Front wheels locking up

[wschmidt15@wi.rr]

Tremendous Shudder when backing into parking space

2001 with BW4406...when driving or backing into a parking space at very slow speed ( of course) the vehicle jerks/shutters alot. Everything seems to point to xfercase issue. Am I correct? Is it the TOD cluth? Read threads on "brownwire" etc...Any ideas???

 

[wschmidt15@wi.rr]

I have a 2001 ,TOD...and when I am parking with the steering wheel turned the vehicle shakes/shutters..like a wheel is locked up. Could this be the TOD clutch not releasing, is this mechanical or electrical? Am I screwed????

 

[IZwack]

Stop where you are and dont drive the vehicle on dry pavement as doing so will overstrain drivetrain components. Then do the following:

1) Make sure the vehicle is not in 4wd (as in 4HI or 4LO)

If that fails:

2) Disconnect the vehicle's battery for a few minutes, this seems to reset the 4wd computer and has worked for a few people.

If that fails:

3) Disconnect the transfer case's electrical connectors, this will prevent the system from ever engaging 4wd. You will get a blinking 4HI/4LO light on the dash, thats normal as the vehicle thinks the transfer case is missing.

 

[storlied]

Could it also be a cv joint?

 

[wschmidt15@wi.rr]

I will try those suggestions. It does this in AWD as well as 4H and 4L. By removing the electrical connection, thus de-energizing the clutch coil, if the problem is still there, is this pointing to a burnd/frozen clutchpack? And then, is the vehicle still undrivable?

 

[storlied]

should be? ud be stuck with 2wd though... right IZwack? and what about the cv joint..

 

[IZwack]

If you unplug and the vehicle is still stuck in 4wd, then its a mechanical problem in the transfer case and no matter what, the transfer case must be removed from the vehicle.

A bad CV will not cause the drivetrain to bind up.. a CV that is on its way out will make a ratchety-sound.

 

[gijoecam]

Are we talking about an Expedition or an Explorer? If we're dealing with the Expedition listed in your avatar, it's not the t-case at all. Odds are it does it only when traveling slowly and when turning (e.g. when backing into a parking space). If that's the case, you likely have a limited slip differential in the rear axle and the clutch plates are chattering. It's a common issue with the 9.75" axle under those. A bottle of friction modifier (from any auto parts store) usually fixes the issue. If not, a rebuild is in order, but that's seldom necessary.

-Joe

 

[gijoecam]

IZ, looks like we need to merge the threads....

I'm still not entirely clear what vehicle we're talking about here... an Expedition or an Explorer? It makes a HUGE difference in the possible causes and solutions.

-JOe

 

[IZwack]

Okay threads merged

 

[wschmidt15@wi.rr]

It is an Expedition,( I searched for an Epedition owners group but only found this and I've seen so many excellant responses.) I drove it in the fresh snow last week as described. A slow parking type turn revealed both rear tire prints as well as the pass front were smooth. The Driver front was approx 12 inches smooth and then a jerk in the pattern. I was concernerd so I had it towed home. 2 sevice stations have both said xfercase without even looking. I have all the shop manuals etc and always try to research as best I can. I will look at the friction issue you described. Thanks for your responses.
Bill

 

[gijoecam]

Okey-dokey....

Now that I know we're dealing with an Expedition, that changes things a bit. You have a 2wd setting on your control switch. When in 2wd, the transfer case stays off, and the center axle disconnect essentially breaks the passenger side axle shaft. Essentially, your 4wd system is a super-sized hybrid version of the 95/96 and 97/01 Explorer's system.

Now, the only possible way the transfer case could be causing the issue is if both the transfer case stayed locked AND the front axle stayed engaged. If that was the case, you'd be experiencing some major driveline bind-up. To check out what I'm talking about, find a loose gravel parking lot, lock it in 4high, cut the wheel and feel what the bind-up feels like. Then, switch it back to 2wd and see if the feel changes (after disengaging, drive straight ahead for 20 or 30 feet to allow the center axle disconnect to release). I suspect the feeling will be different.

In that case, I would suspect a halfshaft as someone already mentioned. Seems the most likely candidate.

-Joe

 

[wschmidt15@wi.rr]

I appreciate your responses to my problem. This just came out of nowhere and I suspect it's going to be expensive. In response to your last post, I have a 3 position switch..AWD-4HI-4LOW. I have suspected all along that I am not moving back into 2 wheel drive, that the "Torque on demand" is not releasing the xfer case clutch.As you stated, when I turn the wheel, say, 20 percent or more, I get as " a major driveline bind up.That is why I was wondering about disconnecting the electical to the xfercase clutch. Someone else suggested dropping the front driveshat to verify no front end issues. I considered that when it get's a little warmer up here....Bill

 

[gijoecam]

Hmmm... I thought that for '01 they still had the 2wd setting... Maybe they dropped it before that?

Then, in your case, I would say that the system is virtually identical to that in a 97-01 second-gen Explorer, and troubleshooting it should be the same. The quick and dirty method would be to simply unplug the transfer case itself and see if the problem subsides. That'll tell us in short-order if it's a mechanical problem with the case, or an electrical gremlin we need to chase down in the control system.

Start there, check back, and let us know what you've found.

 

[BigTrannyProblem]

Any news on this? Don't forget to update so others can learn too.

-bigtrannyproblem

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

I considered that when it get's a little warmer up here....Bill

Bingo. That's your best diagnostic tool right there. Should only be 8 (4 per flange) 12mmX12pt bolts.

It could also be an ABS problem, this will rule the t-case in or out.

 

[gijoecam]

We already know it's a t-case issue. What else would cause the front drivetrain to lock??

The problem is determining whether it's a mechanical issue with the t-case or an electronic issue with the system that controls it. Once we establish that, we can ferret out the gremlins in either part of the system.

 

[bsbishop13]

was out and about today and something similar happened to my 99 Explorer. stopped at post office and when I went to pull out, the front end popped and felt like the wheels were binding. Slowly drove it home and it didn't do it again until I either turned a corner slowly or turned the wheels and backed into the parking space. When I restarted it to get someone to listen, it wouldn't do it. Was it locked in 4WD? I was thinking maybe I had hit a grease spot or something that caused it to engage and it forgot to disengage. I'm sort of hesitant on driving it but it seemed ok slowly driving around the parking lot where I live. Think this was just an isolated case?