Front end locked up

Chelsbug01 · October 5, 2021

4x4 front end locked up

The front end on my 2000 1500 Silverado locked up while driving. It will not move. What can I do to fix it and what caused this?? I wasn’t driving when it happened so I’m not sure about much that happened. I let my dad borrow it and he’s a mechanic but he’s getting up in age (not really but really) and he’s not able to fix it or look at it.
I don’t have front breaks, but that’s nothing new.

CamGTP · October 5, 2021

This is very hard to give you an answer over the internet.

The first thing that comes to mind is a locked up brake caliper. Past that I would be looking at the front driveshaft and the front differentail itself. If you can jack up front end that would be best to test these things out. See if any of the front tires move at all, see if you can spin the front driveshaft too.

David89GMC · October 5, 2021

No idea what you mean by "locked up", but if it's the front axle, just get another one at a junkyard and swap it.

davester · October 5, 2021

It's crazy that you are driving the truck around without front brakes for awhile without bothering to fix them.

asilverblazer · October 5, 2021

If the brakes were worn out, metal on metal may have 'friction welded' the caliper to the rotors or simply overheated them enough to seize. Comment about brakes would lead me to look there first. For something in the front differential to lock everything up tight I would suspect some other symptoms or noises prior to.