4WD Not Engaging - Help
Thread Starter
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Howell, Michigan
4WD Not Engaging - Help
Posted on here a few weeks ago about purchasing another Excursion.
Well ended up buying a 2000 Limted V10 with 97,000 miles.
Overall happy with it just some little things for a 13 year old vehicle.
So long story short, got home tested the 4wd and it wasn't working.
Checked the forums and saw the hubs usually go bad or get a vaccuum leak, so..
Ordered some new warn locking premium hubs and installed em tonight, still not working.
Crawled under the truck and saw that the drive shaft is spinning so the front end is engaged.
When I flip the switch you can hear it engage, and all lights work on the dash - 4x4 & low range.
Any ideas on what's broken now and needs fixed? Really starting to become a headache now.
On a different note, at 70mph the truck is sure all over the road and dangerous. Seems like another common things for these.
What should I address first to get this handled? Redhead steering box worth the money?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Well ended up buying a 2000 Limted V10 with 97,000 miles.
Overall happy with it just some little things for a 13 year old vehicle.
So long story short, got home tested the 4wd and it wasn't working.
Checked the forums and saw the hubs usually go bad or get a vaccuum leak, so..
Ordered some new warn locking premium hubs and installed em tonight, still not working.
Crawled under the truck and saw that the drive shaft is spinning so the front end is engaged.
When I flip the switch you can hear it engage, and all lights work on the dash - 4x4 & low range.
Any ideas on what's broken now and needs fixed? Really starting to become a headache now.
On a different note, at 70mph the truck is sure all over the road and dangerous. Seems like another common things for these.
What should I address first to get this handled? Redhead steering box worth the money?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Thread Starter
|
5th Wheeling
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Howell, Michigan
Front end still not grabbing.
And correct, hubs locked, shaft spins, front tires still aren't getting any power to em.
Didn't look at the U-Joints, I would assume they we're spinning after seeing the front shaft spin and hearing it engage.
& No, I crawled under it and had my dad drive it while I watched the shaft spin.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
Driveways snow covered, along with yard. Took it around and rear tires still only spinning when giving it gas.
Front end still not grabbing.
And correct, hubs locked, shaft spins, front tires still aren't getting any power to em.
Didn't look at the U-Joints, I would assume they we're spinning after seeing the front shaft spin and hearing it engage.
& No, I crawled under it and had my dad drive it while I watched the shaft spin.
Front end still not grabbing.
And correct, hubs locked, shaft spins, front tires still aren't getting any power to em.
Didn't look at the U-Joints, I would assume they we're spinning after seeing the front shaft spin and hearing it engage.
& No, I crawled under it and had my dad drive it while I watched the shaft spin.
Veteran/Sheepdog
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 110
From: Western AR
Sometimes you have to go backwards and forwards a bit to get them to lock in. If the front drive shaft is spinning, and the warns are locked in, that makes the culprit in the differential...which is very unlikely. So, me thinks the Warns are not grabbing the end of the front axle to engage. You lubed them and the axle shaft real good when you installed?
Veteran/Sheepdog
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 110
From: Western AR
Look at front springs and see if they are bent over backwards. If so, they are worn out and need to be replaced with a stronger spring like a V or X code.
Check ball joints for wear. Grab tire at 12 and 6 (after jacking it up!!!) and try your best to make it move top-out-bottom-in and bottom-out-top-in.
Check hubs for shot bearings. Pull the tires on front. Grab the wheel studs and try to move it side to side and top to bottom. There should be NO play in the hubs. Then, spin the hub like you are on the Price is Right. It should not make a full revolution after you let go of it. If it spins freely/loosely, they are toast. Listen for any noise louder than a whisper while you turn it rapidly. If they make a grinding or whining sound, they are toast.
Check front sway bar bushings (on the link ends) for wear and dry rot, and lastly see if you have a sway bar in the back. You need one in the back. Period.
Hope this helps, and it doesn't take more than 30 mins to do all of the above.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
Sometimes you have to go backwards and forwards a bit to get them to lock in. If the front drive shaft is spinning, and the warns are locked in, that makes the culprit in the differential...which is very unlikely. So, me thinks the Warns are not grabbing the end of the front axle to engage. You lubed them and the axle shaft real good when you installed?
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New User
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
man this is the exact same problem i have. I read up on here and few other places and thought for sure it was the transfer case motor. I just replaced the motor and still haven't got 4x4 to engage at the wheels. when i click 4x4 dash activates, i hear the transfer case motor activate and my front driveshaft does rotate. turn off 4x4 and front shaft sits idle. I have no power at the front wheels. is this telling me my lockouts are the problem? they seem to operate like they should.
tomorrow...unless someone leads me in a different direction i'm gonna pull the lockouts and inspect them.
I'm not a huge 4x4 guy so i'm only goin off the small knowledge i have and what i can read up on places like this.
*edit: forgot to add, 2000 ford excursion, v-10.
tomorrow...unless someone leads me in a different direction i'm gonna pull the lockouts and inspect them.
I'm not a huge 4x4 guy so i'm only goin off the small knowledge i have and what i can read up on places like this.
*edit: forgot to add, 2000 ford excursion, v-10.
New User
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
thanks guys. also, i'm not familiar with what came stock, but this truck has warn lock-outs on it. tomorrow i'll get the wheels off the ground and try to figure out if its for sure not engaging at the hub and proceed from there. been years since i messed with a lockout, ugh.
New User
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
if i spin wheels while locked and they are not engaging, is this a clean lockouts kind of thing or is there something i should be looking for broke in the lockouts and replacing? like i said, they are warn lockouts.
Veteran/Sheepdog
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 110
From: Western AR
They can get dirt and dust in the OEM hubs. I have no experience with warns. OEM hubs are easy to take apart and clean n lube, and are frequently the source of a problem like this due to dirt/grime.