4 wheel drive won't engage
 

Hey Guys I'm a newbie looking for some tech advice. My 2000 excursion powerstroke 4 wheel drive won't engage. I've engaged my Warn manual locking hubs, moved my dash switch to 4/4. The dash lights up, showing that the 4/4 should be engaged. I've gone underneath and listened for the electric transaxle motor to engage the transaxle. I can hear the motor switching back and forth as I turn the switch between 2 wheel and 4/4. The front axles won't turn free so it appears that the hubs are locked. Any ideas? I'm kind of at my wits end.

Thanks
Mike

Did you try 4-low yet?

Hey Mr Morris thanks for your response.
Yes I did. I've lifted both the front and back drivers side wheels off the ground with jacks. Placed the gear shift in neutral, switched to 4/4 low, locked the manual hubs and switched to drive. My ever trusty rear wheel is spinning free but still nothing on the front end.
Mike

pull the 4x4 motor and manually engage the transfer case to see if it is mechanically sound

I'll try it. Thanks

first thing is when you had the truck off the ground on that side was the front driveshaft from the transfer case spinning if it was you probably have a bad warn hub

Yes, with the rear left wheel off the ground the opposite front axle was spinning. I pulled apart the front passenger hub and noted that the grease was not viscous and that the parts were not moving freely. Thereby the front hub was not engaging. I'm in the midst of regreasing the front hub. So I'm guessing that with a 4 wheel drive system, the opposite front wheel and rear wheel are the ones that engage?
Mike

no, it should spin one wheel no matter what side you have up. If you look at the u-joint coming out of the differential to your wheel and it is spinning but the wheel is not it is that side hub giving your problem.

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On your first cinerio you had both driver side wheels off the ground, naturally the front differential is going to spin the one it can easiest, in which case i would say your passenger side hub was not engaging, however the half-shaft feeding that side was.... easier to spin a unlocked side than your drivers side that was in the air because there was no drag. Hope you follow that :tu:

Thanks great explanation, I totaly understood it. When I was removing the hub I noted that one of the internal engagement washers that has grooves, had wear on the edges of the grooves. I was looking online and found a service kit from WARN 11714. I can't determine what's in the kit, so i'm going to replace the hubs. Thanks for your time, it's much appreciated.
Mike

Mine had a clogged vacuumed line...same issue. I took the Hub out and cleaned out the molded line in the cast iron and she was fine