I have a 2001 F150 4x4 5.4l. When I engage the 4x4, when I turn it grabs real bad and turning is very difficult. Does not feel right at all. Is the transfer case hooped? or is it something else?

Thanks kidder

 

Is this your first 4x4? If so, only engage when the tires slip. Examples- Snow, Ice, Mud, Sand, ect. The front tires are rotating at different speeds.

Sorry if you are more advanced than I think.:o You should not use 4x4 on normal pavement conditions.

 

Im pretty sure what you are describing is normal. Mine does it too at least. haha.

 

Do you have a manual shifter? Sometimes... not very often though it will sound like im grinding gears and you will see the Speedo Needle jump like wild! Its very rare that this happens but it does.

 

Indeed. Completely normal and very bad for the truck. If you're getting driveline bind-up, it is because you are on a high traction surface and you should not be in 4 wheel drive anyways.

-Joe

 

in case your doing this offroad, in loose conditions. there may be the possibility of something either wrong with the front carrier, OR someone may have installed a cheap lunchbox/in open carrier locker.
my front end will bind pretty damn bad with the cheapie locker in it up front, but she sure does crawl lol

 

The fronts are rotating at different speeds, but that does not cause "binding" as the open front differential takes care of that.

The reason for the binding is that in a part-time 4WD set up, there is no differential in the transfer case, as there is in an AWD setup (also called full-time.) The front axle travels a different arc than the rear axle, and with no differential, they are both mechanically connected to travel at the same speed, and you'll get binding as you said. Full time 4x4 systems like on a Land Cruiser or something similar have a diff in the center that is locked with a dash button to truely engage 4hi.

As others have said, 4x4 shouldn't be engaged unless all 4 tires can slip or have low traction. A little binding here and there won't hurt anything, but continued use could lead to gear stripping or other problems.

 

Thanks for the technical explanation. I knew it was bad to engage in non slick conditions, just unable to put into words. Nice job

 

No problem.

Its a common misconception that the fronts traveling at different speeds causes binding on 4x4's, but unless you have a front locker, the front diff handles that...its the solid front/back link with no center diff that causes binding.

 

make sure u arent turnin too tight also wen ur usin 4x4, not a good thing to do everything binds up