Hello I am new to this forum and was wondering if someone could maybe help me identify a problem I have with my 1994 f250. The problem is when I have the hubs locked in 2h or 4h when turning even just a little bit I get a horrible binding/grinding/sqeaking noise. Im a ******* This is my first vehicle I have purchased and in the process I was trying to test everything but overlooked this major component. In 2h or 4h and 4l It runs fine in a straight line the problem is just turning And I didn’t try It very much becuase it sounded like something wanted to snap. Any ideas what this could be? Is it because I was on dry pavement? Could it be just u-joints binding? Other than this problem the truck is awesome I hope to have It for a long time. Thanks in advance

 

Yes, don't do that any more or you will break something. 4wd is only for use on surfaces with some give, when engaged there is no slip between the front and rear axles so this forces the tires to slip when turning to compensate for the different distances they travel. It takes a lot more to make tires slip on pavement so you should limit 4wd use on it to moving straight ahead or backwords only.

 

 

 

FYI.. You are OK to use 4wd on a snow covered paved road, once it becomes difficult to get around in 2wd there is enough slip available to make 4wd safe to use, just be ready to switch back to 2wd on the fly(as you are moving)((yes that is safe to do)) if you pull into an area where the road is clear and you have to turn.

The truck should run as smooth in 4wd as it does in 2wd, you really should not hear or feel anything abnormal but you should have a lot more traction. If you get some vibration at higher speeds the front driveline may need new u-joints. If you experience any grinding then something is slipping. The most common item to do this are the front hubs and the auto hubs in particular. These are fine for occasional use under mild winter street conditions but will not stand up to any serious offroading, so most trucks end up having manual hubs installed at some point.

 

 

If you are coming from 4wd it can take some time for the T-case to disengage, sometimes you have to stop and backup a little. If you start out in 2wd and just lock the hubs then the front driveline should turn and should be smooth, if not then something under there needs attention.

 

 

What kind of noise again? And are you feeling a wobbling back-and-forth motion in the steering wheel? If so, then yes it could be the axle joints being old and binding up.
Usually you don't get the real wobbles and lurches until you get closer to the steering lock, but a bad joint would let itself be known pretty quickly if it was truly freezing up.
I may be off with my lack of knowledge about a '94 model specifically, but usually if everything is in good shape and you lock the hubs while in 2wd it should not cause any of the normal problems on high traction surfaces that you get when locking into 4wd. But if the '94 is different from the older ones, I apologize for steering you wrong.

Can you find out if your truck came with a front limited-slip diff? I'm not even sure Ford offered that in later trucks like they did in the older ones, but even if not, a PO could have added an LS or even a locker to the front. That would certainly get your attention when the hubs were locked.
If a clutch type limited-slip and the incorrect lubricant was used, it could make for some strange noises and actions.

But that's all about "feelings" and you were asking about noises. Which doesn't bode well I don't think.
You could possibly narrow it down by disconnecting the front driveshaft, locking the hubs and seeing if the noise still exists. That may, or may not narrow it down to the front axle area, but could very well change the tone of the sound.
Have you checked the lubricant in the transfer case? Have you changed it? PO's often state they have maintained all fluids and honestly think they have, while still completely ignoring the fact that they've never touched the differentials or transfer case. So it's another thought.

I wonder if a spindle bearing going bad would make the sound you're hearing? I've never actually experienced a buggered spindle bearing, so can't say what kind of sound it would impart.

Good luck. Hope to hear that you found a bit of the exhaust pipe laying on the front driveshaft!

Paul

 

 

sounds like dry spindle bearings. A much neglected part, since it takes a bit of work to get to them. Don't believe you would "feel" them although they would be most likely to protest on sharper turns when there is more tension on all of the drivetrain.

 

 

Do the following. Chock the rear tires. Jack ONE front tire up, lock the hub, put the transfer-case in neutral and spin the tire. Now turn the wheel a bit and spin the tire again. Rinse and repeat with the other side. I will almost bet you will find some binding in one side or the other. My truck did the same thing when the axle u joint went bad.