I have a 98 F150 XLT with 4 wheel drive. It is not the electronic type, but a stick shift on the floor (the tranny is auto). My question: how do I engage the 4WD? I tried pulling on it a little today, but it wouldn't budge, and I don't want to do anything to screw it up. How do I shift? The owner's manual states I can shift to 4WD high on the fly, but I just want to be able to shift it. Do you do it in Park? Or in Neutral? Do I really have to yank on it, or should it shift easily?

 

it should shift easily, you probably have to get underneath and lube up the linkage. It would be best to have a friend with you to wiggle around the shifter while you go underneath and spray it down with WD40 or something similar.

 

shoot my 4x4 lever gives me hell to get in 4lo 4hi is no problem.

Anyways the way you shift into 4hi is while in drive (or neutral) BUT you have to be on a low traction surface (dont engage it on pavement unless you are slipping)

Id find a dirt road and try it out just get rolling and shift it from 2hi to 4hi and see what happens

now on 4lo i have to be in neutral to even have a chance to get it to lock in.

 

mine is stiff. just grab it and pull it back

 

you cant talk like that on here pervert!

 

while it isn't good to drive around on pavement with it...you can try it out. Just don't turn to full lock and romp down on it. Only turn a little to make sure its pulling.

 

well the sounds mine makes when i engage it on a hard surface tell me thats a NO NO.

 

Thanks everyone for your help. I will try squirting it down with WD40 and then seeing if it will at least move easier. My last car was a 4WD Jeep, and I knew how that felt when you engaged it in 4WD, but since this is different I just wanted to be sure I wasn't going to ruin it (I will need it soon, I fear, up here in WNY).

Thanks.