we got to do the seals again (at another shop). Needless to say, the truck hasn't been back there since. Aaron Z
This has a lever on the floor to shift the transfer case and vacuum line to the middle of the axle (more or less) which (as I understand it) moves something inside the axle (in the diff itself?) to engage the 4wd, but it does not have hubs that unlock, so the ujoints at the wheels are always spinning.The 1/2 ton and the 3/4 and up are different systems on the rams. The 3/4 up do not have vacuum lines to the hubs. And if you have a manual shifter for the transfer case there are no vacuum lines at all for the 4wd system.
This has a lever on the floor to shift the transfer case and vacuum line to the middle of the axle (more or less) which (as I understand it) moves something inside the axle (in the diff itself?) to engage the 4wd, but it does not have hubs that unlock, so the ujoints at the wheels are always spinning. Edit: Pictures of the guts of the system and a better description can be found at: Diagnosing 4WD Engagement Problems on Dodge Ram pickups Aaron Z
I'm pretty sure that is only on the half tons. I will check my 2013 power wagon tomorrow and verify. And at $1000 you still got off way cheaper than I did with my 02 f250. And all they did was hub repairs on the ford not u joints or anything else at that time.
I think that it was closer to $2000 than $1000, but it would have been a decent deal if he had bothered to call me and say "these ujoints look iffy, should I replace them while I am in here?" I would have said yes in a heartbeat.I'm pretty sure that is only on the half tons. I will check my 2013 power wagon tomorrow and verify. And at $1000 you still got off way cheaper than I did with my 02 f250. And all they did was hub repairs on the ford not u joints or anything else at that time.
I think that it was closer to $2000 than $1000, but it would have been a decent deal if he had bothered to call me and say "these ujoints look iffy, should I replace them while I am in here?" I would have said yes in a heartbeat. As it was we spent a fair amount at another shop (not sure how much, my FIL got the bill) to redo the same work within 3-4 months when one of the ujoints fell apart. Aaron Z
