Catastrophic failure transfer case
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Catastrophic failure transfer case
My 2010 F250 Super Duty 4WD with 108000 miles that are 99% + highway miles experienced a catastrophic failure of the transfer case November 30.
It literally ruptured the case cruising down I-10 at speed limit in 2 WD.
I have only used 4 Wheel High a handful of times over the years in bad weather on the road and have only used 4 Wheel Low three times that I can remember . Two times in sand and once in Mississippi mud getting out of a corn field. All three times the hubs were properly locked.
I have never stressed the 4WD to my knowledge.
Has anyone ever heard of or seen this?
I have called Ford customer service but have had no response. I feel that this is such a dramatic failure that Ford has some responsibility in it as i almost lost control of the vehicle.
I wish I could upload photos but I do not have permission to do so.
It literally ruptured the case cruising down I-10 at speed limit in 2 WD.
I have only used 4 Wheel High a handful of times over the years in bad weather on the road and have only used 4 Wheel Low three times that I can remember . Two times in sand and once in Mississippi mud getting out of a corn field. All three times the hubs were properly locked.
I have never stressed the 4WD to my knowledge.
Has anyone ever heard of or seen this?
I have called Ford customer service but have had no response. I feel that this is such a dramatic failure that Ford has some responsibility in it as i almost lost control of the vehicle.
I wish I could upload photos but I do not have permission to do so.
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2008
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Do you have ESOF, or manual hubs and transfer case? Either way, it sounds like you have probably been running your hubs locked without realizing it. It may have been a failure of the ESOF system (if applicable) or it may have been some debris that got into the hub and effectively locked one or both of your hubs. The only time I have heard of failures like this is when hubs are run locked all the time at highway speeds, but that doesn't mean something else didn't go horribly wrong in your case.
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Very interesting!
Do you have ESOF, or manual hubs and transfer case? Either way, it sounds like you have probably been running your hubs locked without realizing it. It may have been a failure of the ESOF system (if applicable) or it may have been some debris that got into the hub and effectively locked one or both of your hubs. The only time I have heard of failures like this is when hubs are run locked all the time at highway speeds, but that doesn't mean something else didn't go horribly wrong in your case.
I've used the ESOF at times on the highway when I hit bad weather. ie: heavy rain, snow, and ice.
Hubs were and are not locked. How would debri get in and cause them to stay locked? The right one has ALWAYS been hard to lock and unlock but as I said ive only used them three times in four years.
If debri is sticking the hubs how can clear them? If it is the ESOF what do I do?
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2014
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From: VA- Shenandoah Valley
As a practice, you should run your truck in 4WD (on soft surface, not pavement) once a month or so to keep things lubricated and limber. Your responsibility as owner, also, is to make sure all fluid levels are correct, and serviced. That includes more than the engine and transmission. You also have the transfer case, and both axles. At 108,000 miles, the transfer case and axles should have been serviced, or at least checked, numerous times. You can't blame Ford when you haven't done your due diligence.
Don't get me wrong- I wish that this didn't happen to you, and I am glad that you are ok. I've had a transfer case blow apart while driving, for a different reason. It isn't fun, and it happened with 12+ inches of snow on the road.
But, the urgency of the situation doesn't automatically mean that Ford is to blame.
Don't get me wrong- I wish that this didn't happen to you, and I am glad that you are ok. I've had a transfer case blow apart while driving, for a different reason. It isn't fun, and it happened with 12+ inches of snow on the road.
But, the urgency of the situation doesn't automatically mean that Ford is to blame.
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2008
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DJ, Thanks for your reply. I do have ESOF and honestly I do not know about the transfer case fluid level. It is not one of those that is easily checked? I do check the tranny levels and it was good.
I've used the ESOF at times on the highway when I hit bad weather. ie: heavy rain, snow, and ice.
Hubs were and are not locked. How would debri get in and cause them to stay locked? The right one has ALWAYS been hard to lock and unlock but as I said ive only used them three times in four years.
If debri is sticking the hubs how can clear them? If it is the ESOF what do I do?
I've used the ESOF at times on the highway when I hit bad weather. ie: heavy rain, snow, and ice.
Hubs were and are not locked. How would debri get in and cause them to stay locked? The right one has ALWAYS been hard to lock and unlock but as I said ive only used them three times in four years.
If debri is sticking the hubs how can clear them? If it is the ESOF what do I do?
Unfortunately I have to agree that there is likely nothing that Ford is going to do about this unless you can demonstrate that you have regularly checked the transfer case fluid and that there is truly some kind of design defect that caused your failure. Glad to hear that you didn't lose control of the vehicle and crash though.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2013
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sounds lke a dry case to me.
when ever I do the case fluid hanges they are alway low with no indication of leaks so hopefully in the 100K miles you drove, the case fluids were serviced on a regular basis.
when ever I do the case fluid hanges they are alway low with no indication of leaks so hopefully in the 100K miles you drove, the case fluids were serviced on a regular basis.
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Lack of proper maint. can be a contributing factor. Read the owners manual on the proper maint. and lubrication requirement of all driveline components.
Lack of proper maint. can be a contributing factor. Read the owners manual on the proper maint. and lubrication requirement of all driveline components.
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Do you have ESOF, or manual hubs and transfer case? Either way, it sounds like you have probably been running your hubs locked without realizing it. It may have been a failure of the ESOF system (if applicable) or it may have been some debris that got into the hub and effectively locked one or both of your hubs. The only time I have heard of failures like this is when hubs are run locked all the time at highway speeds, but that doesn't mean something else didn't go horribly wrong in your case.
Guess what? Your rear d/s and axles spin 100% of the time the truck is moving. Every day. All the time. No matter what. The front is also perfectly capable of spinning every day at every speed, no matter what.
The problem comes from binding FRONT to REAR on high traction surfaces (because SuperDuty 'cases -- thankfully -- don't get a differential like the NP203 or newer AWD units) but this is ONLY relevant if the transfer case is actually in 4hi (or 4lo). Locking your hubs, locking one hub or sticky/intermittent hubs is not the same as pulling the lever or flipping the switch for 4wd.
Lots of Sky is Falling myths about 4wd on the internet. Take the time to truly understand your system -- you'll be better mechanically because of it.
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