First Snow 4X4 issue
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From: E Washington
First Snow 4X4 issue
I have had my 2011 250 since may of 2011 and this is the first time I have had to put this truck into 4 wheel drive. We got about 6 inches of snow today and slicker that snot on the roads and I put it into 4 hi and in the parking lot I turned the corner and it skipped a couple of times and made a very loud clunk noise. It had been in 4 hi for about 15 miles prior to this happening so I am not sure what the heck happened and it still drives fine but it still wants to skip like it is binding up when I barely turn the wheel. My last truck never had this issue and it even had a lift and huge tires on it. Should I be worried or have it looked at?
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From: kentucky
I have had my 2011 250 since may of 2011 and this is the first time I have had to put this truck into 4 wheel drive. We got about 6 inches of snow today and slicker that snot on the roads and I put it into 4 hi and in the parking lot I turned the corner and it skipped a couple of times and made a very loud clunk noise. It had been in 4 hi for about 15 miles prior to this happening so I am not sure what the heck happened and it still drives fine but it still wants to skip like it is binding up when I barely turn the wheel. My last truck never had this issue and it even had a lift and huge tires on it. Should I be worried or have it looked at?
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From: E Washington
My first truck was cv joints so I could see the difference there but I am on a sheet of compact snow and ice so it just suprised me that I could not turn even a little without it doing that. I guess if that is normal I now have the excuse (for the wife) to go get some tires that I can actually get traction with and not have to rely on 4X4 as much. My truck came with the michelins and they are crap in the snow and ice, maybe I will try to get them siped first and try that. As the turbo spools so do the tires....lol
Mountain Pass
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From: Chelan, WA
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From: Fox Lake, WI
I drove my then 1 week old F250 4x4 in the snow 2 weeks ago in a snowmobiling trip and noticed a similar thing on the snow. It did surprise me because my ELD was not engaged. But like others I have found similar issues with other 4x4's in the past especially when new. I didn't think anything about it. In my layman's opinion I suspect it has to do with breaking in the new rear diff limited slip clutches - although I'm not clear that the ELD even has these. So that could be a wrong assumption/opinion.
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From: E Washington
siping is just small slices across the tread and it makes tires grop better and some say that it makes them last longer over all. I will try taking the traction control off today when I go to work and see if that helps.
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,082
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From: Illinois
This sounds normal to me. Every 4X4 truck I have ever owned has done this on pavement and sometimes out in the dry fields. Deep snow over ice and I usually don't get this condition. I never see this condition when I am out in the fields that are wet and muddy.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Pa
This is normal driveline bind.
On a side note, (I cant find anything to say this is fact, but here goes anywho) My Grandfather, told me in the past that International and Jeep actually put a slightly taller gear in the front axle, too stop the driveline bind we experiance. That mean's that if you had 4:10 gear's in the rear, they would install 3: 92 gear's in the front. He claimed (they claimed) that if the front was just a hair faster than the back, that the "bind" wasn't so bad as the front (which goes faster in a turn) would slightly pull the rear. My grandfather claimed it worked excellent in mud and snow........Not so great on dry surfaces. AGAIN I DON"T KNOW IF THIS IS FACT!
On a side note, (I cant find anything to say this is fact, but here goes anywho) My Grandfather, told me in the past that International and Jeep actually put a slightly taller gear in the front axle, too stop the driveline bind we experiance. That mean's that if you had 4:10 gear's in the rear, they would install 3: 92 gear's in the front. He claimed (they claimed) that if the front was just a hair faster than the back, that the "bind" wasn't so bad as the front (which goes faster in a turn) would slightly pull the rear. My grandfather claimed it worked excellent in mud and snow........Not so great on dry surfaces. AGAIN I DON"T KNOW IF THIS IS FACT!
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Kaysville Utah
Thats true adam, They usually do put a slightly taller gear in the front axle of 4x4 trucks. Again, I don't know for a fact that Ford did that on our trucks. but it was a general truth on most 4x4s. The faster turning front tires helped to climb over obsticles. This difference in ratios is what cases some of the bind between front and rear in 4x4s on non-slip surfaces. And was often the reason we had to back up a few feet when we wanted to disengage the 4x4
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Albuquerque
Actually...the ELD does not offer a limited slip diff in the rear. When the ELD is not engaged...it is simply an open diff.
Some after-market do offer a limited slip with locking option...but not FORD.
Hope this helps...
biz
