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4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/2006 f150 4x4 broke-under warranty

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Expert: - 10/8/2007


Question
I put a 6" fabtech(installed by professional) and i was at work check doing a routine Silt discharge inspection for the EPA when I got in some slippery stuff and when I tried to put it in 4 hi there was pop and now the front just whines and clicks without engaging-Is this common with the electronic 4x4 and will my modification void my warranty/

Answer
Jake,

This shouldn't be a result of the lift unless something was installed improperly. I would go to the shop that installed the lift first, and have them check it out.  

As far as the warranty goes, this can depend on the individual dealer.  Since the lift was professionally installed, it should be covered unless it is something specific to the lift.

There are a lot of things that happen when you go to that size lift.  One is the angle of the drive lines can be fairly extreme, and may have to be modified, or they can bind up.

Does it work ok in 4 low?  If it does, then I would suspect a faulty switch or relay.  Some of the Fords have electric components in the front differential that engages the front axles.  I had a similar problem with my F250, and it was a broken wire going to the differential.

Another slim possibility is that a front axle broke, or your spider gears in the differential broke.  This isn't real likely, as this usually doesn't happen unless the vehicle is under an extreme load or bind.

These are just a few ideas, as it's real hard to diagnose something like this without actually being able to listen to it or physically looking at it.

Carl

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

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Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

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