02 Mountaineer AWD Rear Clutch Packs

[dwonzer]

I am getting the, what seems to be common, shudder at low parking lot speeds when I am turning. I talked to a guy at Ford and he said that it sounded like the rear clutch packs sticking. Any thoughts. I do most work on my own vehicles and am wondering how big of a job this is. Ford quoted me a price of around $1500 so that usually a job i can do for a few hundred myself. Any input on confirming that is what is might be and then any instructions out there on replacing them?

 

[jrford]

Whats the door code for the Axle, my AWD has an open rear end, code 45. Do you have the Class III hitch?

 

[dwonzer]

its a code 45 which is a 3.55 non-limited slip i believe. I do not have a class 3 hitch although i would like to. I just have the class 2 stock one.

 

[jrford]

its a code 45 which is a 3.55 non-limited slip i believe. I do not have a class 3 hitch although i would like to. I just have the class 2 stock one.

that means you have no clutch packs . . . .
Is yours AWD? No switches on the dash.

 

[jrford]

my bad, i see the AWD in the title now, might want to look up viscous clutch. They also have the same symptom to confirm 90% remove the front drive shaft, if it goes away more than likely its the viscous . . .

 

[dwonzer]

I will be out of town for a while here but when I get back i'll pull that drive shaft and let you know what I find. Thanks for the help

 

[dwonzer]

finally pulled the drive shaft

Well it finally got warm enough to get out in the garage and pull the front drive shaft. The skip went away and so did a humming sound that I though was a bearing. Guess I'll have to get a different transfer case. Do you think its better to just find another or to pull the transfer case and have it rebuilt?

 

[jrford]

If the the problem is gone its i'm 90% sure its a failed viscous, they fail open or locked.

If you pull a junkyard, you might get the same problem, it would have to be low mileage before i would feel comfortable, and a cheap price.
Check on Rebuilds if its over 100k . . .if it gets up there in mileage its well worth it imo. I've had two heep with blown cases, one reman ran $800 and to install another $350, second time around i found a great trasn and gear shop and it only ran $650, it now has 70k on the rebuild and no issues.

Last guy couldn't find a Viscous unit as no one is selling retail, they run about $400 last time they where out there. Crate ReMan is an option, or if you can pull it and take it to someone?

there was a post in the last month or so about the same thing. . .