Easy/Stupid fix- 4x4 won't engage
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 835
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From: Central New York
Easy/Stupid fix- 4x4 won't engage
I tried finding my earlier post on my 4x4 not engaging all the way, "so I thought".
Figured I would just start another thread to make it easier.
Thank you to JMC, for pointing me into the direction of the Vacuum acuator and axel shifter and suggesting that I may need to put in a new Ford fork and bushing kit. Thanks for Ford manual pic's as well JMC.
If you remember, when I engaged my 4x4, it would make a clicking / ratcheting sound which made me think that my 4x4 gears in the front axel tube were not engaged fully. I removed the vacuum actuator (PITA), bench cleaned it, and it felt like it was getting full stroke. Put it back in, switched on 4x4 and it was. No vacuum problems, no mechanical problems. Before I hooked the shift rod from the axel back on the actuator, I cleaned that as well. I had more than enough stroke and could feel and hear that the gears were engaging and meshing with no problem. Once the gear's were fully engaged, I still had some stroke left in the axel shifter.
Someone on here suggested that I should lift the truck and run it in 4x4 free wheeling, in the air. I did this and the noise came back loud and clear.
HERE'S THE EASY / STUPID FIX.
At first I could hear the noise coming from I thought was the transfer case area. OH CRAP CAME TO MIND. Got over there and looked under, and found that at some time in the last 6 months, something got pushed up under the truck and found that the CAT heat shield got bent slightly. Added with the front 4x4 drive axel building up more rust, there was a nice SHINEY spot on the axel where a "RUST BOOGER" got built up and was hitting the heat shield ever so ligthly. Of course this sound doesn't happen unless you are running
4x4. Bent the heat shield back, chipped off the booger, wire brushed the axel,
NO NOISE
The good thing is, easy fix, but I found out from a local Ford tech that I should be be cleaning up the vacuum actuator and axel shifter every spring anyways because of our NY weather and the excessive salt and sand they spread on our country roads.
I hope this will help someone else in the future.
TJKinCNY
Figured I would just start another thread to make it easier.
Thank you to JMC, for pointing me into the direction of the Vacuum acuator and axel shifter and suggesting that I may need to put in a new Ford fork and bushing kit. Thanks for Ford manual pic's as well JMC.
If you remember, when I engaged my 4x4, it would make a clicking / ratcheting sound which made me think that my 4x4 gears in the front axel tube were not engaged fully. I removed the vacuum actuator (PITA), bench cleaned it, and it felt like it was getting full stroke. Put it back in, switched on 4x4 and it was. No vacuum problems, no mechanical problems. Before I hooked the shift rod from the axel back on the actuator, I cleaned that as well. I had more than enough stroke and could feel and hear that the gears were engaging and meshing with no problem. Once the gear's were fully engaged, I still had some stroke left in the axel shifter.
Someone on here suggested that I should lift the truck and run it in 4x4 free wheeling, in the air. I did this and the noise came back loud and clear.
HERE'S THE EASY / STUPID FIX.
At first I could hear the noise coming from I thought was the transfer case area. OH CRAP CAME TO MIND. Got over there and looked under, and found that at some time in the last 6 months, something got pushed up under the truck and found that the CAT heat shield got bent slightly. Added with the front 4x4 drive axel building up more rust, there was a nice SHINEY spot on the axel where a "RUST BOOGER" got built up and was hitting the heat shield ever so ligthly. Of course this sound doesn't happen unless you are running
4x4. Bent the heat shield back, chipped off the booger, wire brushed the axel,
NO NOISE
The good thing is, easy fix, but I found out from a local Ford tech that I should be be cleaning up the vacuum actuator and axel shifter every spring anyways because of our NY weather and the excessive salt and sand they spread on our country roads.
I hope this will help someone else in the future.
TJKinCNY
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 25,641
Likes: 19
From: MI
Yea , I put some time into this one as well.. - Glad you found it.
Man, the plunger/fork whatever works fine. Pulled the vac lines/ checked them, their still in great shape . I removed both clips holding the Acuator - It won't budge - tried everything ... I'll break it if I keep trying to remove
- You can't heat anything down there, to much plastic. - Think I'm going to let it be since I don't have any problems.
Man, the plunger/fork whatever works fine. Pulled the vac lines/ checked them, their still in great shape . I removed both clips holding the Acuator - It won't budge - tried everything ... I'll break it if I keep trying to remove
- You can't heat anything down there, to much plastic. - Think I'm going to let it be since I don't have any problems.
Last edited by jbrew; Dec 13, 2008 at 12:52 PM.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 835
Likes: 2
From: Central New York
Hey Brew,
It will take a bit of work and a few cuss words for sure. I sprayed alot of PB Blaster where it sits and connects. I had to get onto the brass plunger and work it from there and then knock it back into place and start all over again.
I seriously thought at one time about pounding the li'l #$&#%^& out of there until I called Ford and they told me a new one was $177.00 plus the Gov.
After I got it out, I cleaned it up, figured it was working properly, cleaned the mounting area really well, put some anti seize on the mouinting area and it slid right back into place.
I got this taken care of just in time, I got 10" of snow the other night and more today. Needed the 4x4 for sure.
Suggestion to everyone who thinks the Vacumm Actuator isn't working properly. Clean it up while it is on the truck. I did get it cleaner on the actuator plunger off the truck but it wasn't the problem and cleaning it the way I did while it was on the truck would have been properly done. A pain but it can be cleaned well enough while still mounted to the truck.
Like to find out who engineered this set up and didn't have the courtesy to mount the actuator to a mounting plate with BOLTS
Anyways, Happy Holidays Brew and to all of the members on this site.
TJKinCNY
It will take a bit of work and a few cuss words for sure. I sprayed alot of PB Blaster where it sits and connects. I had to get onto the brass plunger and work it from there and then knock it back into place and start all over again.
I seriously thought at one time about pounding the li'l #$&#%^& out of there until I called Ford and they told me a new one was $177.00 plus the Gov.
After I got it out, I cleaned it up, figured it was working properly, cleaned the mounting area really well, put some anti seize on the mouinting area and it slid right back into place.
I got this taken care of just in time, I got 10" of snow the other night and more today. Needed the 4x4 for sure.
Suggestion to everyone who thinks the Vacumm Actuator isn't working properly. Clean it up while it is on the truck. I did get it cleaner on the actuator plunger off the truck but it wasn't the problem and cleaning it the way I did while it was on the truck would have been properly done. A pain but it can be cleaned well enough while still mounted to the truck.
Like to find out who engineered this set up and didn't have the courtesy to mount the actuator to a mounting plate with BOLTS
Anyways, Happy Holidays Brew and to all of the members on this site.
TJKinCNY
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 835
Likes: 2
From: Central New York
Yea , I put some time into this one as well.. - Glad you found it. ME TOO 
Man, the plunger/fork whatever works fine. JUST THE PLUNGER ON THE ACTUATOR. THE FORK AND BUSHING KIT JMC TOLD ME ABOUT IS IN THE AXLE TUBE ITSELF. HE HAS NICE PIC'S IF YOU EVER NEED TO SEE THEM. Pulled the vac lines/ checked them, their still in great shape . I removed both clips holding the Acuator - It won't budge - YOU THINK, WHAT A PITA, tried everything ... I'll break it if I keep trying to remove - You can't heat anything down there, to much plastic. - Think I'm going to let it be since I don't have any problems.VERY, GOOD IDEA.
Man, the plunger/fork whatever works fine. JUST THE PLUNGER ON THE ACTUATOR. THE FORK AND BUSHING KIT JMC TOLD ME ABOUT IS IN THE AXLE TUBE ITSELF. HE HAS NICE PIC'S IF YOU EVER NEED TO SEE THEM. Pulled the vac lines/ checked them, their still in great shape . I removed both clips holding the Acuator - It won't budge -
YOU THINK, WHAT A PITA, tried everything ... I'll break it if I keep trying to remove - You can't heat anything down there, to much plastic. - Think I'm going to let it be since I don't have any problems.VERY, GOOD IDEA.Last edited by tjk_in_cny; Dec 13, 2008 at 06:14 PM. Reason: more info
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 25,641
Likes: 19
From: MI
Yea, I new better than to keep screwing with it. It's be cleaned, hoses are good. Funny thing tho, - Both breather hoses on the axles were plugged up with some king of spider nests or cocoon. A weird ugly slimy thing came out of the rear hose. Oh well, she's cleaned out now after 155 lbs of air went thru it. I don't suggest doing this because whatever is in there will soon be all over the freakin place..And with air pressure supplied that hose will b^tch slap yuh if you don't duck and cover at the appropriate time. It does a mean boogie...
Happy holidays to U2 mister ( :
Happy holidays to U2 mister ( :
Last edited by jbrew; Dec 14, 2008 at 01:45 PM.