DMTJAGER

First F150 4x4 all previous 4x4 have been GM/GMC's. In the past, I had been told by my mechanics one of the worst things to do to a 4x4 is not use it for long periods.
But that was all with 4x4's that were mechanically engaged and then disengaged. As we all know the F150's 4x4 is (much to my displeasure) electronically operated.
I am wondering is it a good idea to about once a month spend some time on a gravel road exercising my F150's 4x4 system? Or does it not matter.
Went through the OM and couldn't find anything that would indicate the need to regularly exercise the 4x4 system, but can't hurt to ask here.

akulahawk

If you feel that your transfer case could use some exercise in 4H mode every so often, I'd say go for it. Just make sure that your t-case isn't leaking fluid. About 20 years ago I had a t-case die a horrible death because it leaked out all the fluid and didn't leave any spots on the driveway before-hand. Now I check the fluid level relatively frequently and I keep a small supply of appropriate fluid to top it off if necessary.

I doubt the system requires periodic exercise, certainly the IWE hubs will be engaged for a little after the vehicle hasn't been run for a few hours and will disengage when sufficient vacuum is available to disengage them. My truck is a daily driver and therefore the entire front driveline spins for a minute or two every day, though the t-case remains in 2H mode.

mass-hole

Yes its a good idea

16IngotFX4

It is generally suggested to engage 4x4 once in a while.
Transfer cases have been electrically operated for many many years, so don't let that bother you.

The electric shift motor does go out occasionally but not enough to say you need to budget a new motor to your expense plan.

If you just want to sling oil around in the diff and get the shift motor/shift forks engaged, you don't need to worry too much about the gravel road situation. If you live in a house and have a relatively straight road you can drive up and down it no problem. Get out of you driveway, straighten out and engage 4x4. Take a trip down the street. It doesn't take long to splash the diff oil around. Switch back to 2wheel to turn around and repeat a few times. If you have gentle curves in the street you can still follow the road, just don't steer sharp (you will know when too much is too much).

That will at least get some use -or head out on the gravel from time to time if you want.

I sometimes engage 4x4 if I park at the further away parking area when I ride mountain bike. The road is about a mile long or less. If I remember, I engage 4x4 on the way out also.

marshallr

Around 10 miles/month is the recommendation. I have had vehicles in the past fail to engage 4X4 because they were not operated in 4X4 for several months. Nothing was broken, but lubricants inside the locking hubs had gotten hard from non-use and would not allow the hubs to engage. The hubs needed to be disassembled, cleaned, re-lubed and put back together. It was a minor inconvenience when I was unable to engage 4X4 once. I was able to get out of a muddy situation in 4X2, but it would have been easier with 4X4.

Since then, I've made a habit of engaging 4X4 often, even if for just a few hundred yards. Nothing says the 10 miles have to be all at once II may skip a month occasionally, but not 2 months. Some months I may only be able to get in 1-2 miles in 4X4. Other months it may be 100-200 miles. The key is that if you don't use it, you'll lose it. And it isn't just the mechanical part of it. Electrical connections and switches need to be worked regularly. Even the owner's manual on my winch said to pull out the cable and reel it in under a load at least once/month to ensure it works when needed.

I don't go to low range as often, but also make a point to do that regularly too. Same with the locking rear diff. From September to May I spend a lot of time on dirt or gravel forest service type roads doing a lot of hunting/fishing/camping. During those months it is easy for me to engage 4X4 quite often. It is June, July, and August where it gets much less use.

And I strongly advise not to do so on pavement or any surface with good traction. Technically in a straight line or gentle curve it shouldn't break anything. But all it takes is a minor distraction for you to forget and make a sharp, and expensive, turn on pavement. The reward isn't worth the risk. Find a gravel road or loose dirt surface. Even grass is OK.

DMTJAGER

Thanks a great deal for all the well thought out very informative and helpful replies. I am grateful and fortunate to have such an awesome wealth of knowledge available for the asking.
Glad to hear about the reliability of electrically operated 4x4 systems. This is my first ever electrically operated 4x4 system rest were all manually operated. I guess I am very old school and are a firm believer in the KISS methodology especially when it comes to equipment, but those days are long gone never to return. I'm a heavy industrial maintenance electrician and yes the solid state (digital) electrical components are great in their proper environments but in environments of extreme heat moisture and vibration they often work great but a shocking percentage of them do not last as long as the analog components they replaced.
Monthly 4x4 exercise it is. I do a lot of fishing, turkey and deer scouting and spend time every month on kind of maintained state gravel roads so putting 10 or so miles a month on my 4x4 on a road suitable for a 4x4 will be no problem.
Much thanks again.

16IngotFX4

I was happy to see a floor shifter in the 2003 F150 I had. The 90's version had a mix if electronic shift and floor shifters.

I later learned that the 2003 floor shifter activated a solenoid. LOL It looked the part but was electronic shift.
Unless you had a pretty old vehicle, it's possible you had electronic shift too, unless you do in fact know it was mechanical linkage.

16IngotFX4

WR-6135 is the number of the plug boots I put on my 2016 3.5l ecoboost. I don't know what years they cross with but I think they are correct.

Watch the FordTech video, I think he states what years the procedure applies to.

Steve83

No, we don't all know that. None of my F150s have had electronic 4WD.If we had ANY idea what "your F150" was, we might be able to answer your questions more-accurately. But we don't. You should put ALL the truck's details & history (as much as you know) into your signature so it shows with each post, as this page explains:

(click this text)


Phone apps don't always show signatures, so you may need to switch to a real browser in desktop mode on your phone, or just use a desktop/laptop computer. Put your location in your profile & upload an avatar of the truck.

amschind

Great reminder, thanks for posting this. I'm guilty of failing to engage mine often enough, and will work to remedy that.