what exactly is the function of a transfer case and when does it need to be serviced?

thanks

 

ch,

It splits power to the front and back wheels. When you engage 4 wheel dirve it connects the drive shaft to the front wheels and powers the front wheels. It can also be used to mulitply the torque to the wheels when you engage 4 wheel drive Lo. It is lubed with ATF (automatic transmission fluid ). Check your owner's manual for the oil change interval. If you have the manual shift on the fly a light coating of the shift linkage every so often is advisable.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

ford says every 30000 so i did it his morning but i never use the 4x4 so do i still need to do it a recommended intervals.

thanks!

 

ch,

As a preventative maintenance measure you should use your 4x4 once a month. It will help keep things from jamming up. Simply find a dirt road and shift into 4x4 and drive for 10 -20 miles. Do not drive on a dry hard surface.

JMC

 

thanks again

 

You should service your TC at the same time you do the tranny. Even if you never engage 4x4 (which is not a good thing), you still need to service the TC. It still spins and turns inside, as it's still using gears for the rear end.

 

Changing the oil in the T-case more often than not is not a bad thing. Two quarts of oil, a little spill on the ground....

JMC

 

I am assuming that all the T-case takes is just two quarts JMC?

I just recently did a whole bunch of maintenance to my dad's 99 F-150 sherrod flareside, he loves that truck to death, just did 4 new Goodyear Fortera's, new tune-up, oil change, fuel filter, air filter, goodyear gatorback belt and shes running mint. Im gonna order up some redline 80-140 gearlube for both the front and rear axle. I am assuming that I can use the same mercon V ATF that I did the tranny/TC flush with?

Thanks Guys,
Storm

 

Storm,

Check your owners manual the front diff doesn't use the same oil as the rear. It uses 75W90 oil.

JMC

 

I work at Valvoline, and for some reason we dont reccommend FD,TC, or RD services until 100,000 miles. Unless you do heavy towing, its about 20,000. But a daily driver, non work horse, 100k. dont ask me why, thats just the way it is...

When you service the drivetrain cases, it is VERY important that the vehicle is perfectly flat. This is because of the way you fill it back up. You fill it back up until it starts draining out the fill hole. You let it all drain out so the level of fluid is flush with the bottom of the hole. If you put the plug back in while fluid is draining out, i can almost guarantee youll blow a seal.

Ford reccommend ONLY synthetic GL (gear lube) on the diffs, and if you have posi trac, be sure to ad the posi additive before you fill it up with the GL.

- Rick -