4x4 problem

[alex dougherty]

im having trouble with my 4x4. when i engage it in to 4x4 it goes in but then when i start moving it feels like its whooping...like how it feels when you cut the wheel to hard in 4x4 and its doing that just driving straight. then after a little bit it will get worse and then it will slow down even if i stay on the same amount of throttle. then it will feel like its reving high but its the same amount of rpms



not sure what it is but need to know quick, live in an area with a lot of snow

 

[Ken Hibbs]

Check the front diff and tcase fluids

 

[Yardsale]

On what surface are you driving? Even on hard packed dirt, with some crown or pitch to the road, there can be some binding due to the different length paths the front and rear wheels follow. If you are driving on snow, and there is no contact with pavement, etc., the traction will vary (if there is intermittent contact with pavement, that's no mystery).

 

[alex dougherty]

Its hard to describe what im hearing but ill post a video on youtube and then post the link here so you know what im hearing

Ill also cheak the fluids and im driving on a mix of snow and pavement

 

[Yardsale]

im driving on a mix of snow and pavement

That's probably it. While the wheels are on pavement, there may be some difference between the paths the front and rear wheels follow and, if they can't slip, the transfer case will bind. If you drive oh, 20+MPH, the binding should not be bad (realizing you may be limited by conditions).



Any chance the transfer chain or bearings are not well?



Question I have to ask: Are all your tires the same size and mileage (I see a lot of crazy stuff out there)?

 

[alex dougherty]

I havent checked the chain yet but at first i fugured the fluid was condensing but that would cause that sound and ive got 160,000 miles and i just switched to 235/70/16 tires from 265/75/16

 

[Jackson Ellis]

What Yardsale was getting at with tire size is whether all of your tires are the same size. Bucking in a 4X4 system like yours can come from the tires turning at different speeds. This is why it bucks if you turn on a hard surface while in 4X4; the inside tires are going slower than the outside tires. That's fine if you're on snow, dirt, mud...etc. the tires will just spin, but it's not on dry pavement where the traction is too good. So if your front and rear tires are of different sizes, then the axle with the smaller set will spin faster, and the 4X4 system will return the favor by bucking. It can damage your truck. If you have chains, cables, or even a large difference in air pressure, you can get the same effect.

 

[Yardsale]

Ya, what ncstatewolfpacker wrote.



The chain being bad is a long shot, but something to consider. Check the fluid level via the fill hole and you can check the condition at the same time. I doubt that's it, though.



I gut tells me that it's the terrain. There are couple of tests you can try. 1) Get on snow (all snow), drive in 4WD and listen for that sound. 2) Get on dry pavement that is flat, straight and level (if you can find it) - you don't need much - 30 to 50 feet. Drive straight in 4WD for a 30 to 50 feet. If all is well, there should be no binding, bucking or noise (because all the wheels are traveling the same distance and at the same speed). If you do feel binding or bucking, reverse until that goes away to disengage 4WD.



You didn't have any differential work done recently, did you?