Lost 4WD?? Help

[tonymasone]

1989 BII 4wd (electronic transfer case)

I'm driving yesterday and I catch a red light, light turns green and I go to move and the thing moves about 2ft and all of a sudden the engine revs up like the cars in neutral. As cars pass me by I started shifting in and out of gear and nothing happened. Then for grins I hit the 4wd button and I started to move. So somehow I've lost RWD and the BII will only go in Front wheel drive. Does anyone know what would cause this/what I need to fix it?

Thanks

[Nobody]

Since you can move in front wheel drive, you know your transmission is still OK. The tranfercase is the first thing in the line that could be broken, however I suspect it's fine as well. The next thing in line is the driveshaft. Chances are you have the CV joint style driveshaft, and CV joint has stripped out. It's a pretty common problem with that style driveshaft. The good news is it can be replaced with a u-joint style driveshaft. If all that checks out, the rear axle is the last part in the line.

I recommend you start by dropping the driveshaft.

[clem]

I would have somebody see if your rear drive shaft is turningwhile in gear. My pinion yoke stripped the spline and it would not move, just make a grinding noise. All I had to do was replace the yoke from Ford.

[RClem]

Since you can move in front wheel drive, you know your transmission is still OK. The tranfercase is the first thing in the line that could be broken, however I suspect it's fine as well. The next thing in line is the driveshaft. Chances are you have the CV joint style driveshaft, and CV joint has stripped out. It's a pretty common problem with that style driveshaft. The good news is it can be replaced with a u-joint style driveshaft. If all that checks out, the rear axle is the last part in the line.

I recommend you start by dropping the driveshaft.

What Nobody said.

Ray

[tonymasone]

Wow my first post here and you guys got it dead on! It was the drive shaft. That photo looks as if I took it, exactly what I found (looks like thr rubber protective boot failed then it was just a matter of time) thanks!

[RClem]

Do not replace it with the same type of drive line! I replaced 2 before I found out you could get one with u-joints for the same price. Talk with your auto parts guy and get a double cardon drive line, a single caron will be better than what you have, but IMO the double cardon is much better as it more forgiving.
The difference between the single and double cardon is the number of u-joints, the single has 2, the double has 3.
We try to get things right, but sometimes it isn't easy.

Ray