4x4 not working
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 473
Likes: 3
From: Issaquah, WA
First things first.... Check for a leak. Turn your heater/blower to high - Activate 4WD switch. Does your heater system kick over to windshield defrost? If so, you've got a leak. Find it fix and see it if helps. Note that the vac lines or hub vac seals might be leaking.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Boise, Idaho
The 4x4 didn't work when I bought my truck 2 years ago. Got stuck in sand and needed a wrecker to get out. Did some research here on Ford Trucks, and learned that the hubs go to hell after awhile, so I changed mine and have had nothing but good luck with the manual lockouts.
My hubs seem to lock fine, I can feel them clink into action, on the pavement the tires chirping like a champ but if I get into an off road situation where three tires have good traction and say one tire drops into a hole, only that tire is spinning, with an open diff these trucks should always have power to one front tire and one rear tire, unless the transfer cases in these trucks don't actually lock the front and rear drive shafts together...kinda hard to explain but I think the transfer case is "open" instead of truely locking, know what I'm trying to say? I am going to search here for a TM on the transfer case to see how they work.
Thanks for the reply! Hope you have a great MLK holiday.
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Yadkinville, NC
Tkx for the tips I will try them all ASAP....Have FD meetings tonight and tom.
I did unplug one of the vacuum lines that go to the vacuum pump and it started running/plugged it back and it quit running.
Thanks again i will post up as soon as I find out something.
I did unplug one of the vacuum lines that go to the vacuum pump and it started running/plugged it back and it quit running.
Thanks again i will post up as soon as I find out something.
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Yadkinville, NC
"Turn your heater/blower to high - Activate 4WD switch. Does your heater system kick over to windshield defrost? " I have done this. It does not switch over to defrost.
I checked the vacuum lines they are dry rotted,( not falling apart but touch them and get the black residue on my hands), so I cut them both and plugged them, then tried it again no go.
My ESOF relays are not on the p/s they look to be on the d/s but i'm not sure as they are four of them and they all have the 87 87a and so on numbers on them. N E one know which ones are for the ESOF?
Also I have noticed looking under the truck at each front universal there is a black (rubber?) ring that looks to be broke loose from something. I have pics. of this but cannot post them here for some reason...If someone is willing I can email them to you and you could post them or just look at them and see if you can figure out what they are.
I checked the vacuum lines they are dry rotted,( not falling apart but touch them and get the black residue on my hands), so I cut them both and plugged them, then tried it again no go.
My ESOF relays are not on the p/s they look to be on the d/s but i'm not sure as they are four of them and they all have the 87 87a and so on numbers on them. N E one know which ones are for the ESOF?
Also I have noticed looking under the truck at each front universal there is a black (rubber?) ring that looks to be broke loose from something. I have pics. of this but cannot post them here for some reason...If someone is willing I can email them to you and you could post them or just look at them and see if you can figure out what they are.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,549
Likes: 14
From: Payson, AZ
The 2 relays closest to the firewall are part of the trailer tow package. One is for charging a trailer battery and the other is for trailer back up lights.
The ones toward the front are the ESOF relays as pictured in my post #9. I do not have the trailer tow relays.
If you are not hearing the x-fer case shift motor it is an electrical problem. Have someone turn the 4WD select swift while you either listen or feel for a relays to operate.
A vacuum problem will only affect the auto locking hubs that you can manually lock if they are not being acuated by vacuum.
The ones toward the front are the ESOF relays as pictured in my post #9. I do not have the trailer tow relays.
If you are not hearing the x-fer case shift motor it is an electrical problem. Have someone turn the 4WD select swift while you either listen or feel for a relays to operate.
A vacuum problem will only affect the auto locking hubs that you can manually lock if they are not being acuated by vacuum.
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Yadkinville, NC
I have tried that before and didn't hear anything, but with all the possible things it could be I thought best to start over. Shouldn't there be a voltage at the shift motor? 12v or what. As I wrote above I forgot to mention the 4x4 light came on and I drove it in the grass turning the wheel to the right and left as far as it would go and it didn"t seem to be in 4 wheel drive, it didn't have the bucking type action they normally do.
Also when it was stuck I turned the hubs to manual and 4x4x still didn't work, guess that is normal if the t-fer case motor didn't actuate.
Also when it was stuck I turned the hubs to manual and 4x4x still didn't work, guess that is normal if the t-fer case motor didn't actuate.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 24
From: Houston
I have tried that before and didn't hear anything, but with all the possible things it could be I thought best to start over. Shouldn't there be a voltage at the shift motor? 12v or what. As I wrote above I forgot to mention the 4x4 light came on and I drove it in the grass turning the wheel to the right and left as far as it would go and it didn"t seem to be in 4 wheel drive, it didn't have the bucking type action they normally do.
Also when it was stuck I turned the hubs to manual and 4x4x still didn't work, guess that is normal if the t-fer case motor didn't actuate.
Also when it was stuck I turned the hubs to manual and 4x4x still didn't work, guess that is normal if the t-fer case motor didn't actuate.
Shift it from 2wd to 4wd without the truck running. Can you hear the t-case motor shift? It should make an audible solenoid-like noise.
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hairyboxnoogle
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Dec 6, 2013 09:00 PM
