Front axle free wheel disengages when slowing down in 2wd

Yes larry is very correct.Try going in reverse.

On these issue,there are few solved help links for troubleshooting the issue easily.-------

Click the link below:---
No 4x4 light on dash?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.com/2011/12/no-4x4-light-on-dash.html

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4X4 Truck makes roaring noise in the front end?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2012/01/4x4-truck-makes-roaring-noise-in-front.html

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Car will not go into 4WD high or 4WD low?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/car-will-not-go-into-4wd-high-or-4wd.html

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No 4x4 light on dash?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.com/2011/12/no-4x4-light-on-dash.html

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4 wheel drive system will not disengage?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/4-wheel-drive-system-will-not-disengage.html

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4WD light is flashing and beeping? NO 4WD high?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.in/2012/02/4wd-light-is-flashing-and-beeping-no.html

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2002 Jeep Wrangler: 4WD Idiot Light is ON?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/06/2002-jeep-wrangler-4wd-idiot-light-is.html

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Traction control switch will not engage on 4WD High or Low

http://whoisbyme.blogspot.com/2012/10/traction-control-switch-will-not-engage.html

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4WD light flashing and 4WD will engage after few minutes

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.com/2012/10/4wd-light-flashing-and-4wd-will-engage.html

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2008 Toyota Tundra: 4x4 Wheel Drive Light is Flashing?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/05/2008-toyota-tundra-4x4-wheel-drive.html

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4x4 front differential will not engage the axle on ford?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/4x4-front-differential-will-not-engage.html

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4x4 will not engage on Ford F150? http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/4x4-will-not-engage-on-ford-f150.html

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Dodge Ram 4x4 light keeps flashing 4X4 LOW LIGHT IS FLASHING ON DASH

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/09/dodge-ram-4x4-light-keeps-flashing.html

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Ford 4x4 front wheels will not engage?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/ford-4x4-front-wheels-will-not-engage.html

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These details will help.

Thanks.

Possible the vacuum bleed-off to the switch you installed isn't allowing it to completely disengage. Pull the bleed-off line from the new switch and see if it works. could be just a tight spot/bent closed in the bleed-off line or the vent plugged.

please try to switch back to 2wd mode in neutral position. then move car for few hundred meters. if this wont help you need to check the linkage mechanism on np242 transfer case.

Warn Hubs Installation
A truck or SUV with a four-wheel drive suspension uses locking hubs on the front wheels to engage or disengage the front axle shafts from the hubs. This way, you can drive the truck normally with just rear-wheel drive, or engage four-wheel drive mode when you want to drive off-road. These hubs can wear out, and one improvement is to install a set of Warn hubs. Installing a set of Warn hubs takes about an hour.
1.Park the truck and put on the parking brake. Lift the front of the truck with the jack and put the jack stands under the front axle. Take off the front wheels with the tire iron and put them to the side.
2.Disengage the locking hubs using your hands by turning the knob on the hubs. Remove the snap rings holding the hub locks in place with the snap-ring pliers. Pull the hub off the axle.
3.Install the lock ring wheel from the Warn hub kit in the axle with the factory snap ring and the snap-ring pliers.
4.Make sure the Warn locking cap dial is turned to the "Free' position. Install the locking cap onto the lock ring wheel and hub body with a hex-head key. Reinstall the front wheels with the tire iron and lower the vehicle off the jack stands with the jack.
Thank you for using FixYa. Hope this will help your problem and don't forget to rate me.thanks,
Reymond

replace the 4 wheel drive acuator if in 4wd with selector and the wheels are still free then the acuator is bad even tho you 12v the acuator may not be pulling back to lock in the hub for 4 wd. simply replace it as their is a small spring on the acuater that over time becomes week and can no longer hold the presure that is created when it activated.

This would be a failing bearing in the differential. More specificly, I would suspect the pinion bearing. The differential will need to be disassembled and all (4) bearings and bearing races inspected for wear/ pitting.

Hi Adstew,
the front diff has a sensor telling the control unit it when it is engaged (or not). It probably is, and it won't disengage. or the sensor is stuck. The selector lever tells the control unit you want 2WD but the sensor thinks the front axle is engaged. So it flashes.
When shifting to 2WD, normally the front axle will come free after a load change or a bit of turning the steering from side to side, but it sometimes happens that it gets stuck. You can find out:
lift the car free off ground, then select drive forward in 2WD. If the front wheels do not turn, then the sensor may be faulty or stuck. if the front wheels turn in 2WD mode, the diff is stuck and the sensor tells you so. Same or similar problem can happen with the center diff, by the way, on pajero/montero, etc.
regards
Winfried, the perfessa

If you can verify the noise is coming from the front diff, try these two things. Back the actuator out some or completely remove it, only some fluid will leak if driven a short distance. If there is no change, use a pry bar and see how much play there is at the left front axle. Pry between something like the a-arm and the shaft of the axle or the frame and the flange of the axle. If there is excessive play, I've found the clips that hold the side bearings in adjustment sheer off and let the bearings have excessive play leading to bearing failure. The difference in the noise you hear could change because the axle goes from free wheeling to being driven. If the second description fits, all new bearings and seals should fix you up.

The cv shafts will turn in 2wd but the front driveshaft should not. Can you jack up all 4 wheels to test this?

Ok i'm no expert but if you're trying to get the front axles out you will need to take the hubs apart and it should all disconnect somewhere around the cv's. If you take your time and think about what you're doing it won't be that hard a job.

Alternativly the simple solution is to leave the front end complete and only remove the front propshaft. By doing this and just leaving the hubs disengaged none of the front end will turn and you will have 2wd. This option also means that if you come accross a cheap transfer case later on down the track you won't have to worry about putting the front end back together.

Hope thats some help to you. - Neil