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How can you tell if a 4WD vehicle is a true 4WD in that all four wheels will be engaged when in 4WD, as opposed to only getting some combination of two wheels? I had an 89 Bronco that was true, and it got through anything. Now I've got an 85 F150 and it has trouble in places the Bronco didn't. I know it's not true 4WD because when she's stuck only two tires are going at one time. I want to buy a late model F250, but it has to be a true 4WD and I want to know how to refer to it and what to look for to know.
To find out if your truck has a locker or limited slip rearend, put a floor jack under the pumpkin (rear diff.). Lift the rear tires off the ground and spin the rear tires, if one tire spins each way then you have a open diff. If both tires spin the same direction, then you have limited slip or after market locker. As far as the front end goes, I don't personally know of any Ford trucks/SUV's that were avaiable with a factory limited slip much less a locker.
On my truck I have a locker in the rear, and a open diff. in the front. But sometimes the truck will act like it has true 4wd. The reason that it does this once in a while is because each of the tires have equal traction and equal pressure which allows both tires to spin. But once one tire gets more traction then the other tire (the one with less traction) will start to spin.
Originally posted by budhead1 I know it's not true 4WD because when she's stuck only two tires are going at one time.
Your '85 & '89 use the same system, and they're both "true 4WD" (no differential in the t-case). The differences are that the Bronco had better weight distribution and possibly limited slip differentials (TracLok as Merlin said). If you put some sort of upgraded diff in your truck it will do better. Read this thread for more info.
I don't want this to come a cross wrong but, here is what I orginally said.
Originally posted by PHS79 As far as the front end goes, I don't personally know of any Ford trucks/SUV's that were avaiable with a factory limited slip much less a locker.
Like I said, personally I don't know of any, it doesn't mean that it wasn't an avaliable. Hell I wish that my truck came from the factory with a l/s up front.
I know that limited slips have been in the rears of trucks and cars bascally forever.
I personally do not like limited slip diffs once you're stuck you're screwed. A posi or a locker is the best way to go. My 84 4wd was open front and rear. I installed a Powertrax No-Slip in the rear and it made a world of difference. I plan to install one in the front later on. It took about 45 minutes to install with common hand tools. It cost 460 bucks at Napa for an 8.8 with 31 spline axles