alright iv got a 98 4wd with the three button system we only had two snow falls so far this year in my area of indiana the first was on thanksgiving weekend so i didnt really go out but the other was last night and i had to drive home from work and figured i try out my 4wd bad idea in 2 wd it drives perfect just like any other 2wd rwd vehicle but once i engage 4lo you can actually feel the front end sway all over the road and the steering loosens up to better describe it if you take a rwd car through a icy parking lot at a decent speed and you turn your wheel sharply one way the way the steering feels when your tires are turned but the car is going straigh is exactly how mine feels in 4wd except my wheels are stright really odd to me and it freaked me out because the faster i travel the more the front "wonders" also my 4hi wont engage no mater what the light blinks but than switches back to 4lo i did do a transfer case fluid flush changed the u joint and diff fluid over the summer to get it ready for winter and during the summer iv never experinced any issue i might add on drive payments there soesnt seem to be any issues anyone have any suggestions

 

Is it wandering back and forth under throttle? If so id check your front end. Worn out tie rods/pitman or idler arm will cause the front end to wander, especially in 4wd

 

hey mine does that too, but I haven't got an allignment yet from my control arm bushings or idler/pitman arm...


if your alignment is out instead of just 'slipping' it will actually be trying to pull your front end against itself. my suggestion would be to check your stearing/balljoints for play, replace anything that is worn and get an allignment

 

i do have new upper ball joints and a tie rod on the driver side i was going to wait on a alignment till i got some other things changed but if thats the reason im having these issues than ill just get one now and again later once i replace the rest of the steering suspension

 

whats a quick way to tell if the pitman/idler arm is bad

 

To check the idler arm, jack the truck up so just the passenger side wheel is off the ground, then hold the tire at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions and check for side to side play. Its a lot easier with a helper, because now you need to find out where the play is coming from. Have your helper wiggle the wheel side to side while you crawl under and try and find out whats worn. On the passenger side it could be a bad inner or outer tie rod, or it could be the idler arm. I normally use a combination of my eyes, hands and ears to find the culprit. Repeat the process on the driver side to check the pitman and inner and outer tie rods. Its also a good idea to have your helper try and rock the steering wheel back and forth in the cab while you check the pitman arm, In most cases the pitman will clunk pretty good if its real worn. Good luck, and make sure you have your vehicle lifted and supported properly before you crawl under it.

 

Is the truck going into 4 wheel drive? 4hi and 4 low? you said the 4 hi light blinks