aumfagan

If I missed one, I apologize in advance. 2004 Lariat Crew....Now, here's the deal.

4wd wasn't working so after reading MULTIPLE threads, I replaced the IWE solenoid. Prior to changing the solenoid I was unable to engage 4wd at all. Now that I've changed the solenoid, I can get into 4wd LO (I think...more on that in a second) but not high.

When I shift on the fly to 4 Hi I get the infamous grinding noise and it doesn't engage.

When I stop and put it into low, then put it in drive and I can feel it shift into 4 Lo and I can feel the truck "hunker down" just like it normally would in 4 Lo but the weird thing is, when I tried to make the front tires spin on a dirt road, the rear would spin but the front wouldn't spin but you could tell when we got moving it was definitely geared down into low.

4 Hi grinds and does nothing, 4 Lo definitely pulls different but it's like I'm not fully engaged or something because I can't figure out why it gears down(for lack of a better term..but you know the feeling) but I can't get the front tires to spin.

Guys, I'm not crazy by the way. I had my dad drive it and he agreed "oh yeah, it's definitely in 4 Lo" but when I had him pull over and try to make the front spin, nothing.

I guess my question is, what the crap is going on and what's my next move?


Thanks!

aumfagan

bump

pushnf8

Transfer case sounds engaged but not the front hubs. More like 2 lo. My truck does the same thing. Awesome design with the setup . I find mine will engage 4wd and disengage everytime if I switch it at about 45-50 mph. Not sure if the vacuum is higher or what. Both my front hubs/iwe's are stripped. Whine's like a **** 90% of the time. It will still engage enough for snow/ice but any kind of torque or strain kicks the front end out. Im going to replace everything at once but trying to find any kind of "upgrade" to help eliminate the issue. The whinning sound is the front end not settleing in 2wd or 4wd. Kinda stuck in the middle and trashing the hubs.

aumfagan

I think that's what I'm dealing with. I'm going to break it down and look at replacing the actuators. If that doesn't work I don't know what else to do. Your comment about it essentially releasing when under torque sounds like what I'm looking at when I try to make the front spin and nothing happens but when I drive on the open road with it in 4Lo you can feel it bogg down just like 4Lo should feel. I get the whining noise while in 4Lo but 4Hi doesn't work at all. I'll hit it on the roll and I'll hear the "ice in the blender" noise for 1 or 2 seconds then nothing. It doesn't "gear down" or anything.

I'm going to check the vacuum lines then move to the actuators. Are you thinking it's more than that with yours?

bikerboy

if you pull off the vaccum lines at the solenoid your front hubs should be engaged, so shift into 4 hi and if you still can't get the front wheels to spin, i would say the front IWE's need replaced.

when they have no vaccume they should be locked in all the time.

Joe's truck

I agree with that but instead of trying to spin the front tires in the dirt, just turn the wheels deep (but not all the way) and you will feel the 4wd bind in high or low if it is working correctly. Trying to spin the front tires won't always work even if everything is working correctly because of the limited slip. Turning is a much better way to check 4x4 and a lot more accurate. If it does not bind up (feel like it is bogging down A LOT) then I would start with the hubs because you have already changed the solenoid, so my next guess would be the hubs. Good luck!

NVR2LO

id put money on both front accuators need to be replaced.

aumfagan

Good info guys. I'll keep you updated!