Hello, Dale Williams here. I have a '96 x-90 w/ 88000 miles. the car is in excellent shape. The basic problem I'm having is no out put to the front driveshaft in either high or low range. When it quit I had used it earlier in the day on icy roads, then back to 2 wheel on dry pavement. Upon shifting back into 4x4 ,I had no 4x4. The shifter feels normal, there are no noises, everything seems normal except no output to the front driveshaft. The 4x4 indicator light comes on. The transfer case shifts into neutral o.k. and feels like it's shifting from gear to gear by the feel of the shift lever but no output. Any ideas?? I currently have the car on jackstands w/all tires off the floor.

It's either a broken chain inside the T-case or you have bad hubs that are
not locking in, I bet it's hubs, I think the chain would of been more obvious
if it went

Wild

Front drive shaft not turning, but no unusual noises, 2wd works fine, and the transfer case will go into neitral?

The front shaft is turned by a chain when you engage 4wd, if it's not
turning, you have a broken chain OR the shifter fork is loose and not
engaging the shifter dog to turn the chain, either way the T-case has
to come out.

Test: put the truck into 2wd, go under and turn the shaft by hand with
the hubs in "lock" position, if it turns it's your hubs (could be hard to turn),
if it does not turn then change hubs to "unlocked" shift to 4wd, go back under and
turn by hand, if it now turns you have a confirmed broken chain or bad engagement mechanism,
and the T-case needs to be removed to repair it

Wild

Thanks a bunch. I figured I'd have to drop the t-case. Just happen to have another x-90 sittin here. Hate to rob it. Need to sell it!!!

Is the transfer case in a '96 Sidekick Sport the same?

I'm a Land Cruiser guy but my daughter has a Sidekick and her front axle is not getting any power either.

subscibed

Is the transfer case in a '96 Sidekick Sport the same?

I'm a Land Cruiser guy but my daughter has a Sidekick and her front axle is not getting any power either.

Yes I think it is, the test should be the same, but I would first suspect the lockout hubs, not the t-case,
I have run a turbo engine for years turning 33" Swampers and have had no issues with a t-case chain, I
would clean and lube the hubs as a first line of fix

Wild

This truck has the manual hubs not auto hubs, does that change the diagnosis?

This truck has the manual hubs not auto hubs, does that change the diagnosis?

You can do the same procedure that Wild mentioned above, just lock the hubs in first..

Zig

Is the transfer case in a '96 Sidekick Sport the same?

I'm a Land Cruiser guy but my daughter has a Sidekick and her front axle is not getting any power either.

Yes, it is the same tcase.  But generally, no 4wd is caused by 1 or both of the hubs not engaging.  Tcase problems are not real common on these.

At the same time, if the front driveshaft is not turning, it's definitely NOT the hubs.  I've never had a problem with my transfer cases, but it is possible, I suppose.

I think it would be much more likely that the forks are not engaging inside the case, rather than a broken chain.  That chain is a BEAST.

Need a transfer case?