I have a 2004 F250 ext. cab ,gas,automatic. Problem 4 wheel automatic system doesn't work due to seals MISSING or worn and fell out ! Problem I have a auto mechanic who in the past month has changed front driver side hub,they had also changed hub on passenger side about a year ago.Today at the Ford dealer while having a oil change ,I asked them to check 4 wheel drive system.I have never really gotten full understanding to how this system works TILL today!As I found out seals are necessary to create vacuum to engage 4 wheel drive with turn of switch on inside of cab while hubs are in auto mode.THE PROBLEM seals are MISSING or fell out from I don't know what !I asked shop to check system while doing hubs they said 4 wheel system was ok.I think shop may have forgot to put seals back when they did HUBS ! Problem now is without seals not only does 4 wheel system not work in auto mode but all kinds of road salt and debris can get into back of hubs.Shop has agreed to do seals for no labor and just price of seals.This situation is one pain in the butt,now truck has to be dropped off again and who knows how much crap has gotten into back of hubs !What do you guys think about this problem !And can you describe better than me what I am up against ! THANKS

 

You can just manually lock the hubs yourself and 4x4 will engage.

 

Thank you ! I did know that but thread is entitled 4 wheel automatic and problems with that.

 

TTT. Please anybody ?

 

I assume you're talking about the o rings on the hubs themselves? Not the wheel knuckle seals? There shouldn't be to much salt and debris inside hopefully......Have you been in much deep water where the hubs have been submerged? One thing I would check is the needle bearings that support the axle shaft inside the hub bearing assembly....if those go out they can take out your axle shaft.

 

? Ford dealer said something is missing ! From just jacking truck up can u tell that excludder seal's are missing ?

 

What is missing is what some call axle seals ! My Ford dealer said there called excluder seals. They have to be pressed on to axle ! Now the only question HOW did they come off. I never new completely HOW the vacuum pulse automatic 4 wheel drive WORKED ! So one shop did ball joints 6 n change years ago other 2 n change years ago, ALL this time 4 wheel Auto. Most likely has not worked ! Electronic shift on the fly light has gone on but ( unless I am mistaken) It probably wasn't engaging hubs in auto position vs lock. It works when I manually lock hubs AND turn switch on inside of cab to 4 wheel. So it's possible first shop took axle seals out and never put new ones in,Then second shop didn't know they WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE and never mentioned I need new seals which hold vacuum to hubs for 4 wheel automatic. Other thread on axle question is related, second shop said HE DIDNT TAKE AXLES OUT TO DO BALL JOINTS so he knows nothing about seals , I am trying to figure this out, I am p.o. ed at second shop now cause he also did some work a few months back ( which is fine ) and he is insistent that axles didn't come out 2 n change years ago which IS LUDICROUS ! This tells me HE didn't know how important this seal is ! I am not blaming him fully but at this point feel he has some responsibility for at least not looking up repair and then doing a vacuum test which is recommended also if he looked up repair he would have seen MISSING AXLE SEALS MAYBE ! Please CHIME IN ! He is making me feel like I don't know what CAUSE IM NOT THE MECHANIC ! Frustrating ! At least I know how this dam thing operates now and can still use 4 wheel LOCK to get 4 wheel drive ! Let it rip ! PLEASE CHIME IN !

 

TTT Somebody chime in on this situation !

 

TTT Does anybody have any ideas on this situation ?