Bmun
New Member
- Joined
- April 15, 2010
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Arlington, WA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2003
Need advice...
I have 2003 Ford Explorer ELT 4x4 with control trac. I have had the vehicle about 4 years. Several times over the years the front end would pop and bind when making hard right turn in 4x4 auto. I understand this issue and never worried about it since it was explainable. Now something new happened.
When moving straight, or turning in 4x4 Auto, the same clunking and popping occurs. It does this when you give a little gas (still going slow). Every 3 - 5 feet it clunks when moving forward. I jacked up the vehicle and checked the front end, no unusual movements, nothing binding, ball joints are not wore out, wheels and drive shafts rotate freely.
I removed the front drive shaft and can drive the vehicle without any clunking or popping. The unit will transfer in and out of 4x4 without issues.
It seems like the 4x4 system is trying to engage more than required for the 4x4 Auto setting (I think I read 13% - 15% somewhere in this forum) and this is causing the clunking and popping but I am not sure.
2 questions:
1) Can we drive the vehicle without the front drive shaft until we figure out the true problem?
2) Any ideas on how to determine the root issue?
Thanks,
I have 2003 Ford Explorer ELT 4x4 with control trac. I have had the vehicle about 4 years. Several times over the years the front end would pop and bind when making hard right turn in 4x4 auto. I understand this issue and never worried about it since it was explainable. Now something new happened.
When moving straight, or turning in 4x4 Auto, the same clunking and popping occurs. It does this when you give a little gas (still going slow). Every 3 - 5 feet it clunks when moving forward. I jacked up the vehicle and checked the front end, no unusual movements, nothing binding, ball joints are not wore out, wheels and drive shafts rotate freely.
I removed the front drive shaft and can drive the vehicle without any clunking or popping. The unit will transfer in and out of 4x4 without issues.
It seems like the 4x4 system is trying to engage more than required for the 4x4 Auto setting (I think I read 13% - 15% somewhere in this forum) and this is causing the clunking and popping but I am not sure.
2 questions:
1) Can we drive the vehicle without the front drive shaft until we figure out the true problem?
2) Any ideas on how to determine the root issue?
Thanks,