I have a 4x4 question. lets take a poll

[97 X-PLOR]

I have a auto trac 4x4. When in 4wd, If I turn the wheel to the left or right, I hear a binding noise which is also felt through the truck. Is this normal??

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by 97 X-PLOR
I have a auto trac 4x4. When in 4wd, If I turn the wheel to the left or right, I hear a binding noise which is also felt through the truck. Is this normal??

On my '97 Control Trak 4x4 Explorer, I do not get a binding noise when turning the wheel. It sounds like you are locked in 4x4 high. If you were locked in high though, I would hope that your 4x4 lights would flash like most peoples do when faced with this problem. Try unplugging your electric shift motor on the transfer case and see if you still have the binding. Unplugging the shift motor is supposed to put it in rear wheel drive only. If it is a 4x4 problem it should go away. If the problem is still there, you may have an alignment problem.

 

[Ray Lobato]

97 X-PLOR,
Can you give some more detail. When you are turning, are you turning sharp or making a gradual curve. If you are making a sharp turn, you will get binding.

 

[97 X-PLOR]

Once the wheel is turned more than half, from starting straight. Does not matter if it is gradual.

 

[leebo]

If you're on a dry road with good traction and all wheels grabing the road your tires will be skidding as they turn too. When you hear this noise.....do you need to use 4x4

 

[X24]

old thread but i know you guys are still around. I have a 98 with auto 4x4, 4x4 hi, and 4x4 lo. I am getting a binding noise when turning left fairly sharp. It happens everytime and at the same point when turning the wheel. is this normal for auto 4x4?

 

[TPLYNCH]

It's not normal. Your GEM may need to be reprogrammed. If it's reading slip, then it will engage the 4x4 and you get binding.

 

[jimbo74]

i thought that in turns... they do slip...no matter what...... unless you are on the gas with a locker

 

[X24]

i was really hoping to hear that it is normal. We are on opposite ends as far as mods go. Most of you guys are lifted and I am lowered. The front it lowered 2". Could this be causing my problem? I hope to hell not but even if it isnt, its gonna be hard to convince my warranty company of that. Actually, now that I think about it, I was getting this before I did ANY mods. Then it either kinda went away or I just didnt notice it until I lowered it. After I lowered it I was looking for noises and problems tho so maybe it was there the whole time and I just didnt realize it. Also, when coasting down the road, I get a thud, thud, thud, thud, sorta vibration that goes along with the speed I'm going. Any Idea if that is part of the same problem?

What do you mean when you say slip. Sorry, but I dont really know what all that 4X4 stuff is.

 

[TPLYNCH]

The auto 4x4 uses input from speed sensors in the T/F case and the ABS sensors to determine the difference in wheel speed between of all the tires. If the computer (GEM I believe) receives input that wheel speeds are different beyond a certain threshold (rear wheels spinning faster that the front wheels for example), i.e. your rear is "slipping", it will automatically engage the T/F case clutch to apply power to the front wheels until it brings the speeds back within normal specs. When you are in a turn, the wheel speeds are different (front to back and side to side) due to the physics of turning. The tolerances for these differences are built into the computer, but if one of the sensors is sending faulty info, or the GEM is misinterpreting the info, then it will activate the 4x4, locking the front and rear drivetrains to a constant speed. If the front wheels are on a hard surface and cannot "slip" easily, the drivetrain will bind and the builtup force/pressure is eventually released with bang/chirp/clunk.