4x4 Shift on the fly???

[QbanCgar]

ok i, or should i say my 15 mo. old may have some how misplaced my manual, so i am on here needing an answer in regards to 4-wheel drive. i know when i had my Durango i was able to shift on the fly whenver i wanted to go into 4x4 mode. am i able to do the same in my Expy? if not, then what do i need to do to go from AWD to 4x4? thanks in advance.

 

[khpony]

You can shift into 4x4 high on the fly (up to 50mph I think). To go into 4x4 low you need to stop, shift into neutral, then engage 4x4 low.

 

[toms89]

Taken from my owners manual pdf-

Using the Control-Trac system
Shifting from A4WD to 4H

Move the 4WD control from A4WD
to 4H at any forward speed up to 88
km/h (55 mph).

At temperatures below 0°C (32°F),
shifts from A4WD to 4H should not
be performed above 72 km/h (45
mph).

If you do a search online you should be able to find free pdf download of your owners manual.

edit: Heres one link.. http://owner.ford.com/servlet/Conte...uidePage&year=1999&make=Ford&model=Expedition

There are many others......

 

[QbanCgar]

hey big ups to the both of you. & a special thanks to Toms for the link to the download. i'm hoping i will find the manual here in the next couple of days, if not i will resort to the link.

 

[alaskanexpy]

i'v never had a issue shifting back and forth at highway speeds of 65-75.

 

[1997SCEBFEX]

i'v never had a issue shifting back and forth at highway speeds of 65-75.

+1 on that.

 

[toms89]

I have never had need for 4wd at those speeds. Generally at those speeds the momentum is high enough to keep moving fine through questionable conditions. If not your probably going too fast!!...lol. I always switch out of 4hi to A4wd at speed because drivetrain binding can become more of an issue. The higher speeds will make it more pronounced. Slight turn and the speed differential must force the tires or transfer case to slip.

My guess is that the computer may shut it off above a certain speed anyways but it is curious that it states that in the owners manual.

 

[alaskanexpy]

I have never had need for 4wd at those speeds. Generally at those speeds the momentum is high enough to keep moving fine through questionable conditions. If not your probably going too fast!!...lol. I always switch out of 4hi to A4wd at speed because drivetrain binding can become more of an issue. The higher speeds will make it more pronounced. Slight turn and the speed differential must force the tires or transfer case to slip.

My guess is that the computer may shut it off above a certain speed anyways but it is curious that it states that in the owners manual.

you've never driven in alaska in the winter LOL 70-75 bumper to bumper in a snow storm down the highway.

with inclines and slick highways when you go to make a pass or keep speed up and a hill and it downshifts the A4wd has moment of lost traction that can make things "interesting" so there are plenty of times i've swapped between the 2 at highway speeds. but with my A4wd now working this season i've just been locked in 4x4 high.

 

[sgtowing]

that can make things "interesting" .

Any pics of "interesting"?

 

[alaskanexpy]

no because i know what the hell i'm doing lol, but you can imagine if the rear of the truck breaks loose during a 70+mph pass on ice/snow covered roads. that split second of traction loss can give you some real pucker factor. thats why its best to just leave it locked in all the time. as even when it looks good our roads are mostly black ice. hence why most everyone runs studded snow tires.


you can see the 4x4 light in the bottom right..but still a good 65-75mph road

 

[toms89]

you've never driven in alaska in the winter LOL 70-75 bumper to bumper in a snow storm down the highway.

with inclines and slick highways when you go to make a pass or keep speed up and a hill and it downshifts the A4wd has moment of lost traction that can make things "interesting" so there are plenty of times i've swapped between the 2 at highway speeds. but with my A4wd now working this season i've just been locked in 4x4 high.

Certainly not! At the other end of the world...lol.

When I drive in the snow/ice at speed I try and be very gentle with the throttle because I know it can get loose easily. When there is no other vehicles around I have been known to play. Like to test the limits to know the boundaries.

Anyways....

I though there was a recommended limit for use of 4hi but really did not know it till I recently copy and pasted it from my owners manual pdf. I find the colder temp specs curious. I am sure there is a reason ford chose the numbers they did but any reasons I could give would just be speculation.

 

[shermn8r]

max speeds for AWD 4x4H 4x4L

So does Ford make any recommendations regarding max speeds when not in 2WD? I know what the owners manual says (shift up to 55mph) but it doesn't suggest any upper limit on speed before drive train problems could start.

A previous vehicle I owned was pretty clear in the owners manual regarding max speeds - I don't recall exactly but it was in the range of 50mph in AWD, 40mph in 4x4H and 10mph in 4x4L.

I can't afford drive train repairs on a 2006 Eddie Bauer so I keep my speeds down (like 45mph) but I would like to find a definitive answer somewhere.

 

[alaskanexpy]

i've hit the speed limiter at 95mph with no issues. do 80+ on my way home regularly in the winter. all in 4x4 high. any speed will be fine.

 

[MrQuotes]

Newbie question - This and other threads talk about going from A4WD to 4H at any forward speed, or 2H to 4H at any speed. Even the manual states the same thing. Can I assume I can go "backwards" (from 4H to AWD or AWD to 2H as well at any speed as well). Seems obvious it should be yes, but I have not found specifically in writing.

 

[99EB4x4]

4 wheel low

This is just my experience when I tried out 4 low. It will go into 4 low at a stop but to disengage I needed to be rolling around 2mph with the transmission in neutral, then take it out of 4 low. otherwise it would just try and give up

 

[catmandu]

Newbie question - This and other threads talk about going from A4WD to 4H at any forward speed, or 2H to 4H at any speed. Even the manual states the same thing. Can I assume I can go "backwards" (from 4H to AWD or AWD to 2H as well at any speed as well). Seems obvious it should be yes, but I have not found specifically in writing.

Yes, you can.