i have a 95 dakota and my front drive shaft is spinning but my axel is not. What's the problem?

Asked by fogg Jan 17, 2011 at 01:40 PM about the 1995 Dodge Dakota SLT 4WD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

20 Answers

1,485

Wow a 95 dakota doesn't have locking hubs. Your front axle is locked with a vacuum operated fork that slides a collar to spline the two piec axle together. Ill post pics.

2 people found this helpful.
1,485

The fork. Check for leaks in your lines.

4 people found this helpful.
7,495

get ur hubs locked. that should solve the issue. http://dodge-dakota.org/photos/

3 people found this helpful.
365

My 87 chevy has locking hubs. So no not only Ford has locking hubs.

1 people found this helpful.
1,485

Wer not in the 80s jackass. Its a 90s dodge even the 90s gm trucks are hubless hence the ifs on bolth. Even the ram is hubless.

5 people found this helpful.
1,485

These people are blind I posted 2 pictures of the accuator.

6 people found this helpful.
33,345

your 87 chevy also prolly fell apart 3 times and is held together with duct tape and zip ties

2 people found this helpful.
365

Ok so what you mean is that the only 90s trucks that have manual lockouts are Fords. What are you 12? Cuz I thought it was cool to swear when I was 12. And no my 87 Chevy is not held together with duct tape. Everything's original except the motor and front driveshaft and its been happily plowing snow for 6 years now. I wouldn't judge people when you don't know them. I'm 17 and I know that.

33,345

every things original except the motor and front drive shaft. what kinda voltage does that motor run on? 220? 3 phase 480? your truck has an engine my friend if it was a prius itd have a motor. and as for every thing being original except the engine isnt that like the most important part of the truck come on your 17 you should know these things.

1 people found this helpful.
1,485

Pardon my manners I didn't know children wer on here trying to give "advice"

1 people found this helpful.
5,305

Says the guy who's dad more likelier than not bought everything for "his" truck. People are ignorant, true, so is arguing on the internet about vacuum actuators for a front differential on a 1995 dakota. Im curious, how many vacuum actuators have you personally r&r'd on a 4wd AN? Also, the guy criticizing chevrolet retorts with a comment about AC motors and the engine being the most important part of a vehicle. How about the frame? Where is the engine/motor going to mount without the frame? Or how about the transmission? Without a transmission how is the power from the engine going to make it to the ground. Then the argument can follow its way down the driveline to the differential, then the axles and then to the tires. I do believe if we are going to be subjective about this, then the true answer is the tires. Without them all other 4wd magazine reading points about busting out the lingual measure tape are pointless. Lets get serious here kids. And more likelier than not, the vacuum actuator is your concern with the front differential assembly not engaging...just saying.

1 people found this helpful.
33,345

you tell me im ignorant but you cant even spell likely correctly while trying to insult me. i will admit my skit with the PCM/voltage regulator thing was ignorant of me, i started thinking with my keyboard instead of my brain. my truck is a truck that i use for my vehicle recovery service, yes my dad bought it for me because when i went into bussiness i was 17 and in NY you cant get a loan till your 18 i paid him back and currently pay all the payments on it. but any way with this particular post i was just making a point at how he said he knows all those things and hes 17 it wasnt saying the engine is thee single most important part of the vehicle by any meens. as for how many vac units ive done, i lost count cause of all the times i had to do them on my old 96 ram

145

either axel shaft splines, pinion, ring, or cv joints...probably going to require open heart surgery on front diff...

1 people found this helpful.
365

So because i said that not only Ford has locking hubs I'm "knowing all these things"? Hmm.. Interesting.

70

I know this is 3 years old, but, in case anyone happens to come across this brand of stupidity, let me clarify several things here. One, ONLY the 1990 and 1991 4x4 Dakotas have the vacuum actuator. Two, 1992 to 1996 do have the axle fork, but it is NOT vacuum engaged, it is engaged by hydraulic pressure when you engage the 4 wheel drive. Source, the 4 1992, 3 1994, 3 1995, and 1 1996 Dakotas i currently own, and only do repairs on myself. 2 of those Dakotas are full frame off rebuilds.

3 people found this helpful.
70

I know this is a few years old, but i would like to clarify something here, in case someone comes across this and wants the correct answer. The 1992 to 1996 Dakota 4x4 does NOT have the vacuum actuator, the front axle is hydraulically engaged when you engage the 4 wheel drive. ONLY the 1990 and 1991 Dakota have the vacuum actuated front axle. Source. 1 1991 Dakota, 2 1992 Dakotas, 2 1994 Dakotas, 3 1995 Dakotas, 1 1996 Dakota, all 4x4, and all of which i do all my own repairs on. One of the 1991's, and and one of the 1995's are full frame off restorations.

4 people found this helpful.

I am currently dealing with a 95 Dakota with 35’s ( with out rubbing!). Four wheel drive just stopped working at the front diff. The two guys above me are correct their is no vacume operated fork but I don’t see any thing on front axle that would be hydrological contrived. So it must be front diff parts only correct?

10

Pal, The person with a 92 Dakota and says "hydraulically op. "is WRONG for 1992. I bought mine new and the front wheels ARE OPERATED BY VACUUM (the transducer/solenoid that screws into diff goes bad). Replace at napa under 25 bucks+ your 4 wd light will work correctly ! Any questions come look at my truck.

1 people found this helpful.

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