Ok, here goes...im going to try and explain this so that its not confusing at all. (ha, even im laughing about that, lol)

2001 Blazer ZR2......

4wd has quit working, so automatically figured it was my vacuum actuator. took the battery out and the actuator loose, and visually it looked good. next, jacked up truck with all 4 wheels off the ground, started it and engaged 4hi and the actuator sucked in and held good, pulling the cable approximately 3/4 inch. (in everything ive read this seems to be just right) put the truck in drive and there is a slight clicking sound which sounds like the cable isnt being pulled far enough to engage the gears in the front end. turned everything off, took cable loose from actuator, started everything back, put in drive, engaged transfer case 4hi and pulled cable with my pliers simulating the vacuum actuator and still only got the slight clicking, same thing, as if the cable is not being allowed to pull far enough to fully engage. let off, clicking stops. so.....where am i at now?? the fork that engages the diff? frozen or jammed cable? busted gears within? something else i might be missing?

 

nobody?? swartlkk maybe? just unsure on what to do now, and feel like ive got it diagnosed pretty good on the front axle not locking in...but what now?

 

I've been very busy with life, but with the multitude of 4wd threads and the coverage that I have tried to implement with tech articles already, I thought that much of what you needed was already covered. I simply cannot continue to reiterate the same thing over and over again.

If you have already confirmed that it is not engaging regardless of how much you pull on the cable, the problem IS internal to the front diff. If that was all the reassurance you needed to start getting your hands dirty, then let the work commence.

 

duly noted and i understand completely. trust me, i have read and read and read, just was making sure that i hadnt missed something maybe a little less obvious. ill be digging into it and seeing what i can find. thanks for your help

 

Can't view my photobucket stuff at work, but if I remember correctly, the post below has the guts of the engagement stuff in the pictures:

4wd Front Axle Clicking When in 2HI - Goes Away when in 4HI/4LO

 

I had some what the same problem. it seemed that the actuator switch was to stiff for the vacuum to pull the cable all the way out. so i installed a posi-lok pull cable to do it manually, it is a little snug, i have to pull it a good bit to get it to fully engage. but it does work fine.

 

i thought that was going to be my situation as well, and was kinda hoping so, however, after removing the cable from the actuator, no matter how hard i pulled on it with my pliers i could not get it to engage the front axles

 

Well what ever it is, hope you get it resolved soon. If you haven't yet. Good luck.

 

agreed...thanks, me too as hunting season is right around the corner

 

We've already started cleaning up our trails!