Alright, I hope someone out there is knows something about this.
I have used my 4x4 hi many times before this, yet today when I engaged 4x4 and made a turn it was as if the truck lost the power to even roll, like something as if my tires were rubbing the front end. There wasnt any noise, just an almost soft rough idle and the truck went from rolling around the turn to a stop as if I were applying the breaks. When going straight this resistance wasnt there but turning in either direction I would have to give it a lot of gas just to move. Again no terrible sounds no nothing. Anyone experience this or know about it?

 

I have not experienced this in my truck, but it sounds like something is binding. I would make an appointment with the service dept. as soon as possible and let them figure it out.

 

What sort of surface were you driving on?

If the surface is hard, and there isn't any give when you turn, the drive line will bind and cause this sort of problem.

 

I was driving in a parking lot so there wasnt any give. The turns were fairly sharp but I was only going into them at 15mph or so and as soon as I started to turn it would come to a complete stop without applying any gas or brake. I cant imagine this to be normal. It was like I was towing something or in 4 low.

 

What do you mean drive line will bind? 4x4 isnt supposed to be run on pavement?

 

Well I guess searching this forum aswered my own question and you were right on as well. It seems the driveline was binding because of the turn. I hope I didnt damage anything (I shouldnt have right?). We had this huge down pour today and I was engaging the 4wd hi on my way out of the garage with 2 turns left. I guess since the pavement was dry this caused it to bind. The all knowing forum tackles another one.

 

Mine does that also. In 4 wheel drive,doesn't the front axle lock up causing both wheels to spin at the same rpm even when in a turn? If I am wrong I am sure there will be proper corrections! lol

 

Come on guys

It's not between the left side and the right it's between the front and rear axle....


Think it through the front axle has to go faster than the rear in a turn

 

The Ford front end is not limited slip and doesnt come with a locker, so the front wheels can turn at different speeds when necessary. And it isnt between the front and the rear because they do travel at the same speed. If they didnt, one would rip the other out from under the truck. Thats why the gears in the front end and the gears in the rear end are the same numerically. I still say if you are having problems with your truck, take it to the dealer and let them look at it. If they say its O.K. then go drive it until something happens. Thats what the warranty is for.

 

The front and rear don't travel at the same speed during a turn. The sharper the turn, the larger the speed difference. If you turn sharply

1) The front end swings in a very wide circle while
2) The rear end swings in a very short circle

The front end is actually moving faster than the rear end!

In an AWD vehicle, the transfer case can "slip" to allow the front and rear ends to turn at slightly different speeds. The Ford is not AWD, the center transfer case has no "slip" so you will always get binding on dry pavement when making sharp turns. This is why you shouldn't use 4x4 on dry pavement!

Grim

 

Why would you need 4x4 on dry pavement ?,

Anyways Grim is right , but there is also the fact that the wheels on the inside of the turn are traveling in a tighter radius than the outside wheels, dependent on the width of the vehicle.

 

You wouldnt, like I said before I was pulling out of the garage into what was once a road and now a river. I had a turn or two left in the garage and I put it in 4wd (I was going out into the river). At that time when I made the turn it was a binding feeling like the truck was pulling something and its idle speed was no longer enough to pull it around the turn and when I gave it gas I had to stay on it because the second I let off it would slow back to a stop as if I were applying the breaks. It was fine driving straight in 4wd and all fine in 2wd. So I am guessing that it was the binding of the 4wd on the dry pavement. Right? Anyone else experience this?

 

The bottom line is to not use 4wd on pavement, wet or dry. Constant snow over pavement is fine.

Check out your owners maual. Pages: 159, 163 specifically and the surrounding pages for genaeral information.

 

Yes, Eddy that's exactly how my 04 FX4 and 2 previously owned 4x4 vehicles behaved in 4 wheel drive. It seems strange, but it's normal I think.

 

What you are experiencing is normal. Don't waste your time taking it to the dealership. I did already. The dealership had never heard of this issue either.

It turns out that it is normal on dry pavement with tight turns. I noticed it backing out of my driveway and made a tight turn and it will not only bind but stop the vehicle.

Ford corrected the dealership.