Got this 97 f150 4x4 and the system doesn't have actuator air front end hubs and transfer case shift positions are different then you tube videos, plus the transfer case has extra plugs going no where besides the switch motor plug and only one wire into switch motor from transfer case? Nothing matches the 1997 except the two firewall solenoids that should go to the hubs but don't? Works great in two wheel drive, shifts correctly, but drops into neutral gear failures when switched in 4x4 and when in 2wd the front axel is locked in. Finding no air to front hubs and solid axel into the housing? Transfer case has a censor above switch motor plugged in but empty plugs hanging there with nothing to plug them into. Doesn't appear the system was changed out and confused as to what is going on with this truck?

 

Some one tried to re-engineer and made it rigged up operation trying to get around proper repairs.
The factory does not leave that many plugs unused.
For a major change, a new harness design would have been made.
.
You now own a mess.
Think thats why it don't match an videos?
Only thing you can tell is the system was dash switch controlled or floor shift controlled.
It's a complex series of electrical and mechanical operations as originally designed.
Then you may still have transmission issues.
If your intending to restore it to original operation, you need to first know how the system works, get all the system parts back in place then troubleshoot until all issues are worked out.
Good luck.

 

Dash switch controlled and it does work but the transfer case positions are 2wd 4high 4 low and switch motor is 4high 2wd 4low and you're right it's a mess. Not sure if the previous owner locked it down 4x4 for off road or what? It works great in 2wd but pushing the front axel locked in? Manual shifting into 4 high and 4 low goes into neutral gear and dash shifter is total neutral, then back manual to 2wd on transfer case and everything locks into 2wd except front hubs that turn the axel when jacked up. Finding "no vacuum" to front hubs and actuators have no nipples for vacuum lines. It's a nice old truck, transmission has no issues and motor runs good, the speedometer stopped working at 387,000 miles. Pulled the instrument cluster and tachometer gage hard wired with wire nuts and electrical tape. The passengers air bag deployed when the dash was removed by a previous owner, it's missing. Truck has some issues? Not even sure it's the original engine because some stuff was never re-hooked up?

 

Found the vacuum actuator and not on the wheel hubs but on the rear differential covered by a skid plate. Is there one on the transfer case too? Has two solenoids on the firewall and only one system to the rear differential. Guessing the other is somewhere on that transfer case with computer censor above the switch motor? Could explain why only one wire from transfer case to switch motor instead of two. Old truck

 

There is only one Vacuum actuator located on the front driver side carrier housing.
It moves a yoke that slides a locking sleeve to lock the driver side axle for both 4H and 4L.
There is no special hardware on the Hubs.
You must learn how the system works and all the control hardware involved.
Don't waist time on what you see because it's a butcher job.
Look another truck over to see what you need where.
Also you should know a control module is involved called a General Electronic Module or GEM for short.
Is that in place?
Is the case motor relay in place that run the motor both directions?
Also in 4L, normally the case motor runs to a second position and signals the computer to change shift skeds for shifting points.
Is that wiring in place?
You must prevent entering 4L while the truck is moving.
You would never want to enter 4L at 40 mph due the the huge ratio change.
In a stock system the truck has to be stopped, shifter in Neutral and foot on brake to access 4L.
You really need to know all this first.
Good luck.

 

tao, you are confusing the older trucks with the post 2004 trucks... You don't have wheel hub lock ins... when you turn the **** on the dash to 4 x 4, there is a motor on the transfer case that shifts a fork and locks in the front driveshaft to the rear drive.... then there are two solenoids on the fire wall that stroke a vacuum cylinder on the front axle pumpkin and lock the axle to the front drive shaft.... the hubs are mechanically splined to the axle shafts and do not come loose............normally you start at the transfer case and see if the shift motor moves full stroke and goes from rear wheel drive to drive BOTH drive shafts when the motor shifts.... while on jacks and rotating the shafts by hand, you can check that.

 

Shift motor is in the back seat and removed to wrench it into 2wd so the transmission would go into gear. Why it drops into neutral gear is unknown but any attempt to wrench it into 4 high it grinds in the front axel areas and entire column shifter has nothing all neutral. The GEM is working power windows, power door locks, everything works, except the 4x4 that Bluegrass says " Don't waist time on what you see because it's a butcher job." Look another truck over to see what you need where. Previous owners started to trouble shoot the problem and obviously quit. The two solenoids on the firewall look replaced and so does the vacuum tank behind the battery look replaced, above the shift motor there is a censor on the transfer case that looks old and well worn, then another 4 prong plug not plugged into anything nor can I find any male plugs to plug it in. Comes out the same harness as the transfer case censor that is plugged in. Probably an easy fix; because in 2wd it shifts and runs great? The old switch motor from the transfer case has one wire in the plug they cut that goes into the transfer case instead of using a pick to release the wire and put it into a new switch motor. Will look for a 1997 ford on a used car lot to see what I am missing.

 

Driving to the store a 1997 Ford f150 "for sale" was sitting in the empty lot by my house and turned around thinking "good fortune" to find one so quick. It was a 2wd with AT tires and no help on 4x4 issues; except it was for sale at $5,500.00 with 230,000 miles. Think I will stop complaining about my one thousand dollar truck.

 

I'll be honest with you: you're in deep s**t.

Gotta agree with Bluegrass on this one. I'm good with wiring, but this is one example that I would simply nope out on due to the extensive f**kery that has occured in the hands of a prior owner.

My 97 Expedition had 288,000 on it when i bought it in January for $500. Yes, I've had to do some wiring repairs on it, such as rehabbing the trailer harness, grounds (i'm super picky) and replacing the turn signal switch, but these are small issues compared to what you're facing.

Based on the degree of hackery done to your truck (the cluster wiring is a HUGE pointer of this), you're in DESPERATE need of a factory service manual. Let me see if i can upload my all-97 Ford Truck CD to my Google Drive tomorrow.

As previously said, stop guessing and start reading.

 

you said you can manually put it into 4 x 4 at the transfer case, and then the noise is AT THE FRONT AXLE... so it appears the front end vacuum cylinder is not moving fully, or the pin INSIDE is damaged ? I think removing the front drive shaft, putting the transfer case in 4 x 4 and testing it would help confirm if the transfer case has a problem or not......... Im wondering if the guy just pulled the shift motor off to make sure the shifting was being done fully, and then did not reinstall... if you shift into 4 x 4 and the rear drive shaft is in neutral, then your not stroking the transfer case are far enough, or there is internal problem....... the cut wire outside the MAIN plug to the motor, I think is the sensor that triggers the light on the dash that the motor has reached full stroke.

 

Been busy working the truck this weekend and made multiple trips to the landfill with stuff out of and elderly couples sheds. Truck bed is full again today for a Monday run to the landfill. Truck runs great in 2wd and made me $250.00 Saturday and an hour this morning for another $50.00 run. The truck has dual cherry bomb glass packs and headers that are embarrassing to me; but the elderly couple said it's not that bad compared to some hotrods. Anyway, the trucks making money to pay for repairs. The old man I did the work for wants more hauling next weekend or after work and the lady next door to him reserved me when he is done. Weird they both have real pretty new trucks but don't use them for hauling garbage or brush.

 

Probably because theirs are too new and pretty to actually be USED for their intended purpose

Anyway, I sent you a PM with a useful gift in it from my personal service information collection. Let me know when you have it, okay?

 

Got the gift and attempted to put it on the cloud but didn't work; will get an external memory drive and load it up that way. Can read it where it's at if signed into google but getting it into my system I will need an extended external memory chip. Thanks for the PM and should help on my Sunday and after work figure out this truck time. Right now older folks want to give me money to haul off moldy old hoarded treasures. The lady next door has a collection of broken lawn chairs, old burned out BBQ's, fencing, rotted lumber, all piled next to a shed full of Christmas stuff infested with spiders. Poor shed, doors falling off, roof leaks, the back yard of a half million dollar house. More money

 

Daemon Tools will make it show up as another optical drive. Then install it. As I natively run Linux, I have a Windows XP virtual machine which has the same Virtual Drive function built in.

The one thing the gift is lacking is a straightforward map of grounds in a single section. Maybe I'm just spoiled by Mazda's extremely thorough FSMs...lol

 

Got the 4x4 working and now that is out of the way it's time to choose another problem. Thanks for all the help; was the wiring. Not pushing that front axel anymore and when you put it into drive you can hear it release from the hubs. 4x4 you hear it drop in and lock down. Overdrive works, shifts good. Have a small amount of oil on left front boot and think the differential seal might have a slow leak, otherwise looks good.