4x4 issue

[carnath]

i have a 92 k2500 6.5l turbo diesel. Today i tried to pull out of where i park, on a slight incline, and i heard a horrible grinding noise.( i leave it in 4x4 when i park so i can make it out easily.) so i came on the forums, and replaced the actuator for my truck, and took it for a drive, it engages faster then it did with the old one, but when i get on ice and apply a little throttle, or when i park where i normally do, it still makes a grinding sound(it sounds like it is from the drivers side front) when in 4x4, and it doesnt feel like the front is engaged in 4x4

[crashz]

Could be a few things, but with a truck of that vintage, somethings as body mounts degrade, the cab settles and the shift linkages become mis-aligned. Sounds like it may not be shifting completely into 4wd. I'm assuming its a lever shift.

[DmaxMaverick]

Welcome aboard!

In all likelihood, it's the thermal actuator in the front diff. They fail after time, and cold conditions (??) make it worse. You can either replace with the OEM thermal actuator, or upgrade it to the later electro-mechanical. Cost will be about the same if you do it yourself, but the upgrade requires a bit more time/labor, with adaptation. It's a bolt-on solution.

[carnath]

the front axle snapped, much easier fix then what i thought it would be, crawled under to fix a stripped out oil pan( last guy who owned it must of took it to a place who use impacts to drain oil) and gave it a twirl to humor myself, saw the break, and was happy to see it was that instead of a shot front dif.