I do some mild wheeling a few times a month, and have been experiencing something that just does not sound or feel right.

If I go to shift into 4Hi or 4Lo (while in neutral of course), if I am not on a relatively flat surface, it would sound like its grinding the hell out of something... so I have to turn the truck off and shift it while off, then turn it back on so it will avoid the grind.
Is this just normal even if I'm on a slight incline/decline? Why would it be doing this?

Also, if I end up pulling up and parking on the edge of a curb in the front or on an incline/decline, when I go to shift into gear (reverse or drive) it will give me a lot of resistance then kinda slams into whatever gear with a clunk. Is this because of the trucks weight on the parking gear making it tougher to get it out of it? I try to use the e-brake to relieve some of the pressure before I put it in park, but I'm sure I have to tighten it up because it is not grabbing as hard as it should.

Thanks

 

I'll be interested in what the replies are. I have very similar behavior with my 93' F150 4X4. It's my first 4X4 and I figured I just didn't know how to shift into four wheel drive properly. I asked a friend about it and he said it was normal but I am doubtful that grinding and clunking is normal.

 

Both of you should read the instructions in the owner's manual. If you don't have one, check the sticker on the driver's sun visor & download the closest-year manual you can find free from Ford.

If you have an automatic trans, you MUST be in N or P before shifting the t-case thru its Neutral position.

If your hubs are already locked (manual or auto hub locks), you can shift from 2H to 4H to 2H on-the-fly. If you have auto hub locks & an ESOF t-case, you can shift from 2H to 4H at up to 55mph.

Grinding will ONLY occur when you try to force a spinning gear against one NOT turning at the same speed. A very slight grind is normal since that's the whole idea of shifting gears, but you can minimize the grinding by shifting at the proper speed.

 

Yeah I've read the 4x4 operation sticker on the visor when I first got the truck to see if it was any different then my full size woodsbeater Jimmy I have (also an 84 with manual locking hubs).

I always come to a complete stop and put the tranny in Neutral before shifting in/out of 4Lo, and for the most part come to a complete stop before shifting between 2Hi and 4Hi.
It never does it unless i'm on an inclined surface so that the weight of the truck is trying to go backwards.
Like when I was just messing around trying to see if I could get out of a little sand bowl in 2Hi, and ended up just digging in... since the front end was up on the edge of the bowl and the back end was still in the bowl, it would make the horrible grinding noise if I'd try to shift it out of 2Hi (so I'd have to shut it off, shift it to 4Hi or Lo, start it back up). I never really tried jamming it into gear when it was doing the grinding noise, in fear of breaking something. Whether it would go into gear if I slammed it and would get past the grinding, idk... just felt safer turning the engine off instead.

Maybe I'll try Park instead of Neutral (both with my brake pedal floored) and see if that doesn't hold off the grind on un-level ground.

 

itsounds like a transfer case issue.... im getting mine replaced on tuesday!!! hahaha

 

The New Process 208 in his '84 is a purdy tough unit and should be good.

I've noticed this with my C6 / NP208 combo. When you put the tranny in neutral, and then put the transfer case in neutral, the whole rotating mass of the tranny and front of the transfer case will start spinning a bit. Go to shift into lowrange and the grinding comes from that trying to stop.

I used park or shut the motor off when I was checking the operation of the low range in my 84 Lariat.


Also others keep in mind this is totally different than newer electric shift 4x4 trucks that need to be in neutral for the low shift to complete.

Adrianspeeder

 

most likely the wild wheeling has taken its toll, ive ruined many new trucks in a mud hole.....

 

I said "mild wheeling", not "wild wheeling" haha. This is my daily driver, has to get me to and from school, work, and everywhere else... can't afford to do any "wild" wheeling with it until I can afford to buy myself a nice new F250/350 sometime later in life.

I'll try putting it in park the next time it tries to grind on me, and see how it goes. If it still wants to grind, then I'll just have to stick to the shut off, shift, turn on procedure. And now I have more problems to deal with now that I put a new upgraded Powermaster 140 amp alternator on (will be making a post about that in whatever other section is appropriate).