The 4wd light has been on ever since I bought it last week, but I saw the lever was all the way down so I assumed it was an electrical problem keeping the light on. Now Im noticing a lot of binding and rear wheel chirping on tight turns which leads me to believe that it is in fact in 4Hi. If I pull i all the way up it goes into 4lo, but no matter what I do I cant get it out of 4wd...

There is a mirco switch under the center console that turns the 4wd light on in the cluster. That could be out of adjustment also. As for the churping... It can still do this in 2wd, but either way it shouldn't churp unless it has a lock rear diff. Lift the back both tires off the ground and try and turn one wheel. If it doesn't turn then it is in 4wd. If both rear wheels turn the same direction then the rear diff is welded. Spinning the opposite direction the diff is open. Hope this helps.

thanks, i understand how diffs work, i didnt know about the microswitch though. Havent had a chance to jack it up but I really think its in 4wd. I noticed the even though I can force the selector all the way down, it doesnt "click" nicely like it does into 4lo or 4hi. going from 4hi and pushing it down there is a lot of resistance, but it doesnt feel like its actually going into 2wd, then the handle kind of comes up a little by itself.

Have you tried pushing down and letting the clutch out a little, see if the gears need to free themselves up a little. I sometimes have to do that with my brat.

you might have to goose the gas or pop the clutch to free up any bind in the axles. try reversing several car lengths as you push down on the lever.

 

get onto some grass, gravel, or sandy pavement and flex the car to thry and spin off the bind in the driveline, while pushing the lever down.

you might have to goose the gas or pop the clutch to free up any bind in the axles. try reversing several car lengths as you push down on the lever.

 

get onto some grass, gravel, or sandy pavement and flex the car to thry and spin off the bind in the driveline, while pushing the lever down.

 

Thanks, ill try that tomorrow!

Well, took the brat in some mud this afternoon. Popped right into 2wd but then I was stuck so it had to go back into 4wd. It did slip back into 2wd as I was getting back onto the road, thanks for the advice.

Edited April 14, 201114 yr by stiwanabe

Have you looked to see if there is differant tires on the brat? If there is, that could be why it is bound up to tight.

No, they're all the same size.

Well, took the brat in some mud this afternoon. Popped right into 2wd but then I was stuck so it had to go back into 4wd. It did slip back into 2wd as I was getting back onto the road, thanks for the advice.

 

its a good idea to disengage the 4wd BEFORE pulling onto dry road.

 

also, never engage or disengage the 4wd with the steering turned. the wheels should be straight for this.

 

now you know, and should not have a problem anymore!

its a good idea to disengage the 4wd BEFORE pulling onto dry road.

 

also, never engage or disengage the 4wd with the steering turned. the wheels should be straight for this.

 

now you know, and should not have a problem anymore!

werd...problem was that the mud was so bad i kept getting stuck if it wasnt in 4wd, so i put it into 2wd as I was coasting out of the mud and back onto the street with the clutch pushed in.

its a good idea to disengage the 4wd BEFORE pulling onto dry road.

 

also, never engage or disengage the 4wd with the steering turned. the wheels should be straight for this.

 

now you know, and should not have a problem anymore!

 

To me it seems alot of people dont know not to engage or disengage the 4wd with the wheel turned, ive seen a few people smashing their 4wd lever with the wheel cranked, Ive told them and they think im bull************ing them. If i remember right I recall reading that in my 81 wagon owners manual

That seems like common sense to me.

Have the same problem on my 85 Brat. It definitely isn't stuck in 4wd, just the switch... thatnks for the confirmation.

this is for the lo-range only. the 4wd switch is on the trans

 

[quoite=Mr. Brat;1010027]There is a mirco switch under the center console that ts for the lo-rangurns the 4wd light on in the cluster. That could be out of adjustment also. As for the churping... It can still do this in 2wd, but either way it shouldn't churp unless it has a lock rear diff. Lift the back both tires off the ground and try and turn one wheel. If it doesn't turn then it is in 4wd. If both rear wheels turn the same direction then the rear diff is welded. Spinning the opposite direction the diff is open. Hope this helps.