Newbie 4wd questions etc...

[elijah0204]

Hey guys, i just got my 1998 ford expy 5.4 4wd bout 6 months ago and this is my first 4wd suv. For my first question, what is the proper way of switching
2wd mode to A4wd, 4H & 4L??? The previous owner told me to shut off the engine first before you engage A4wd coz it might damage the diff, or is it ok to switch from 2wd to A4wd without turning off the engine???

For my second question, what is the lug pattern for my expy...5 by???
and what is the best offset if i was to get some after market rims??? (max 17 inch rims) Any info would be greatlly aprreciated, thanks!!!

 

[panda24619]

I CAN ANSWER THESE FOR YOU!!!
1. no you dont have to turn the truck off. just to get into 4lo the tranny has to be in neutral. only time it gave me trouble was in the desert. cause i would cruise around in 2wd then my friends would get stuck so i would have to go into 4hi or 4lo and a few times it didnt switch. so that was the only time i had to turn the truck off to have it engage.

2. 5x135 good luck finding rims. there are few and limited.

3. 4.5" backspacing. with a 8" wide rim. thats what most people recommend when you go after market for the least amount of rub from bigger tires. that or stock wheels with bigger tires.

 

[tonydiv]

There is a reason that they call it 'shift on the fly".

Read through the manual about the limitations of when and how to shift.

Tip: Slowly rolling backwards will help you get out of 4 lo.

 

[Soldier777]

I shift in to 4 hi while moving but 4lo i stop and put it in neutral before going to 4 lo

 

[Thermo]

elijah, the shift on the fly will work just like the name implies, as the truck is moving. Now, with that being said, do I recommend shifting while in the mud and the wheels spinning at different speeds, by no means, damage can happen than way. But, if you are going down a trail at a slow speed and see a mud hole coming up, feel free to flip it over to A4WD or 4HI. You can shift into AWD or 4HI at up to 70 mph as I recall (why you need 4HI at 70 MPH, I don't know), it may be as low as 55 MPH, but still damn fast. But for 4LO, you must bring the truck to a stop, shift it into NEUTRAL and also have your foot on the brake before it will shift. Any sort of movement when shifting in/out of 4LO can result in damage to the transfer case (stretching/breaking of the chain).

As for rims, like was mentioned, 5x135's and the stock rims have 4.5" of backspacing. What are you looking to get out of the rims? This may affect what you get and the options that you have. I have a pretty good idea as to what will fit on these trucks and what won't. But then, I have managed to squeeze 37x12.5's on my truck with only a 4" suspension lift. I wouldn't recommend this unless you talk to me first as there is a lot of very specific stuff you need for something like this.

 

[walnuts4x4]

or if you want 37s to fit easier... get 11" of lift....lol....

 

[tallsville]

thermo shift on the fly is 55mph on 2nd gen

 

[alaskanexpy]

i know i've shifted from a4wd to 4x4 high at 65-75(winter conditions but not spinning ofcourse) i let the other half run in a4wd but when i drive i cant handle that slight lag in front end power because it causes the ass end to go crazy when passing..ect but then again they dont salt here so our winter roads are pure ice/snow.

 

[98EXPY 5-0]

Does everyone's transfer case make a loud CLUNK when switching to 4Lo? Or is it just because I don't use it very often?

 

[Thermo]

98EXpy, yes, the transfer case can/will make a loud clunk. It is this noise that is why it is key to have the truck at a complete stop when shifting from 4HI to 4LO. You are actually engaging a new set of gears that are not synchronized (they actually spin 2.73 times each other). So, even a slight movement will have these gears spinning at different speeds and in this case, what slows the gears to match speeds is the gear teeth grinding against each other. I am sure you can see where this is bad.

 

[elijah0204]

Thanks for the info guys, i really appreciate it!!! Now all i need to do is get some rims...im thinking of getting those Rota Grids Off Road 16", what do you guys think???

 

[Expeditionary]

Thanks for the info guys, i really appreciate it!!! Now all i need to do is get some rims...im thinking of getting those Rota Grids Off Road 16", what do you guys think???

cant go smaller than 16" but when buying rims the thing to keep in mind is the bigger the rim the more $$$$ for tires
EX; 35x12.5xr15 BFG A/Ts = $215/ Tire
315/70R17(35x12.5xr17) BFG A/Ts = $300+/Tire
=another $300 for tires when they are on bigger rims!!!
even though that just means that BFG has to use less rubber for bigger rims
so stick with 16s

 

[nvycrmn]

i agree with expeditionary to a point. bigger rim usually means more money for rubber. but it also depends on what size tire you want to run. it is hard to find some sizes in 16". my suggestion before you go buy rims and tires is decide what your ultimate goal is with the truck and how long it will take you to get there. if you plan on lifting the truck at all in the next year or two, i would hold off buying new rims/tires until you complete the lift. this way you dont waste a bunch of money on tires/rims that will look funny on your truck.

 

[Canadian Expy]

Go big or go home get a 18" rim that way you can always upgrade to a big brake kit. But yeah bigger rim means more $$ for tires , I've got 20" and they get me good when I price new tires.

 

[nvycrmn]

yes, i am running 18's and tires can get a little pricey! hahha

 

[panda24619]

if you want a full selection of tires. get 17s. most off road tires are 17s. reason why? most beadlock companys make wheels in 17s. it allows a little bling, but still a lot of tire. and so the brakes can be big enough to stop a truck going 100+ in the desert, or even a truck with 44s going down a steep hill.