Electronic 4x4 issue
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,059
Likes: 426
From: Too close to Houston
I exercise my front drive system by locking the hubs once every month or two for a few miles. I also pull the hubs every couple years to clean and grease..
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,429
Likes: 487
From: North Carolina
so i tried 5 times to shift to 4 hi and 2 to 4 low.
when trying 4 hi i was still moving and went about 5 feet each way and nothing- 4 low was stationary then roll forward and back following the procedure for low
this morning there was snow and i shifted into 4 hi and nothing (hubs in auto) and the defrost didn't switch on as suggested for vacuum leak- great hint/advise there (thanks) -
truck was slipping around a bit and i left it like that and maybe 100 yards out it clunked into 4 hi. could the hubs just have been stuck or frozen from lack of use? i ran it locked in for awhile- and havent tried to cycle it in again?
when trying 4 hi i was still moving and went about 5 feet each way and nothing- 4 low was stationary then roll forward and back following the procedure for low
this morning there was snow and i shifted into 4 hi and nothing (hubs in auto) and the defrost didn't switch on as suggested for vacuum leak- great hint/advise there (thanks) -
truck was slipping around a bit and i left it like that and maybe 100 yards out it clunked into 4 hi. could the hubs just have been stuck or frozen from lack of use? i ran it locked in for awhile- and havent tried to cycle it in again?
your problem is becuase it does t get used much. I wouls shift it in once a week. It should be instant within 15 seconds after you switch the dial.
on my 22 f450 4x4 gets used basically every day or atleast 20 times a month. I switch it up on grades with 35k behind it, left off slightly and it goes right in amd out.
in.try turning your hubs back and forth 15 times or so. They are probably getting sticky from no use and brake dust, etc.
but if you have a vacuum leak or inner seals bad it won't make a difference.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,986
Likes: 43
From: maryland
truck is a 17 with 130k miles and no the 4x doesnt get used tons -'
i will cycle the hubs a bunch to see-
now that you say this when it was stuck and i had to switch hubs to maunual the drivers hub did not want to turn and needed help. the passenger hub was a little stiff but i could turn it. the drivers wouldnt budge.........
i will cycle the hubs a bunch to see-
now that you say this when it was stuck and i had to switch hubs to maunual the drivers hub did not want to turn and needed help. the passenger hub was a little stiff but i could turn it. the drivers wouldnt budge.........
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 793
Likes: 232
LOL I don't think you guys claiming immediate engagement of the hubs have actually verified this. Tell you what, test it, I bet you are wrong. Engage 4wd and right afterwards, crank the wheel and floor it. $100 says it slams into engagement, because... it wasn't engaged when the display said it was... I can feel the t-case shift too but that is only part of the equation
I only use it here and there to get out of the hole quick, on a rainy day. It hooks up pretty well, but spins like
crazy if I just left it in 2WD. I do wonder if they are really fully engaged, but haven't taken one apart (yet)
to see how they work.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 23,174
Likes: 1,679
From: Stephensville WI
At this point, you probably need to pull the locking hubs and clean them. It isn’t a difficult job. Use a light touch when greasing them, too much grease can also hinder operation.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 1,409
Likes: 1,172
From: East TN
Hop in your truck and start it. Put it in Drive, switch the 4x4 **** to 4WD. Turn the front wheels hard right or left and just try to creep forward. You'll know immediately if the hubs are engaged or not... 
My truck engages 4x4 within seconds of me turning the 4x4 ****. My 2015 F-150 behaved exactly the same way. I need 4x4 to get up my street after ice storms - there's no way would I put up with the truck needing even 10 feet of movement to engage. Worst case for me is the message that sometimes pops up in the cluster saying pull forward the transfer case didn't fully engage or something like that. I have seen that message a few times when parking my RV and needing 4WD to get it into a campground space. Sorry - 100 yards is an exaggeration or there is something wrong with the truck.
My truck engages 4x4 within seconds of me turning the 4x4 ****. My 2015 F-150 behaved exactly the same way. I need 4x4 to get up my street after ice storms - there's no way would I put up with the truck needing even 10 feet of movement to engage. Worst case for me is the message that sometimes pops up in the cluster saying pull forward the transfer case didn't fully engage or something like that. I have seen that message a few times when parking my RV and needing 4WD to get it into a campground space. Sorry - 100 yards is an exaggeration or there is something wrong with the truck.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,690
Likes: 1,010
From: Near Yosemite CA
truck is a 17 with 130k miles and no the 4x doesnt get used tons -'
i will cycle the hubs a bunch to see-
now that you say this when it was stuck and i had to switch hubs to maunual the drivers hub did not want to turn and needed help. the passenger hub was a little stiff but i could turn it. the drivers wouldnt budge.........
i will cycle the hubs a bunch to see-
now that you say this when it was stuck and i had to switch hubs to maunual the drivers hub did not want to turn and needed help. the passenger hub was a little stiff but i could turn it. the drivers wouldnt budge.........
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 1,070
Likes: 283
I think exercising them is important. I wash my truck often, as much as a few times a week and I turn the hubs to lock and back to auto every time I wash it so it probably gets done 75 times a year or so. Maybe this is why mine work well?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,680
Likes: 4,792
From: Itinerant
It certainly doesn't hurt.
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