4x4 Help Please
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4x4 Help Please
I have a 1997 Ford f-150 and the 4x4 does not work.I put the truck up off the ground and put it in 4 wheel and then looked and the front shaft spins but the light does not go on and the front wheels do not spin.I was told that it is my vaccum lines but the ones that run to the firewall are hooked up and are getting good vaccum but it still does not engage does anybody know what the problem might be?
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Sorry I am not to mechanically enclined when it comes to 4 wheel Basically when I shift it into 4 hi or low it goes in gear and in 4 low it feels like it is working with the low gear pull but the light does not come on and the front wheels do not spin but the front shaft does.
Thanks for you trying to help
Thanks for you trying to help
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 11,496
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From: Kansas
You need to check the vacuum shift motor on the front axle as ranger88a suggested. If that motor does not engage the axle, you will not have 4X4. There have been a number of threads on that so you can look around and see what others have encountered.
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Joined: Jun 2007
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I had a similiar problem and the dealer said that the "4 wheel shifting fork" was bent (I'm not a mechanic just telling what I was told) because I had shifted it into 4wh when I was going to fast. This was when they were running the ad with the f150 on a race track and shifting it into 4w. Got it fixed and now stop everytime I want to put into 4 w anything.
2003 f150 4x4 Xlt Spr cab 5.4
Builder
2003 f150 4x4 Xlt Spr cab 5.4
Builder
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: north shore, minnesota
There is an aluminum shift fork on the front axle by the vaccum shift motor that is likely broken.
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Elder User
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From: north shore, minnesota
No actually it's not. I've only done one of them but it was actually pretty easy and the shift fork is a cheesy cheap piece of aluminum.
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From: north shore, minnesota
When a 4WD range is selected, a vacuum shift motor on the front axle engages the differential with the right axleshaft via a shift lever which moves a shift fork which slides a coupler cluster gear, meshing it with a cluster gear shaft.
1. Raise vehicle and support with jackstands
2. Remove shift motor cover.
3. There are 2 vacuum lines to the shift motor diaphragm. Disconnect the line from the inner port hook up a vacuum pump in it's place. Apply 10 inches of vacuum and watch the shift lever. If it moves freely the vaccum shift motor is working properly.
4. If vaccum is holding and the shift lever doesn't move, the problem is something binding in the shift fork and mechanism or a clogged vaccum port.
5. If vaccum does not hold, the vaccum motor is faulty - replace it.
1. Raise vehicle and support with jackstands
2. Remove shift motor cover.
3. There are 2 vacuum lines to the shift motor diaphragm. Disconnect the line from the inner port hook up a vacuum pump in it's place. Apply 10 inches of vacuum and watch the shift lever. If it moves freely the vaccum shift motor is working properly.
4. If vaccum is holding and the shift lever doesn't move, the problem is something binding in the shift fork and mechanism or a clogged vaccum port.
5. If vaccum does not hold, the vaccum motor is faulty - replace it.
