I shift into 4x4 on the fly and let off the gas too as the system is designed to do so but I usually do it when going no more than 50mph. So if I was on the highway and came up on some snow, no I would not pull over but would decrease my speed and then switch to 4x4.
But it the manual states any speed, so be it. Funny when I saw your post, i went online and was looking at the manual and couldn't find what you posted. I suck at searching....
No problem, and again, just for the record, I did NOT shift into 4x4H on the way home...I was always in it from when I left my house in NH to get home to MA...the roads were bad so it was not as if I was shifting back and forth or anything like that.
It's your truck and you can do what you want but I would never shift on the fly. There are known problems/issues with Ford 4x4 system.
Regardless, please report back as I it will be interesting to see what damaged occurred.
Sounds like the problems are listed below having to do with the IWEs...and again, normally I do NOT shift on the fly, but if I do, which I have, it's going to be at speeds less than 10 mph and I ALWAYS do let off the gas.
In the case of troubleshooting yesterday I was trying to duplicate what had happened, and ironically shifting back and forth at 60-70 did not cause any problems...the truck ran like a top.
The reasoning behind not switching to 4x4 on the fly is because the IWE teeth will grind when traveling at speed. Ideally, you want to stop to minimize the grinding and slowly roll forward once 4x4 is activated to ensure that the teeth set in properly.
Very good to know, thanks for the info. Much appreciated.
^ as stated, not the best idea to throw it in 4 wheel drive just cause you can. In emergency situations, sure. But like Rick said, try to slow down quite a bit first.
To me it sounds like the drive system wasn't completely engaged while at speed. Then at some point it finally engaged. But in doing so the system read some slippage and tossed the warning / wrench. Which means something wasn't right.
I'm also curious if the dealer finds anything.
Yukon Joe
I would say that's not it only b/c I was in 4x4H since I left my place in NH...so I can't see it clunking in after over a 100 miles...but who knows...and when I did shift into 4x4H in NH I was stopped in my driveway...
The truck is at the dealer now and I am in my awesome FWD Ford Fiesta...no, not the Ken Block AWD Turbo version unfortunately...and I am trying to remain optimistic they will find something, and I can go back to having 200% confidence in my truck.
