Jerk or bucks in four wheel drive

Tiny
LITTLEE_DOMN8R
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 CHEVROLET BLAZER
  • 4.3L
  • V6
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 193,000 MILES
My vehicle jerks or bucks in wheel drive every one hundred feet or so. It feels like the wheel drive is engaged, but just sounds like something is not engaging, or possibly something is broke in the hub? There was no vacuum line connected to the actuator under the battery, but I ran a temporary line to a tee under the hood to see if it would engage, and now have this problem. Hoping someone has an idea of what this would be as I do not want to start tearing into it without knowing where to start.
Thursday, February 23rd, 2017 AT 12:01 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 15,233 POSTS
Do you have the same sized tires all the way around?
Are you trying to drive in wheel drive on pavement or dry ground?
Why was the actuator disconnected?
Has anyone ever replaced the rear axle assembly?
The front actuator is supposed to have a line that goes back to the vacuum switch on the transfer case. Not a constant vacuum.

From the description it sounds like you are driving in wheel drive on a high traction surface and the system is experiencing torque wrap because the wheels are not slipping.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, April 25th, 2021 AT 11:26 AM
Tiny
LITTLEE_DOMN8R
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Yes, the tires are the same size. I have only owned it for a few months so have no idea why the actuator was disconnected or the history of it. I do believe the prior owner told me they had replaced one of the rear axles. Along with the buck, there is a noise coming from underneath, sounds like in the front axle or hub. I was driving on dry pavement, but we had some ice and snow overnight so I tried it this morning and the four wheel drive is not engaging at all, but the buck/noise is still there when I put it in 4hi or 4lo. I am probably going to take it to a shop next week as I need to sell this to buy something else and it will not sell for much if the four wheel drive is not working.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, April 25th, 2021 AT 11:26 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 15,233 POSTS
It may be that they replaced the entire rear axle and used one that doesn't have the same gear ratio. That would cause the bucking in 4 wheel. It would also explain why the actuator was unhooked. They disabled the 4 wheel drive because it can't be used. The noise is probably damage in the transfer case from the mismatched gears.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Sunday, April 25th, 2021 AT 11:26 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Transfer Case Actuator Content

VIEW MORE