Front Axleshafts Don't Disengage in 2WD

[Colorado Yeti]

I just bought a 1999 2-door 4WD Z-71 Tahoe. It is all original down to the GM floormats, garaged it entire life and only has 52,000 miles. It is absloutely cherry and drives like a dream.

Here's my concern. It came from a part of the U.S. where it probably was never put into 4WD. I have to use 4WD fairly frequently where I live. I used the 4WD last week to get to work during a snowy day then disengaged the 2WD on the way home. When I back up and turn the wheel hard, it feels as though the front CV joints in the axleshafts were binding, as if it were still in 4WD. I climbed underneath the vehicle this last Saturday to check it out and sure enough, the front axleshafts don't freewheel when it is 2WD.

Is this normal for this vehicle? Keep in mind I have owned many, many 4WD vehicles but they have all been manual transmission vehciels with manual hubs. I have never owned a 4WD with automatic hubs, so I don't know what is normal.

My only regret is that the vehicle is not a manual transmission, but I think those are probably incredibly rare. I would give anything to have a NV-4500 granny 5-speed in it! Maybe in the future.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Your CV axles will not disengage, your driveshaft will

 

[Doubeleive]

there should be a solenoid/motor on the front differential (black color) with a harness connected to it, that may be stuck, you can take the connector off and unscrew it from the differential to test it visually, if it's stuck a junk yard probably has a working used one.
that solenoid is what engages the front differential, it works kind of like a starter solenoid it just pushes the gear inside the diff. while in 4wd then releases when you put it back into 2wd



you may loose a tiny bit of fluid when you take it out but should be much at all, just don't drive around with it out.

 

[Colorado Yeti]

I just bought a 1999 2-door 4WD Z-71 Tahoe. It is all original down to the GM floormats, garaged it entire life and only has 52,000 miles. It is absloutely cherry and drives like a dream.

Here's my concern. It came from a part of the U.S. where it probably was never put into 4WD. I have to use 4WD fairly frequently where I live. I used the 4WD last week to get to work during a snowy day then disengaged the 2WD on the way home. When I back up and turn the wheel hard, it feels as though the front CV joints in the axleshafts were binding, as if it were still in 4WD. I climbed underneath the vehicle this last Saturday to check it out and sure enough, the front axleshafts don't freewheel when it is 2WD.

Is this normal for this vehicle? Keep in mind I have owned many, many 4WD vehicles but they have all been manual transmission vehciels with manual hubs. I have never owned a 4WD with automatic hubs, so I don't know what is normal.

My only regret is that the vehicle is not a manual transmission, but I think those are probably incredibly rare. I would give anything to have a NV-4500 granny 5-speed in it! Maybe in the future.

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Thanks everone. No front hubs like other $WD vehicels, just the transfer case and the front diff engager. I will check the front diff solenoid, but bet it is working properly.

- Cheers

 

[Lancem]

Unlikely in your case but I had one that the fluid was so low for so long in the front diff that it bound up and stuck. Filled it and then while driving kept shifting between 2-4wd and finally got it to start shifting again. This was an older model that used the heated plug to engage, previous owner told me it was bad and that he would unscrew it and stick in a 1/2" socket and put it back together to engage the front diff...If you can believe that