We all know you should engage your 4X4 system once a month to keep the gears lubed and working. Just wondering where everyone goes.

------------------

The Truck: 1997 Black F-150 Flareside. Regular Cab ORP and Towing Package
The Mods: K&N Filter, Eurolid Hard Tonneau, Profile Windstream Side Deflectors and Ford Bug Deflector.
The Site:
Triton's 4.6 Liter Web Page
www.mindspring.com/~acbradley/index.html
<A HREF="https://www.alladvantage.com/joinsecure.asp?refid=LTM-954" TARGET=_blank>I made $450 surfing the web last month...you can too!
</A>

 

Just engage it when running in a straight line. That will work even on dry pavement. At least it works for me.

 

I have always had 4x4, and when I do the once a month engagement of it, I just do it on pavement, that is straight with no turns. Shouldn't hurt it one bit, as it doesn't have to stay in 4x4 for very long. In the fall of the year, it is in 4x4 most of the weekends, and then I don't worry to much about it. Hope this helps, and I am sure that there is going to be someone else with a different way, but I have found that it works just fine.
If anything, engage it when it is raining, and the pavement is wet, so that the parts can "slip" when engaged.

------------------
1999 F-150 4x4 Offroad, SuperCab, Prairie Harvest Gold, 5.4L Triton w/ K&N Air Filter, Lund Interceptor Bug Guard, Lund Headlight Covers, Smittybilt Outland Sport Bumper Gaurd w/ Hella 500 & 550 Driving lights, Access Roll-up Cover, Bedliner, Ford Reciever Hitch Cover, Taillight Covers

Future Mods:
Gibson Cat-Back Exhaust, 4" Lift w/ 34 OR 35 Inch Mickey Thompson's, 2 or 3 Inch Body Lift

 

I agree with all of you above. In fact I just engaged 4H today at about 10 mph and drove straight down the street for 300 yards. In four years I have had no problem using this proceedure. Every once in a while I go to 4L for 100 yards or so.

The worst thing is for a person to buy a 4x4 and never engage it. Makes you wonder why pay $2000 - $3000 more for 4x4 and never use it - just for looks??????? Real macho!

------------------
Mine: FOR SALE SOON...1997 F150, XLT, SC, Oxford white/maroon 60/40 cloth, 4x4 ORP, 4.6L, 3.55LS, 17" ORP wheels w/GY AT/S LT265/70/17, auto, 6 CD,Towing package, alarm, Rhino grill guard w/PICCA lights, dual exhaust. Bought new June '96

Wife: '99Explorer Limited,pearl white/tan leather,4.0L,4:10LS,CD,sunroof,towing pkg.,alarm. Bought new Sept. 1999

Next: 2001 F150 XLT SuperCrew, 5.4L, 4x4,3:55LS,tow pkg. etc.......

Previous: '65 Mustang 289 HiPo, '70 Chevelle SS 396, '70 Vette Conv. 350/350, 72 Datsun PU,'74 Vette TTop, '79 Blazer, '81 F150, '83 Bonneville, '84 Gran Marquis '89 TBird Super Coupe 3.8L SuperCharged, '93 Explorer 4.0L

 

There's really no magic to it. The only reason that you shouldn't run your 4x4 engaged is simply because these units do not have a differential in the transfer case.

What?

When you engage your 4x4, you can effectively remove your rear drive shaft and make your truck a FWD, since the transfer case locks the output shafts of the xfer case to the output shaft of the transmission.

If you have tires on the front and rear axles that are EXACTLY the same size, then there is no problem if, of course you're going straight.

If your rear tires are worn more than your front tires are, then for every 100 revolutions of your big front tires, your rear tires try to go 100+X RPM -- and they fight each other thru the lockup of the front and rear drive shafts.

The first thing that you would see in this case is a wearing of either the front or rear tires -- depending upon which tires 'lost' the battle.

Since the front and rear axles are trying to turn at different speeds (remember the tire mis-match scenario here), one of the axles will be forward-loaded -- and the other reverse-loaded -- meaning that one axle will be loaded by the engine, and the other axle would be fighting the engine -- hence rear-loaded (as though you were going down-hill and using the engine as a brake).

Why Ford doesn't put a differential in the xfer case like the shovies is beyond me -- it would be a nice addition.

'Hope this helps.



------------------
Y2K™

XLT SC SB 5.4L E4x4 AW-Disc, 3.73LS, Skid, 7700# HD Towing, Chrome LT-245, Steps, Captain's, 6CD, Tonneau, keyless, Toreador Red, called "Nick"