1989 F250 5.8l 5spd 4X4. Looking to buy it but it seems to be stuck in low range. 1st is good to about baby crawl speed. I can take off in 3rd with a couple of more rs. Doesn't change from 2H-4H to 4L. Acts the same. What to look for ??? I am doing a search but could use some help.

 

Have you tried pushing down on the shifter befor you start pulling the shifter.

 

Crawl under and see if the linkage is disconnected, broken, or stuck, they do this from time to time, im not sure which one my dads truck had at work, but for some reason the pivot point would always seize up, dose the lever move on yours at all??

 

Okay bear with me not up on 4wd. Tried the 'push down hard on lever' before, during and after moving it. From 4L to 2H and back and forth. Crawled underneath and watched linkage move while wife moved the lever. (see they are usefull sometimes as I duck frying pan). Lot that I MIGHT be purchasing it from said. "Linkage moves andwe can hear it click as it goes from 4L to 4H, it is just geared low." I told them today no it is not geared low as even if it was there will still be a marked difference in speed\rpm from low to high. (has 5sd). Told them they need to repair this so it shifts reliably from low to high and has to go into 2H or I ain't buying. Axle tag says 4.09 and it has 245-75R16 so I know that 1st is not super granny good to 1.5 mph, 2nd good to 5mph and 3rd to 15-20mph. You need 4th to cruise 30-35 and stay under 2200 -2500 and can use OD at 35 without lugging 5.8L.
Sorry for the long wind, what I also need is what could this be and is the high-low in the trans or t-case?
I've got these for door codes.
TB4-body
W-Trans
35-axle
63F-spring
Again sorry for the long. But it is this truck or TWD Ranger. And we like this big ol' Ford.

 

Dad had that same problem on his 1993 Ford F-150 XL 4.9 I-6, it turned out to be the pivot point where the linkage connects to the transfer case, dad bought some teflon white lithium grease and it goes in and out of 4LO with ease, try to grease that pivot point up.....

 

Thanks for the assist guys. I'll give them the chance to fix it. If it wasn't 100 miles away, I'd slip in for another test drive and see if some lubing would do the trick.

 

I have rebuilt the s5-42 ZF tranny in an 89 f-250 and also the accompanying Borg Warner T-case. So, I couldn't pass up your posting even if you're no longer looking at that truck. First, the problem is definately in the transfer case, as this is where the hi-lo range is delivered. Without seeing inside it, I would have to say that the linkage is the problem. However, if you are reasonably mechanical, and can beat them down on price due the stuck case, I'd say get it. The transfer case is light ( aluminum housing) & not only relatively easy to remove, but also simple to repair. Refer to a Hayne's or Chilton manual. Or simply call a salvage yard for a replacement. This swap can SERIOUSlY be done by the do it yourselfer in an afternoon with no special tools, just 2 jacks & a socket set. So if the truck is otherwise decent.......see if they'll deal!

 

I am still interested and I think I'm mechanically inclined. I'm the maintenance mech where I work. So rebuilding won't be a problem. I mostly want it in 2H so it is drivable. 35 mph in OD at around 1200 rpm and no grunting doesn't bode well for the interstate which we will be on right after getting it. I like running around 80.
The only majors other than the t-case is surface rust and bent tailgate. Since we have to do the hard luck finance route and they are at $2900 dosen't sound bad price wise at 98,000 on a 5.8L. But I don't want to tell the wife I have to spend a couple hundred on parts right out of the gate. So if it is locked in low range they can fix it, come down on price, clean out the Ranger we looked at(smells like a barnyard) or will look at the F150 that's there. I have choices but since this is a stick and 4WD AND the wife likes it I'm hoping.

 

i would just bother them about it and see what thell do, if i had payed attention i woud have realized that its just stuck in, sounds like someone had said it just needs to be rebuilt, sounds almost like a bad shiftfork or broken shiftfork.

 

hey i dont wanna hijack post but this sound all to familiar.
my 87 f150 302 4x4
i dont really use first
2nd is like first
but i can get into 4th at 25 mph and about 1100 rpm
btw its the 4 speed manual.
can this be or do i have prob.
when im on highway i criuse a 60 and about 2600 rpm.

 

wow, i have an 87 f-150, 351w, and a c6 and i can only get to about 13 in 4low at 1200-1500 rpm. thats with 3.55 gears too.

Any luck yet with resolving the problem with the transfer case? still getting it? let us know.

 

Great news they fixed it! Went yesterday and talked with them, took one saleman with and we went thru it. Now it shifts from 4L to 4H and 2H. Even had him jump out and lock\unlock the hubs. Ended up being a great guy. Tooled down the interstate in 2H. hubs locked in, doing 72 mph at around 2400 2500rpm in OD. First is still pretty much granny just not as bad as when it was\is in low. They fixed the temp gauge by replacing the temp switch and for some reason the volt meter came back on line even though they did nothing to work on it. Wonder if the temp not reading at all fooled the computer and led to some of the problems.
But we are going after this one sounds like I can get them to toss in a spare. All to often around here spares are kinda thin to get or near bald or worse yet those donut spares. So it ain't much but getting a good spare helps.
Oh yeah this is a one owner truck with the orignal dealer reciept the owner got in the glove box and all the manuals.

So all in all I'm feeling good about this truck

 

sounds good, i would go for it, expecialy if its a nice truck.
good luck,

 

With a 4sp manual you're situation sounds like 1st is granny and 4th is 1:1 or direct drive. So it sounds about right. BUT if you can let us know your rear gear and tire size we can give you some pointers on increasing your speed to rpm. One trick is taller tires, but one of the more worth while fixes although a little spendy is changing the gears in the rearends.
Also you can change to the 5sp trans from a donor 4X4 which will get you the overdrive without having to swap gears.
Cheap fix is the tires though.