please help, i think i f'ed up my explorer

[92blueexplorer]

im a new owner of a 1992 explorer sport. its a 5 speed and has the 4x4 button thing where you can engage 4x4 by pushing the button on the dash. anyways, let me go through the story. i got the car about a week ago. its got a new clutch and transmission(thats what the person i bought it from said). anyways its been running real nice until just about 1 hour ago. ill go through what happened maybe someone can pinpoint where the problem is. im driving down the street and i decide to engage 4x4 so i press the button. the light turns on, but then i say screw it and i press it again basically disengaging 4x4. later on the same road, i say "hey i didnt know this thing had cruise control" so i press on the left side of the steering wheel where cruise control is and i press the "on" button, about 30 seconds later the cars starts kicking. the steering wheel jerks from left to right pretty violently, not omg, but just like something was definatly wrong. i continue driving home with this but it seems to go away once i get into 2nd gear. as im makin a right turn to get on my street to my house i hear clunking through out the whole turn. then i park and put the car in first and engage the e brake. i know this description is vauge but does anyone have any ideas as to what is wrong? anyone experience this? sorry for the long first post but im a little scared

 

[jimbo74]

well if you have autohubs, its possible they never unlocked themselves.....

 

[92blueexplorer]

well i read through the 4x4 wheel portion of my manual. it said something about me having to reverse straight for 10 feet to unlock them. if they didnt unlock themselves could they cause my steering wheel to shake so violently?

 

[RiverRat]

yes.

 

[92blueexplorer]

ok first thing tommaro morning im gonna take it around the block and put it in reverse like the manual says and hope to God it works. i really like this car even after only having it for about a week. hey RiverRat im in SD too. maybe well see each other around

 

[Chew_12]

Did you engage it while driving?

 

[92blueexplorer]

yes i engaged it while driving(as well ad disengaged). the manual said it was ok to engage up to 55 mph. i thought it was safe. am i wrong?

 

[jimbo74]

no however, it will jerk really vilently at that speed... its the front drivetrain catching up to the rear already doing whatever speed you were already doing... and about turning, if the hubs were still locked in, then it would probably be bouncing and making all sorts of popping, clanking, banging noises

 

[92blueexplorer]

well thats gotta be it then. you know i just rememberd, i was thinikin about doing a little driving off road so i engaged my 4x4 then i said "maybe ill get out and survey what it looks like before i head in" and thats what i did. well i decided im not experienced enough to do that so i disengaged 4x4 and i reversed out of the spot. i think that was the key. i REVERSED just like the manual says but i forgot that i had did that. so there was no banging clanking noises until the second time, which i did NOT reverse. im gonan try tommaro and post a update. thanks a lot for all the advice guys!

 

[92blueexplorer]

that was it guys! i went in reverse for about 15 feet like the manual says and now the car runs fine. it was the hublocks. thanks to everyone that responded!

 

[Ru Dawg]

I'm glad you resolved the problem! There's not much more frustrating than truck problems!
This reminded me of something kinda funny when troubleshooting problems. This came from my Navy days on a submarine.

"When all else fails....RTFB!!!"

(Read The F@#$ing Book)

 

[92blueexplorer]

i definatly agree with RTFB. its just when you get somethign like a new truck you wanna mess with it. it human nature, you dont wanna read the manual you wanna take that thing out ya know? but, i can tell you right now, i have read through the manual twice now .

 

[F14CRAZY]

Not sure if the manual says this, but so you know...

Don't "bang" on the hubs. Like don't have 4x4 engaged while driving forward, get stuck, and throw it in reverse hard. It may happen, but if you have to, take it easy and let the hubs engage before flooring it. Don't try rocking the vehicle with 4x4 either (which is how I once blew my auto hubs)

This applies like if you're lightly stuck in 4x2 and decide to engage 4x4. Just let them kick in without deadly force.

When engaging, be sure you're not slipping so the front and rear wheels are going about the same speed. The manual says up to 55, but I'd say something more like 25 is max when engaging. As long as the ground you're on is loose enough to compensate for binding, feel free to go faster. The fastest I've had my auto 4x4 engaged was about 45, but it was snowing like heck with plenty on the ground.

 

[92blueexplorer]

sweet. thanks for the advice!