Glad you cleared that up. New to 4 wheel systems, and this thread started as a terminology mess by others. I wish I would have known about the tapping routine this past weekend. I recently bought a clean 2006 F-150 4x4 that had very little 4 wheel use and minor 4 wheel drive problems. After reading the "all you want to know... IWE article" I decided to tear in. Replaced actuators, the complete vacuum harness and the solenoid... needed new hubs also. I'm solid, so I thought. Headed north to snow country, in a storm, feelin confident, even with questionable tires. After 3 hours, Got within 2 miles of my place, start of back roads. After a rather loud 4 hi shift on the fly at 25 mph , probably ice, I was good for about 1.5 miles. Went up a slope in my drive and snomo trailer got stuck in edge of snow bank. It is pounding snow by now. The 4x4 drive goes out, all lights working, actuators working, 4 low locking in good, but no 4x4. Well misery set in, stuck trailer, truck stuck on hill, and sled wont start, in my plowed drive amoungst 30" of snow. Long story made shorter, towed out twice getting to firm flat ground and drove home 40 hours later on soft tires with no problems, and traler in tow with sled. I am betting it's the shift motor, everything else seems fine. If it were earlier tonight I would be out there, under it with a hammer. BTW, the power went out and my water heater quit also. glad I have good nieghbors, back in the woods, up north. A FORD F-250 got me out of what a tow truck would touch. Also glad my sled fired the next morning. I will update.

 

Well, after some thought and brain cell collisions with my brother in law mechanic, and most of all remembering some refrences from the "all you ever what to know... IWE" post. My FORD 4x4 system is working perfectly, less than 30 minute cure. I apparantly did not return the soleniod vacuum lines to the proper places after my thorough repairs to the front wheel assemblies. The actuators would not engage (no four wheel) because they were constantly being supplied vacuum from the reservoir tank. I switched the top vacuum line at the soleniod to the vacuum feed line leading down to the actuators. I then placed the soleniod bottom vacuum line, (the one with the tee in it) connected one way to the main vacuum feed from from the manifold/brake booster tree, the other leg of the tee is what feeds the reservoir tank. I think the reservoir tank (behind the battery), stores vacuum for keeping the actuators from engaging when the motor is shut off or just idling with minimal vacuum. This probably explained better in the reference post here somewhere. I did not understand the post details when I read it but I certainly do now. A BIG THANKS Buddy. After switching the lines, fired it up, twisted the switch and BINGO everything was working correctly. Hope this post helps others, particlarly those getiing older and less careful. Great fix , took longer to jack up the truck than to fix it. I also blew out the vacuum line vents in case there was any crap in them preventing the proper loss of vacuum for engagement of the actuators to the hubs when 4x4 is switched on.

 

Hey everybody, I realize this is an old thread, but I recently noticed that when I attempt to shift into 4-Hi I don't get a 4-Hi light on my dash, but I can hear the xfer case trying to engage. When I shift in to 4-Lo (stopped, in Neutral) the 4-Lo light comes on and the 4x4 engages. When I shift back out into 4-Hi from 4-Lo, the 4-Hi light comes on and I'm still engaged - it just seems that when shifting from 2wd to 4-hi it's not fully engaging. Any ideas as to whether it's the xfer-case shift motor or another part? Thanks for any ideas and help. BTW it's 2006 F-150 XLT w/ the 5.4L and 88,000kms (~52,000miles).

 

My 06 F-150 xlt 4x4 not engaging no light on in the cluster took to dealer
the tech says it's the pcm not communicating with whatever it is supposed
to communicate with he checked the sylenoid, electrical pins his conclusion is the pcm $1300. nowarranty 71000 miles. still have not repaired it hyet because the pcm is on critical back order it's been 2 months already still waiting. I have read the thread on htis issue and I'm going to try all of the
the things to do hope it works.
I got to mention that a few days before needing to use the 4x4 while driving on the expressway at about 50mph I heard a grinding noise in the driver's side wheel sounded like the noise when cutting brake drums I stopped to investigate all looked ok began driving again noise went away.
that weekend I took a trip camping went off road and needed the 4x4 and that's when I found out that it was out luckily it was not too muddy and got out ok.what do you all think?

 

I picked up a junk-yard Transfer Case Shift Motor out of a 2007 w/ 72,000kms on it which was tested good before removal - didn't fix the problem. After replacing the t-case shift motor, I noticed that when I had it disconnected from the transfer case and I moved the 4wd switch, the dash still wouldn't register that it was in 4-Hi (even though the motor was moving to the pre-defined stops) - unless I waited a few minutes then the light would come on; this got me thinking it was something electrical and not mechanical (t-case shift fork, t-case shift motor, etc.).

Then somewhere on here I started reading about the IWE Solenoid and how they are susceptible to getting wet. Sure enough, I took mine off and discovered a crack on either side of the base, with evidence of rust. $42 CDN from the dealer and I'm back in action. I also made sure I got the IWE Solenoid w/ the rain cover (latest revision) so hopefully it doesn't happen again.

Anyhow, to make a long a story short, google is your friend and read all you can. The only problem I have now is that I have a used t-case shift motor that I can't return to the wrecker, anybody need one?

 

Thanks for the come back I looked at the solenoid but visually looking at it looks good,but I'll move the battery and take a closer look.

 

You still got that transfer case switch motor that you speek of? if so fire me off an email at westcoastdan@gmail.com and maybe I can take it off your hands. I'm in BC

 

I just recently started having trouble with my 4wd. It engages fine with lights indicating 4hi and 4lo. Problem is that something is slipping under load. If I'm going up an icy hill it will make a single clunk and spin only the rear tires. I just tested it with the same results in 4lo. I was going to mark both drivelines and see if the marks stay aligned after it slips. I first suspected the shift motor, but it engages 4lo ok, could the motor be out of sync and not shifting to the correct position? If it was the tcase chain I would expect a lot of grinding when it is slipping rather than a single clunk.

 

I jacked up the front wheel and I was able to turn the tire backwards with 4wd engaged. I removed the shift motor to make sure it was working, and it was. I can hear it clicking as I spin the tire and sometimes it grabs. Salvage yard has one on the shelf with 27,000 mikes for $675. After I get it swapped out I will open the case and see what happened.

 

I have an 06 crewcab I have had the truck 3 years and 4 low has never worked. Just tried replaceing the **** inside the cab but before I did I tried the old one another time and after doing so my truck got stuck in 4 high. Tried swaping out the solenoid on the transfer case got the same issue any ideas

 

Hey there.

I got a 2007 F150 FX4. It's been into ford 3 times now for issues with the 4wd system. Ford has replaced the IWE's 3 times now and I've still got the issue. I think it's something in the transfer case. When I engage the 4wd it will bang and then start grinding. And basically do nothing. Any ideas would help seeming how the ford dealer in my town doesn't even know what could be causing the problem.

Thank you for your time

Jon.

 

http://www.f150forum.com/f72/how-dia...72/?styleid=14

 

I read the threads, but mine is acting different. It won't do anything when I turn the **** to 4x4 while in drive. No lights, no sounds. However, when I put it in neutral, I can drop it straight to 4x4 low, and then I can move it to high. What can make it do that?