Not going forward with 4 wheel drive on

[Chris]

When I engage 4wd it is very hard to move forward when I turn the wheel.

Topic

[fordranger]

Does the car have soft or straight axle

[Chris]

I don’t actually know. I have a 2000 dodge Dakota.

[Bill]

Most 4X4 trucks bind up in 4wd when turning. It`s quite normal to do that especially if it has a limited slip axle.

[Gumpy Guss]

So what exactly happens when you turn the wheel?

Is the wheel hard to turn?

Does the engine go: Vroom but your road speed doesn’t increase? or (less likely) does the engine not vroom and you still accelerate slowly?

Do the tires chirp or squeal when you turn the wheel sharply and try to go forward?

Does it work all okay when in 2WD?

have the transmissions, differentials, and transfer boxes ever been maintained, by flushing and refilling their liquids, and were they refilled with the fluid recommended in the owner’s manual, or whatever Jiffy-Lube had on hand or whatever premium fluid the sales manager could talk you into?

All important clues.

[EricTheCarGuy]

It’s not recommended to use 4WD on dry pavement. It can put the components into a bind. That said, if it works fine in 2WD then it’s likely that’s the issue. However, if you also have an issue in 2WD then it’s probably worth looking into. See your owners manual for details on how the 4WD is suppose to operate.

[Author]

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