Is 4 wheel drive popping or slipping?

[Andy1602]

I have a 1998 4x4 Eddie Bauer edition that has 187,800 miles on it that runs great,looks great and drives great. I have replaced the front axles, ball joints,control arm bushings. The problem is the drivers side front wheel sounds like it is popping when I put it in a hard pull. It acts like the 4 wheel drive is kicking out of 4 wheel drive. It does this in all three ranges, 4 Auto, 4 high and 4low. Is this what I think it is? The clutch in the transfer case is slipping? The so called ball ramp in the clutch is what I am thinking. The popping sounds like it is coming from the left front wheel. I pulls great in snow and don't pop after it gets moving? Any Ideas?
Thanks, Andy

 

[Kiliona]

I don't know enough about second gens, but on first gens the auto hubs are crap since they do exactly what you're talking about, pop in and out constantly. Plus if you rock the car out of a slippery spot (reverse, forwards, reverse, forwards) then the auto hubs like to lock and unlock until they grenade.

Solution? manual hubs way tougher, you can control when they're in and not in, better at slower speeds, can unlock one at a time if your front diff has a locker so you can have 3 wheel drive and still make turns.... cons? you have to get out of the car and spin the hub on the wheel to put it in 4wd.

If wheeling, get manual hubs, if grocery getter, check to make sure it isn't your wheel bearings then just ignore the noise x D.

Let me say that again, before doing anything, check and make sure it isn't your wheel bearing.

 

[Andy1602]

Sorry I forgot to list that I have replaced the front wheel bearings,drive axles shafts, control arms and bushings, ball joints,shocks and the stabilizer bar links. I think my Explorer has live axles no locking hubs I think I maybe wrong.
Thanks, Andy

 

[Andy1602]

I don't know if the front axle is a limit slip or a locker but you can't drive it when the 4 wheel high or the 4 wheel low is engaged on pavement. It's hard to turn and it wants to skip the tires when turning going slow. It doesn't do that in 4 wheel Auto. I had a 1970 Chevy blazer that had lock out hubs and it would skip the tires and was hard to turn on pavement in 4 wheel drive. I know it had a locking front differential. I installed it.
Thanks, Andy