My previous vehicle was a Jeep Comanche 4x4 and it did not do this:

I have my F150, Ext Cab, 5.4L, XLT, 6.5ft bed, truck on level gound in a wet dewy field. I started so spin a little on the top so I put it in 4HI. As I was attempting to make a tight turn (front wheels turned to max) the truck stalled in the sense that it would not go foward. Instead the rear wheels started slipping with no forward motion. I relaxed the tightness of the turn and the truck would go forward, so I backed up and made my turn. This scared me because the comanche (true AMC built before the Chrysler takeover) was a machine no matter what conditions and would never do this to me. The only thing that is different is the tires and truck length. The comanche has snow tires on it, not the crap General tires. Can anyone help me with why it was so bound up and if a loss of traction from the tires could cause what it did? I am headed to the Dealer tomorrow (should have been last Saturday) for a huge laundry list of issues. I want my ducks all in a row.

Thanks

Jansen

 

You answered your own question, the length of the vehicle makes a difference. The longer wheelbase tends to make the truck want to push straight if the surface you're on isn't slick enough (ie sand, mud, ice/snow) the front wheels will bind if the they are turned too tight. Having a limited slip setup will cause it to bind. If you opted for a LS in the rear then there is one in the front as well. The LS locks both axles together to improve traction, if one wheel is on ice the other wheel will still have traction. That's why on a hot day you will hear one of the rear tires squeak a little when you round a turn. On the front the LS will cause binding because the axles are locked together but also are turned at an extreme angle. On a soft surface the wheels will dig in, this is why it started to move when you turned the wheel back a bit. A longwinded way to say this is normal, nothing to worry about.

 

TBird,


Thanks for giving me some peace of mind I appreciate it.

Jansen

 

No problem, happy to help.

 

Can someone show me where it says we have a ls front diff. my fx4 came with the rear lsd but i garantee i do not have a ls front diff.

 

If both front wheels spin on a slick surface I guarantee you have an LS front diff. What sense is there in Ford installing a LS in the rear and a standard diff in the front? How does that help offroad traction? It would totally defeat the concept of 4X4.

 

It doesn't defeat the concept. It helps because you have 2 back wheels spinning instead of one. The only vehicle i have ever seen with a lsd front from the factory is a dodge heavy duty. I think it was a 98. It was cool but really sucked when turning because the front end would jump all over the place. And also alot of 4x4's only have open diffs inthem. Therefore only 2 wheels spin when stuck so the lsd rear does help 3 IS better than 2.

Put your truck on a hoist. Put it in neutral and get out and spin one tire by hand and tell me which way the other tire spins. On the front of course. Then do the rear. If you have a ls rear then the tires will spin together. If you don't then they will spin opposite. Which is what the front will do and not the rear.