no 4wd

[cougar1985]

i have a 2003 ford f-150 with 4.6 auto and it has the manual floor shift for 4wd.well it doesnt work any more(4wd),sure, i can even get 4 low but only at the rear wheels thats all!im planning on crawling under her as soon as it stops dripping snow,is there anything i should be looking for and where?

 

[Splat]

Re: no 4wd

Do you have manual or vacume front hubs?

Sounds like the actuator for the vaccume is not working,

This topic was just discussed last week actually. Many people reccomend installing manual hubs to eliviate the problems with the vaccume ones.

Bill

 

[rbh]

Re: no 4wd

yes if you can verify that the transfer case is going into gear 2, 4h, n, 4l,.
then go verify your hubs

 

[cougar1985]

Re: no 4wd

Do you have manual or vacume front hubs?

Sounds like the actuator for the vaccume is not working,

This topic was just discussed last week actually. Many people reccomend installing manual hubs to eliviate the problems with the vaccume ones.

Bill

i would assume i have vacume hubs as there is no manual hubs on the wheels.as far as i understand with the 2003 you cant get manual hubs period.where is the actuator located?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: no 4wd

Go here and decode your VIN https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenance/vin_tools/default.asp to figure out exactly which transfer case you have. Even though there is a floor lever..... the switching may be electronic and it may have a bad shifting motor..... about $85

 

[fishingman220]

Re: no 4wd

you do not have hubs, on the front end there is a center diff and on one side there is a axle disconnect between the ring and pinion and where the cv shaft bolts to it, it will look like a small electric motor and a wiring harness going to it. it does tend to go out in cold weather and in wet conditions. there is a company called posi lock that replaces the electronics and puts a cable there that runs to the cab and you pull that and it looks the axle together and then you put the floor shifter in to lock the transfer case and it will work. on yours you have 2 axles going to that side and when you lock it in it connects those axles.

 

[cougar1985]

Re: no 4wd

ok ,went underneth the truck and on the front diff there is a 4wd vacumn actuator .apparently it is quite common for these to fail .before i jump to any conclusions im going to get a book and go through some tests as that part is 122 usd at napa.347 at ford!

 

[j_martin]

Re: no 4wd

ok ,went underneth the truck and on the front diff there is a 4wd vacumn actuator .apparently it is quite common for these to fail .before i jump to any conclusions im going to get a book and go through some tests as that part is 122 usd at napa.347 at ford!

The 4WD is the land version of a boat, which is a hole in the water into which you pour all your cash...

John

 

[rbh]

Re: no 4wd

If you are plowin snow with the bumper trying to get home, you may need a
4x4

 

[dolluper]

Re: no 4wd

Ouit using that four letter word......SNOW

 

[cougar1985]

Re: no 4wd

well now i got a whole other set of problems!while tapping out the old vac actuator i broke off the mounting spot.darn darn darn!i will have to wait to find somebody to weld the blasted piece back on.it is cast with the axle housing from the drivers side.what a disaster!absolute worse case scenerio will mean i will have to design my own bracket some how.hope if anybody reads this they learn from my mistake and be very very carefull when trying to get out the old actuator!ohboy!

 

[fishingman220]

Re: no 4wd

thats not good

 

[cougar1985]

Re: no 4wd

thats not good

nope .nothing a good welder cant fix though i have to say it sure ticked me off big time.

 

[dolluper]

Re: no 4wd

cable ties...wont rust sorry had to LOL's