Front axle housing

Hi all I’m fairly new to this forum page but I recently hit a rock and it broke my front differential housing. I ordered a new one with a new 4wd actuator does anyone know the orientation of the last gear that connects with the actuator it fell out when I pulled the old housing off and could go either way it seems. It goes over the thread in the picture. Thanks in advance

 

There’s really only one way it can line up the mating surfaces properly.

You have to make sure the fork goes into the slide collar, which I do not see in your picture. Should look like this:

 

Here’s the ADD still on the diff tube for your reference:

 

After re-reading your question: the slide collar is positioned so that the slot where the fork inserts to is closer to the passenger wheel. See the first picture. The slot is on the diff tube side.

 

Or you could be talking about this gear position. This is how it’s supposed to be:

 

Oh and one last thing:
Welcome from NorCal!! I think that covers all the bases

 

Thanks for the response I started looking at it again and figured it out just a long day and I didn’t want to think I guess. I appreciate the quick response though if I hadn’t figured it out it was definitely informative enough to get there. I’m back on the road for now at 320,000 miles