4wd actuator ?

[new-dieselman]

So i've got the new actuator installed and am trying to find where to splice that brown wire. I've done a search of the forums and read up on all I could find on the subject. I am still not sure what connector i am looking for. Some people refer to a connector on the left hand side of the transmission and some refer to a connector on top of the transer case. Yet another says that brown is always hot when ignition is on which meens i can wire it where i want. I have a 95 k2500 with the manual 4wd lever on the floor. My 2wd light indicator is working, the 4wd drive light does not work when the lever is in the 4wd position.The actuator does not seem to be engaging when i put it in 4wd. I thought it would because i read in my dieselpage book that the brown is for disengaging. Anyhow.. anybody with precise info on what to do? Thank-you

[BobND]

The wire is at the UPPER LEFT of the TRANSFER CASE.

It is a POWER WIRE that is fed from the "4X4" fuse, ALWAYS "HOT" when the key is "ON", UNAFFECTED by transfer case shift lever position.

[MTTwister]

There is a 4 wire connector, and the brown wire is one of the outside wires - hard to see the colors under there, need a work light. ( at least that narrows it down for you, tho').

I would have expected the front axle to be engaged, and in fact the actuator not back out without the brown wire hooked up. I had to make sure mine was well seated, about one more turn to fully seat.

I would think about finding the 4wd Hot wire in the engine bay next time.

[new-dieselman]

Thank-you BobND. So, if it's hot all the time when key is on, what is the exact function of the brown wire? The original thermal actuator required one hot wire for activation and one ground wire. Cooling took care of deactivating. I thought the new brown wire would only be hot when deactivation was required. Also, since it's hot all the time when key is on, can I not wire it where I choose? Instead of crawling under the truck and splicing in a hard to work place where there is also a corrosion possibility. Thanks again

[new-dieselman]

I found a connector on the top left of the transfer case. It has three wires. Is this the one? Everybody keeps talking about a 4 wire connector.

[opto]

Do you pherhaps have the part number s for the actuator and the harness??

[fastcat800]

It is the brown wire on the 3 wire connector on the top of the transfer case. I put one in a couple of months ago. Once installed and wired put the truck in 4WD and turn the key to run. You can hear the actuator motor run for about one second as it engages.

[fastcat800]

Here are the part numbers and list prices. I got a discount so I only paid $182 plus tax for both. I decided to go this way instead of the after market manual actutor because it was almost instant 4WD with just the pull of one lever and no chance to pull the wrong lever first. It works great, one second to engage 4WD.
Actuator 26060073 - $159.87
Harness 88959465 - $100.05

[new-dieselman]

Thank-you Dave for helping me out. I tapped in to the brown wire and 4wd seems to be working. How do I verify if the actuator is disengaging. It seems that the front drive shaft can be turned by hand when in 2wd mode,however the two axles up front seem to be engaged, ie: they won't turn by hand.

[fastcat800]

If you turn sharp on tar and your front wheels skip you are still in 4WD. If you don't notice anything it's in 2WD.

[JohnC]

Originally posted by new-dieselman:
It seems that the front drive shaft can be turned by hand when in 2wd mode,however the two axles up front seem to be engaged, ie: they won't turn by hand. If the shaft between the transfer case and the front axle (we used to call that the front propellor shaft...) can be turned without turning the front wheels then it is disengaged (at both ends). The half shafts cannot be turned because they are attached to the wheels. Permamently.