Heavy Hauler

Hi guys , I just bought a 2000 Ford F-100 4X4 for off road use only with the intentions of mounting my crane on the back . I restore classic cars and I have had this crane on previous trucks and is used for removing and installing bodies etc. The truck will be put into 4 wheel drive and left there all of the time. It will just be used on my property. The problem is that the engagement lever seems to be jambed in 2 wheel drive . The truck don't seem to be beat and only has 109k. miles . Mechanics seem perfect except for this problem. I noticed that there are electrical switches on everything . Could this be an electrical malfunction in a switch that is locking it out or is it a common thing with these trucks that they shift hard when engaging or dis-engaging the 4 wheel drive ? I don't want to force it. Maybe just a trick that I don't know about ? I would appreciate any input on this problem.

Heavy Hauler

I did some more research on line and found out that it is a common problem for the Ford 4X4 shift linkage to freeze up from corrosion where a steel bolt goes through an aluminum sleeve. Apparently when the linkage is removed and soaked with PB Blaster it can be loosened up . So I will give it try . Sounds like a simple solution.

suicideking

If you're going to leave it in 4wd permanently, you can probably just trace the linkage and shift it by hand. Note: Good to have 2 people for this. One to be under the truck and the other to be inside. Put it in neutral and roll a little bit. Then you should be able to shift it by hand.

Not on my F150, but recently I had a similar problem with my Jeep. I showed up to go wheeling and my tcase lever wouldn't budge at all. I just crawled under and shifted it manually by hand. When done for the day, just did the same and shifted back to 2wd.

Turns out I had a heat problem underneath that melted my tcase cable. The new cable has a heat shield around it and fixed my heat problems.

Heavy Hauler

I know that is an option but if it's just a matter of freeing up the linkage I may as well just get at it. Thanks for the reply.

Heavy Hauler

Raised the truck up today and took the boot off inside the truck . All of the linkage was rusted solid. Soaked it with PB blaster for a couple hours . Gave it another dose and let it sit for a couple more hours . Got out the sandblaster and crawled under the truck and sandblasted it from underneath , then blasted it from the top through the shifter hole . Blew everything out with compressed air and kept soaking it with more PB Blaster and let that soak for about an hour. I started pulling on the lever and it started moving but was still a little tight but kept working it and spraying it and now it is all working free and I have all 4 wheel drive gears. Obviously the 4 wheel drive hadn't worked for a long time .