jhaymes2002

i have a 1995 k/2500. it has a 700r4 and weve been told the actuator is bad. we can't find the actuator to see if it may just be unplugged. could someone help me locate it. thank you

Fireplug

Need a lot more info then that.

jhaymes2002

the front axle actuator

Fireplug

its on the front diff on the pass side at the top of the diff just above where the axle shaft is. Should have 2 or more wires coming from it.

CBRF Engineer

It works by heating the fluid and expanding/moving a piston to engage the front axle. If it is bad, there is a company that makes a solenoid type that works much better. The problem with the stock unit is that when you park in a snow bank and turn off the ignition, the vehicle comes out of 4 wheel drive. When you try to leave, you can't get out of the snow bank until you get the front axle to engage. Sorry I can't remember the name of the company that makes the selonoid replacement.

jward37

Aloha,

Look at the right hand side of the front axle near the middle and you will see an extra tube alongside the axle with a 1 1/4 bolt size with 2 wires coming out the back end. That's the actuator. Fuse #24 in your I/P fuse block is the fuse that blows when the actuator fails shorted or open. That's the small fuse block with the little door on the left hand side of the instrument panel you can access with the driver's door open. My actuator failed shorted , so the fuse was blown. If your fuse is blown , you can check by putting in a new fuse , disconnecting the 2-wire connector pigtail coming out of the actuator. Engage 4wheel and if the fuse doesn't blow , then see if the actuator wires have somehow shorted. If they look OK , then reconnect and the fuse should blow , telling you that the heater in the actuator is pulling too much current. Now you have to replace the actuator and you need the VIN number to get the right actuator and harness. The harness requiress you to wire the extra (3rd) wire to a fused 12V. My GM manual shows me that splice #235 S235 above the steering column inside the passenger compartment attaches to fuse #24 , but I just ran the wire to the engine compartment fuse box and attached to a spare fuse position. The motor doesn't use much current , so the 25 amp fuse is probably overkill.

I think that for 1995 , different wiring schemes appear , so the VIN number is important. My GM manual shows a convenient 4wheel drive relay driven by the 4wheel drive switch in the transfer case , but it was not located as the drawing shows. That's why I wired it the the fuse box , so I could get going again. The relay was on the same #24 fuse , so I could have just wired to the 12V side of the relay.

I got the harness $103 and the actuator $179 from GM. If you have access to junkyards , which I don't have many in Hawaii , I would just get one off a 1995 vehicle. I talked to a guy at Napa who had problems finding the right one , so I would remove the original and go looking for model years that match. Or just spend the money. I prefer the earlier unit , because it looks like it will withstand driving through brush better that the new plastic motor , and it doesn't get too cold in Hawaii , except on the mountain. There is snow right now for example.

Jeff

94k2500

Wanted to say thank you to all who posted here. Murphy's law would dictate that my 4X4 would go out the day Chicago gets 12" of snow. Had no idea of the problem until I came across these postings. Got a new actuator and had the problem fixed within an hour.
So, thank you and aloha!
Rick T.