Well, took my old 87 out for a spin around my block today (still needs alot of work, but it's up and running). Decided to test the 4wd system out since it hasn't been used in at least a year. We parked the truck facing a curb, put it in 4HI, locked the hubs, and......nothing. The front tires won't turn at all.....my friend had to give it almost full throttle just so it would climb the freakin curb.
I'm completley and utterly new to the 4wd world, so if I'm missing something or did something wrong please.....feel free to correct me. Or if it sounds like a problem, any advice would be great. Thanks!

edit: I guess I should add that the front driveshaft does spin when in gear.

 

Your truck has a solid axle swapped in? Any sort of locker, limited slip, etc.? I don't know much about sa swaps, but maybe there is a problem with the differential. Try jacking up the front axle, locking the hubs, and spinning the tires by hand. See if the opposite tire and/or front driveshaft spins.

 

were the rear tires spinning? if so i bet one of your hubs is stuck/assembled incorrectly. if you want i can go pull my dials off the runner and take some pics of what they should look like locked and unlocked....

 

If you can, I'd REALLY appreciate it.
I was perpendicular to the curb while trying to climb it so I couldn't tell if my rear tires were spinning or not. I put it in 4HI while driving down the street (with the hubs unlocked) and the front driveshaft was rotating.
Tonight my I'm going to jack it up and see if the front ones spin in 4wd, just to be sure.

 

Yes and no. Come to find out, my truck isn't even an 87, it's an 85. (the guy I bought it from was clueless to just about everything about this truck). HE said that it was an 87 body on an 85 frame, but after running the VIN off the body I was told it's an 85. Go figure. Anyway, I'm left not really knowing if the SA was swapped in or if it came with it. (The guy I bought it from didn't do any work on it, just abused the **** out of it.) And there's no locker(s) on it.

 

I have never tried locking one side and not the other to test, but I bet you're right about the problem. That's the simplest explanation. One hub is probably stuck open and getting all the power. Right? If you're not careful when reassembling the hubs, it's easy to goof up the spring and clutch (?).

Could be the differential, but a lot less likely.

 

This article from off-road.com might help out also with the hubs...
http://www.off-road.com/toyota/tech/aisin/index.htm

 

i will take them after i get off work tomorrow at 5pm, i will post them around that time