I have been using my 4x4 more this year than ever and not too long ago we had a warm day when the snow turned to slush and water/snow got everywhere. At one point I had trouble shifting into Drive because there was so much snow near the shifter cable. Since then, things have warmed up and all that ice/snow is off the truck

On the same day my 4x4 shifter on the floor became impossible to get in to 4x4 low and it is almost impossible to get to 2x4, but I can with a struggle.

Any ideas of what this could be? Is it sounding like it could be internal to the t-case?

 

take the linkage apart and add a grease zerk

 

when you say take the linkage apart, are you talking about the linkage that goes into the t-case? I am familiar with the linkage on the outside of the t-case but not sure where I would put a zerk fitting

 

The bushings on the linkage external the transfercase are starting to seize up. Very common problem, and if you don't take it apart now and clean/grease everything, it will seized up. Then the shifter linkage will break. I know at least two people locally that had to get out and go underneath their OBS Fords to shift them into 4x4 because the linkage broke.

 

I have never taken this t-case apart but I have removed it from the truck before. I looked up a pic - http://www.midwesttrans.com/bw1356_p1.jpg

since I am not familiar.

Is this repair something I can do myself or would special tools be needed? If I can do this, would it be easier to leave the t-case installed?

 

You can leave the transfer case installed. There is a large bolt that holds the linkage( This bolt is also what the linkage pivots on) spray the bejessus out of all the linkage and working back and forth if necessary remove that bolt. Disassemble the linkage from the vehicle, clean it all up lube it and reinstall. That is a great idea to install a zerk fitting on the linkage to lube the bushing. I believe the standard thread for a grease fitting is 1/4-28.

 

+1 on the grease fitting. I did this years ago on my '96 and hit it liberally with Red N Tacky each year and I can literally shift that lever into 4X4 with 1 finger!

 

I have to tackle this on my room mates 05 250. He's a chef, not a mechanic

 

dont grease it too much tho