Dissable gear lockout

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Nov 9, 2025 | 10:03 AM

#16

MOAK

Cross-Country

Joined: Oct 2024

Posts: 57

Likes: 24

From: Off grid

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midwest87

Why not just switch back to 4hi? Sounds like laziness to me.

Good luck to yall. I wouldnt do it. But I'd love to be your tansmission tech. Easy $$$. Its kinda hard to saywhat the actual failure point was. When the entire xfer case, trans, and diveshafts were comfetti. Most of which was still out on the trail.

your attitude screams that you have never been on backcountry roads for any length of time. When you are out on them and every couple thousand yards or so, you must come to a full stop, to engage and disengage from hi to low and back to high, 10-15-20 times a day, then you’d understand. It is interesting that the computer will allow it to shift up to 7th gear, L automatically, but it will not upshift till around 2500 RPMs, which in all my years of back country touring, has never happened. I along with the majority of back country tourers are quite literally tooling around at low RPMs not much off of idle, in a mechanically sympathetic way. The last thing we need is to break down 8 hours from the nearest services. If anything, lazy would be leaving it in 4H and heating up the transmission as you walked through obstacles. Really now, be honest, what do you know about transmissions, T-cases or center differentials?

Nov 9, 2025 | 10:08 AM

#17

Midwest87

More Turbo

Joined: Aug 2025

Posts: 718

Likes: 394

I know almost everything about them. Paid my way through college, wrenching, because of peoples dumb ideas, like this one.

If you guys are so certain. Do it. Who cares about my experience being far different? Go 80mph in 4L. Do it on the highway too. More torque, use while towing. Itll be fun. Do some full throttle donuts in 4L. Post on U tube.

Heaven forbid if my trans reaches normal operating temp! Anything but that.

Last edited by Midwest87; Nov 9, 2025 at 10:22 AM.

Nov 9, 2025 | 10:45 AM

#18

MOAK

Cross-Country

Joined: Oct 2024

Posts: 57

Likes: 24

From: Off grid

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midwest87

what you are describing is not being mechanically sympathetic. Those are things that only an idiot would do. Answer me this- in manual mode 3rd gear and up is locked out. In automatic mode the trans will shift all the way up to 7th, that I know of, as that speed was too fast for a forest road. In order to upshift in auto mode higher than 2nd one must wrap up to 2500 RPMs in each gear. Why is that OK by Ford, but not OK to manually shift up just off idle to at least 5th L? I’ve been asking this question for nearly a year and all I get is attitude from guys like you. If you cannot answer, then remain silent. I’m hoping for a Ford technician to step up to the plate and tell us all why.

Nov 9, 2025 | 10:45 AM

#19

dammitman

Cross-Country

Joined: Mar 2025

Posts: 76

Likes: 26

From: 52227

Did he ever get the answer to the question?

Nov 9, 2025 | 10:51 AM

#20

Midwest87

More Turbo

Joined: Aug 2025

Posts: 718

Likes: 394

Its likely the chain or the planetary. Itll do some weird stuff if you F up the shift. At low RPM, and you lift during the shift, with engine braking. Because of the gear reduction in 4L, theres a ton of force that can accidentally go, where it shouldnt. Hit a pot hole while screwing up that shift........

Tech A says no problem.

Tech B, right here, says:
After 2nd gear, go back to 4H.

You get to answer this one, yourself.

Last edited by Midwest87; Nov 9, 2025 at 11:11 AM.

Nov 9, 2025 | 11:52 AM

#21

1olddogtwo

Cargo Master

Joined: Apr 2018

Posts: 2,418

Likes: 1,126

Quote:

Originally Posted by thado

Finally some intelligent comment. I'm using a similar car to the one in the picture, but mine is two-axle but otherwise similar.

When I initially posted, that's what I pictured in my head, but I said what are the chances. You can't see location from a phone.

I wish you the best of luck, I really have no formation on the subject, except done wrong, catastrophic events can happen.

I am fascinated by it though.

I seen plenty of videos over the years of these types of trucks, couple things in world I enjoy, one is Ford trucks, 2nd is off-roading, and my most passionate is snow. If I wasn't headed down to Texas today, I would head up to Chicago to plow snow.

Post up some pictures when completed.

Nov 9, 2025 | 04:06 PM

#22

willynilly

Cargo Master

Joined: Jan 2017

Posts: 2,254

Likes: 563

the chain or planetary might be over speeded in 4L beyond a certain mph. the ram with similar tcase i dont think is limited in the trans gears but it may be governed on the mph

Nov 9, 2025 | 04:56 PM

#23

dammitman

Cross-Country

Joined: Mar 2025

Posts: 76

Likes: 26

From: 52227

one way or another we should all post our own ideas and thoughts on this question and the possible results of its implementation with no hostility as really who cares what happens when others run tests on their personal truck,,,heck i love to see real world non typical testing done. putting forth your theories of possible repercussions of results of tests someone else is willing to do to their truck is nice but no real skin in their game. give advise,,,and watch the show,,,i love the learning channel!

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Nov 10, 2025 | 03:00 PM

#24

roadpilot

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Jan 2015

Posts: 1,377

Likes: 294

From: SE Michigan

Quote:

Originally Posted by dammitman

Can't say I've witnessed any 'hostility' in this thread.

Nov 10, 2025 | 03:18 PM

#25

TestPilot57

Laughing Gas

Joined: Mar 2024

Posts: 753

Likes: 310

From: SE Vermont, South Jersey

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadpilot

Can't say I've witnessed any 'hostility' in this thread.

I guess that depends on whether you consider passive-aggressive behavior as "hostile" or not. I certainly would not rate this sort of response as "friendly", "welcoming" or "kind" (all opposites of hostile). And beyond that, there was no supporting information as to why these unpleasant results might occur.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midwest87

Would you like a quote for a transfer case replacement now? Or later? Going to need a driveshaft too.

Nov 10, 2025 | 03:32 PM

#26

scraprat

Lead Driver

Joined: Jan 2002

Posts: 8,702

Likes: 4,833

From: Itinerant

Quote:

Originally Posted by thado

I have been using Unimog Portal's axles in two F350 2007 and 2015 with .NP273 1: 2.71 Powerstroke tuned , putting all the power through them in overdrive gears. 54-inch tires . No problems for almost 20 years.
So I know a little bit about this.

What I can't believe is you've been here 20 years and not one person would throw you a like.

Post up a pic of your truck.