okay the last time that i had used my 4 wheel drive was early this last winter and that was in 4hi. Everything worked just fine. Today i was backing a trailer up my driveway which is pretty steep and gravel. I made it part way up and began to spin the rears. I stopped turned the switch to 4hi and waited for it to engage. I heard and felt something but the indicator light didn't turn on. I began to back up and it was engaged (no spinning or rear tires). I needed to go around a corner and as i began to steer i heard a loud clunck, i stopped. Then tied again. I moved acouple of feet then i hear a loud distinct CLANK CLANK CLANK CLANK. It sounded like metal on metal. I stopped again and straightened out. I shifted into 4lo, the light came on, and i could feel it. I backed up the driveway no problem, no clanks either. I went to a close dirt road and tried 4hi again. It made that aweful sound again, but 4lo still worked. It doesn't have any trouble driving in 2 wheel drive. I haven't dared to try it again for fear of damage.
Does anyone know whats going on?

BTW-if i had tried 4hi then went back to two wheel i would have to back up ten to fifteen feet to get the clunking to go away. And the clunking only happend when i was trying to turn.

thanks for any help guys!

 

come on guys 18 views and no one has a clue? I am kinda trying to get this thing back to tip top shape to sell...yeah its time to downgrade...thinking about a 4 banger for milage. I took another look today with my brother and saw that with every clank there was a sudden jolt in the front DS right where it meets the transfercase. Could this be the DS taking a dump? Well hope someone can give a little input and thanks again guys, i know you won't let me down.

BTW- I have found that the symptoms do occur when in 4lo also.

 

The DS doesn't just "take a dump" check the u-joints. I'm guessing that it has something to do with your vacuum hub (if you have them, I think they stopped making those in mid-00). I don't know how to test the hubs. I forgot about that dump coupling at the transfer case, I guess you're right that thing can take a dump.

Also check your cv axles. One could be going bad.

 

could be your hubs, that would be a cheap fix for now, get some AVM hubs and see if that fixes it.

 

i was going to go with the hubs to bc when i first got mine it would do that and my front driver side hub was shot.

 

yeah why did ford decide to go with that design hub? I guess there was a reason that it didn't last very long...well i'll head out and check the hubs for wear.