4 Wheel drive question.

All full sized Ford Trucks will do the exact same thing on dry pavement. You should never engage your four wheel drive on dry pavement, even on straight roads!

4 wheel drive is not designed for dry roads. what you are feeling is the locking front differential trying to turn both front wheels at the same time when you turn.

That is called drive line bind, and if you do it enough you will cause expensive damage! DO NOT ENGAGE THE FRONT AXLE ON DRY PAVEMENT! Engage the front axle only when needed. A wet road is not really a condition you need the front axle engaged. There is plenty of traction. Use only on snow and ice, and only when you really need it, not just because there is snow on the road.

your mech. is correct, thats normal with a 4 wheel drive on dry pavement.. you dont need all four wheels driving at the same time on a dry road.. the 4 wheels should only be locked in on off road or snow areas..... hope this helps.

Thank you for your replies. Case closed.

John Perry

I disagree with things ive heard here...

First of all.. 4wd is not true locking front end.. if it were you wouldnt be able to steer at all.

The front end dif is slip and so is the rear.. as far as i know.

I engauge my 4wd on a dirt road like 2 times a month just to kep it lubed... otherwwise those parts will never get used and when i really need them they wont work

appreciated.

Unless the diff is a limited slip or locking as in a lets say a Detroit locker, your correct. It is an option on many four wheel drives to have a locking front and rear diff. But it's not the diff that is in danger, its the transfer case.

It's also not really slip if you think about it.

Dirt roads are a lot like snow.

You mean "Hubs Unlocked"

^^^^^^^^^

appreciated.

Point taken, it was meant as an encouragement to not use four wheel drive.

The front end has an open differential in 99% of the 4x4 out there! None of the big three will put a locking differential in the front at the factory, I don't care what the salesmen might say, you may find some dealers who might do it for you?

The problem with the front end is that by turning the front tires you change the traction/resistance characteristics of either side of the differential. Remember in an open differential the side with the least resistance gets the power. So like with an open differential using the parking brake to apply equal resistance/traction to both sides you can send power to both sides.

By the way, exactly what parts do you think you are lubing twice a month?

The front end operates on different radius' than does a rear end. The wheels on the solid rear end are rotating on the same radii with the outside wheel turning more RPM to do so. The front wheel when turning must do so on two different radius and following two distinct radii at each axle end. When not powered the outside wheel is free to turn at what even RPM's is necessary to follow the inside wheels radius. When engaged, even though their is a differential, that is not the case and the interior wheel making the same turn in a smaller circle must scrub. That scrubbing is called rap-up. On loose surfaces it is permitted to un-wrap by slipping, but not on a dry surface.

mike hunt

Falco>

dunno anything that turns that wouldnt normally when not engauged... like the hubs etc... im sure there is something that moves when doesnt normally.... its good to make the gears mesh... in my own opinion

differential.

i have an f250 with auto hubs from inside.. however i can manually lock the hubs on the outside.. does that make them locking?

Please explain this to me im confused

In other words:

The truck is trying to turn the front and back wheels at the same speed... and can't because the front and back wheels don't turn at the same speed during turns.

I can't believe they actually inspected the truck! This is a very common 4X4 knowledge.

You have part time 4 wheel drive, which means you should only use it part time. To get un stuck or while on slippery road surfaces only. They do have full time 4 wheel drive vehicles as well. The front and rear axles are not mechanically locked together in these type vehicles.

So you don't get the hop during tight turns.