Why won’t my front diff engage?

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Supercharged111

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It looks like I need dorman 600-600 and 600-101 to do the full electric actuator upgrade. I haven’t had a chance to check fuses or anything since I made this post so I’ll do that when I get off work tonight. But I want to do the upgrade either way

You don't need Dorman anything, up your standards!
 

Schurkey

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I wouldn't use the Dorman actuator, but I don't know of an upgrade wire harness other than the Dorman 600-600.

If you unscrew the thermal actuator, then plug the wire harness back in, you can shift to 4WD and see if the thing works. ('Course, that assumes it's getting proper power and ground, which would have to be verified.)

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NAPA replacement for the failed thermal actuator above:
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They should paint the inner piece pink.
 

GoToGuy

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Your 97 parts have pigtail with two pin connector? Rockauto has good parts listings, diff' brands. Plus good photo's.
 

Chillin Dylan

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Your 97 parts have pigtail with two pin connector? Rockauto has good parts listings, diff' brands. Plus good photo's.
I can’t remember which one is different, I think it’s the indicator light switch, but one of the plugs is different from the 97 to the 95. Like the difference from a square big white plug to a little two wire oval shape
 

Chillin Dylan

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Because you have time to wait for something decent instead of caving into communist made to fail garbage.
So what brand do you suggest?
Also, I see a few on rock auto listed as only fitting vehicles that have already been upgraded from thermal to electric. Is it just saying that because of the adapter harness? Or is there something else?
 

GoToGuy

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Earlier 1st design is the thermal actuator. Then somebody said wouldn't electric motor be better? Oh hell yeah. Two wire oval gets power gets hot, got .....
If you converted from thermal to electric thats the motor no conversion kit. Thermal has two wire pigtail. Electric no pigtail 5 pin plug on one end. Thermal is ssssllloooooowwwww. 2nd design electric are faster still. Although all may be faster now. I have a bowden cable manual select conversion on my K1500. You can also get a conversion pin to always have front engaged but not being driven by tranfer case except in 4 wheel hi or 4 lo. Dorman makes alot of aftermarket parts the OEM no longer support, but just are not the quality. Looks good shiny, but material quality and or assemblages just don't have longevity. Personally i think you pay premium price for subpar quality. Short story. Good luck.
 

Schurkey

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Most of the Dorman catalog is imported. They're not known for quality, they're known for availability.

A person just doesn't have much choice with some items--it's Dorman or it's Treasure Yard.

DO NOT buy a Dorman exhaust manifold unless you're willing to take it to a machine shop to have it planed flat and smooth. They're neither when they come out of the box. And the Vietnamese iron manifolds are worse than their Chinese iron manifolds. I bought two "Corvette" big-block manifold reproductions; but I got them for way less than half retail price--one of them has been planed already and the other will be. The iron casting quality is not encouraging.
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I notice that the Amazon page is claiming that the 600-600 harness is "made in USA". I'm not sure I believe that; but the wheel studs I bought had USA on the box. There's a few items that they still source from America.
 
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