So i finally started dismantleing my truck tonight starting the auto to manual swap and when i removed the transfer case there was a plug on the top with a bunch of little rubber hoses. What are these hoses for?

 

It's a vac switch to engage the front axle on the 2001 and older trucks.

 

Then what are the 2 hard lines that run from the t-case across the crossmember along the frame up to the front axle?

 

Those are are the vac lines that engage the 4x actuator on the axle to lock the front axles together for 4x4

 

Ok thanks!

 

oh and by the way, if they come disconnected while driving, it engages your front end and you can wear out your front driveline pretty quick. yes it sucks.

 

The only way the axle is going to lock in is if there is vacuum applies to one side of the actuator, or I suppose pressure applied to the other side. If you just unplug it (or it came off) it wouldn't do anything.

Or.. if you ran the truck in 4x4 and the vac line to the axle undid. It would run in 2wd at the T Case, but the front end would be engaged still. It's not really a big deal, most all the late 80 to early 2000 Jeeps have the front end locked all the time. The 01-02 2500/3500 same way.

 

This is most of the way right
the vacume on these 4x4 front axle require air suction to move it around SO if your in 2x4 and it came off nothing would happen other than it would not go into 4x4 and its the same the other way around because the suction comes from the other side to slide it in to 4x4. i only know cause the shavt on my air actuator was bent and i went through everything under there

 

Right, that is exactly what I said.

 

Thanks for the info.