need help with the 4wheel drive on my jeep cherokee?

Question

front axles will not lock in, 1986 jeep cherokee, commandtrac

it dosen't have any clicking in the hubs

Answer 1

the 3 most common ailments for this system were
1 vac switch on t- case stuck [just get a new switch there cheap and the old s-10's used the same switch]
2 cracked vac canister behind fnt. bumper on rt. side. [even a minor impact would crack the plastic resulting in a loss of vacume
3 where vac lines run under the battery tray acid would spill and rot the vac lines
NOTE: occasionly the vacume vent would get colgged resulting in a vacume lock condition the vent is located with the indicator lamp switch on the right inner fender back against the firewall. also be sure to eliminate the climate system for vacume loss troubles good luck!

Answer 2

Forget malmute answer. You do not have locking hubs, but the second answer is correct in that you have a vacuum activated sliding sleeve on the right,,passenger, side of the axle that locks the front axle. Easy things first. Disconnet the vacuum lines and see if the sleeve is stuck. There should be a rubber boot to keep debris out of the axle shaft area. If it is gone, mud could get in there and lock up the sliding sleeve. It is also possible that the vacuum lines has just come off the slave cylinder or the diaphram is broken inside the chamber. You can find these parts in most junk yards, as it was very common then.
Good Luck

Answer 3

check the vacuum lines going down to the front axle

Answer 4

nicely if there isnt a cope with next on your shift lever or stick on the middle consoule then you definately dont have 4wd, merely becasue its a grand cherokee laredo dosent recommend its a 4x4

Answer 5

hubs may be shot...hear any clicking up there?