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DKDarrow · 06-16-2011, 05:56 AM

Getting ready to head out on a trek to 4 corners and possibly north from there. LOTS of questions and subjects to follow along on this hopefully ongoing saga.

Here in N.W. Georgia has been HOT with the drought seemingly continuing for another year, 7 out of the last 8. The Obama memorial/WTSHTF food plot/garden is putting out already as much lettuce, radish, onion, zucinni and yellow squash that 3 families can eat with cukes, tomatos, potatos and corn to come. Have a good neighbor that is gonna keep it picked and hopefully alive till our return in mid August or early September. Not holding my breath; but we shall see. lololol.....

It's always something to try to hold one back from just gettin out and moving on. Firewood, garden, critters, farm maintenance, family duties, or storm damage.

NOT THIS YEAR. Headin for the high country with no return until VA medical appointments in mid September. Agent orange, PTSD, Hearing, Pulmonary, Rheumatology are all up for reevaluation soon so gotta get my ducks in a row for that.

So........Todays question: yesterday, I took the 03 F250 to the dealer for it's 49K oil change and maintenance. Understand that my driveway is 1/2 mile up and down hill of gravel. I use 4WD going up to try to preserve the gravel. Anyway, when I get to the top of the mountain, I turn off the 4WD high as I am moving, and proceede on. The other day I had just taken it out of 4WD and was backing up.......a HUGE crunch/bang came out of the left front wheel........This had happened also doing the same thing perhaps a few miles/days earlier.............So......Had the dealer check it out.

He tells me the front hub totally needs replacement. I do not understand HOW this can happen. Yes, I go in and out of 4WD as I drive slowly as I understand that this is totally acceptable from Ford.............AM I WRONG?.............What could cause this?............$$700 is a lot of money for this ol fixed income guy getting ready to head out..............

Anyway, thoughts on this perhaps would be helpful............Will be in touch with more........God bless.......Dennis

kry226 · 06-16-2011, 06:14 AM

Maybe you can find another non-dealer shop for another estimate? A 4WD shop does this sort of thing daily, and is not as likely to charge as much.

Or if you have the tools and the will, I would source the hub myself (lots of online parts dealers selling at near-wholesale prices) and R&R in the garage or driveway.

ROBERT CROSS · 06-16-2011, 06:16 AM

He tells me the front hub totally needs replacement. I do not understand HOW this can happen. Yes, I go in and out of 4WD as I drive slowly as I understand that this is totally acceptable from Ford.............AM I WRONG?.............What could cause this?............$$700 is a lot of money for this ol fixed income guy getting ready to head out..............

Anyway, thoughts on this perhaps would be helpful............Will be in touch with more........God bless.......Dennis
________
Dennis,
Not a Ford guy, but am 4wd guy.

The last one I was fully comfortable with was my Jeep Wagoneer w/manual locking hubs and transfer case.
Was at GM stores for most of my working career, never trusted the "auto" 4wd systems. Even with the current TV I stop, go to neutral, push the button and hope.

Cause....most often the shift solenoid gets stuck between gears. Usually happens going into low range. On the Burb if I need low range, I go to 4wd high first.

I never use the AWD feature or 4wd on dry roads.

I know this don't help much after the fact....sorry.

kry226 · 06-16-2011, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

He tells me the front hub totally needs replacement. I do not understand HOW this can happen. Yes, I go in and out of 4WD as I drive slowly as I understand that this is totally acceptable from Ford.............AM I WRONG?.............What could cause this?............$$700 is a lot of money for this ol fixed income guy getting ready to head out..............

Anyway, thoughts on this perhaps would be helpful............Will be in touch with more........God bless.......Dennis
________
Dennis,
Not a Ford guy, but am 4wd guy.

The last one I was fully comfortable with was my Jeep Wagoneer w/manual locking hubs and transfer case.
Was at GM stores for most of my working career, never trusted the "auto" 4wd systems. Even with the current TV I stop, go to neutral, push the button and hope.

Cause....most often the shift solenoid gets stuck between gears. Usually happens going into low range. On the Burb if I need low range, I go to 4wd high first.

I never use the AWD feature or 4wd on dry roads.

I know this don't help much after the fact....sorry.

One of the reasons I will do my best to drive my current truck until the wheels fall off, then put them back on and drive some more. It's becoming harder and harder to spec a truck with a manual shift transfer case. In most cases, you have to select a base model truck and try to get as many upgrades as possible before they force you to up fit to the electric shift.

DKDarrow · 06-17-2011, 06:27 AM

OK...........thanks guys for your replies and thoughts......Ended up having the dealer replace the hub. Called around to 3 different independents and got the same story and pretty much the same price.

When I eyeballed the old hub it did NOT rotate freely on the bearings. Took quite a bit of force to get it to rotate around the central axis of the spindle..........SOOOO

Seems what CAUSED it is the fact that one CANNOT count on it coming out of 4WD into 2WD on demand. If there is a load on the wheel it will shift when there is NOT a load............So, if one is driving up a hill let's say with gravel and when reaching the top, one turns off the knob for 4WH to 2WD there may possibly still be a load on one of the wheels or perhaps even one of the solenoids is hung up slightly. When the wheel finally disengages one could be performing a maneuver that causes internal damage due to getting bound up........SOUND RIGHT?????

So, the WAY TO DO THIS THING??????...........Is perhaps to stop, put it in neutral, switch in or out, then put it in gear and procede on. Do you think on needs to take the additional step when coming out of 4WD to put it in reverse and back up a few feet??????????

Anyway........Got that solved and it's only money I guess.......God truly wants me to help out the folks with HIS gifts to me...........

Now, its get the tire pressure monitor, Hawkshead, that got delivered a few days ago, rigged out and working..............

Lololololol....that is, after I get down in the pasture and fix some storm damage to the electric fence yesterday.......on and on

God bless........Dennis

RickDavis · 06-17-2011, 06:56 AM

The book on my Nissan beater truck does suggest backing up a couple feet to be sure the hubs disengage

garry · 06-17-2011, 03:19 PM

Don't know about todays trucks but when the full time systems came out you had to back up 10 to 12 ft to properly disengage the hubs.

Best bet is check the manual and see if says anything about backing up.

casa3805 · 06-19-2011, 06:23 PM

Hi folks,,
Hope I qualify, Dad was in the Navy, and boy did we travel (3 schools in 8th grade, France , VA, MA). I recently retired, but have been called back in, from 33 years civil service. 5 kids in the service, 3 currently in Afghanistan. What a wonderful thread.

ROBERT CROSS · 06-19-2011, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casa3805

Hi folks,,
Hope I qualify...

Request permission to come aboard...

Aye Aye Sir..

DKDarrow · 06-20-2011, 04:50 AM

Just a quick follow-up on the 4WD situation. Thanks for the thoughts guys. Yes, I had read the manual and have followed it to the letter for several years and 49K miles with this F250. Am not new to the off-road world having Excursions, Epeditions, Broncos, and 9 years in the Army even teaching ol Deuce and a half driving skills for awhile in Germany.

Anyway, the manual for an 03 F250 advises to make the shift in and out of 2WD to 4WD High and back at a slow speed and the shift to Low with a full stop, in neutral, and then proceede........Always did this.......

After talking to a couple of shops and the dealer, here is what I am gonna do in the future, despite what the manual says.........What is funny is that every tech I talked to, 4, said this is what they do............

The cause of my hub failing and the $600 replacement, was that there are several mechanisms that make the shift happen. Vacuum pressure, 2 solenoids, binding of the hub and bearing, and external drive pressures all act together for the system to work or not. When it does not work, it binds and when caught in the wrong position or situation, backing up on a curve for instance, breakage or damage occurs...............

So, what I will do in the future is STOP, go to neutral, make the shift, reverse a few feet, and then proceed on..............This is the way to guarantee that the shift is made and no damage will occur.........

God bless........Dennis

ROBERT CROSS · 06-20-2011, 05:21 AM

Dennis,

Good plan.....welcome to the club.

Thats a idea for everyone .......regardless of Mfg.

jnerges · 06-23-2011, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

Fall In!

Being one of those families that travel around from place to place with the military has made Amy and I want to have a group dedicated for service members past and present, and their supporters. This forum could also be used as a place for communication and discussion about current military headlines, experiences and lessons learned, or anything else. Think of it as your online VFW, AMVETS, or LEGION hall without the booze!

It will be a couple of days until the forums reflects the group under the clubs/groups tab.

To start off the discussion, how many of you have read the citation for SPC Guinta, the first living Medal of Honor recipient since the Vietnam war? Amazing what he did.

Steve

Hey Steve, Where are you now a days?

soldiermedic · 06-23-2011, 10:02 PM

Hey John,

I am spending my summer in San Antonio with the family while doing an independent study on ECG interpretation. Found our newest trailer in Seattle, WA and it is currently being brought back to Texas as we speak. Hope all is well to you COL.

Steve

jnerges · 06-24-2011, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

Hey John,

I am spending my summer in San Antonio with the family while doing an independent study on ECG interpretation. Found our newest trailer in Seattle, WA and it is currently being brought back to Texas as we speak. Hope all is well to you COL.

Steve

If you can understand R wave across the progress and left axis deviation, the rest is simple.

Best of luck.....

soldiermedic · 06-24-2011, 04:11 PM

John,

This is a basic course. Strictly intervals and segment measuring and overall rhythm interpretation (This rhythm is A-fib, A flutter, V tach, torsades, WPW syndrome...etc). My final will be interpretation of 20 strips, and then I have to talk about how to treat these patients. After that an ACLS megacode, but I am not allowed to be ACLS certified as I am not a provider.

Steve

easyride · 06-25-2011, 09:01 AM

Hi all just found your thread,sounds like a bunch of good people to me.My time across the pond was spent pulling 5,000 of fuel from the coast up highway 19 thru Ankhe and Pleiku.
VA is alot easier to deal with now than it was 40 years ago,just waiting for my unemployability to go thru,then I can do some traveling. Dave 359th trans co,central highlands Vietnam 70-71.

jnerges · 06-27-2011, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

John,

This is a basic course. Strictly intervals and segment measuring and overall rhythm interpretation (This rhythm is A-fib, A flutter, V tach, torsades, WPW syndrome...etc). My final will be interpretation of 20 strips, and then I have to talk about how to treat these patients. After that an ACLS megacode, but I am not allowed to be ACLS certified as I am not a provider.

Steve

If my heart stops and you are there, provider or not, you have my permission to do whatever it takes to restart, that includes watts, joules, thumps, etc....

Heard an old military expression, if it is stupid and it works, it is not stupid.

kry226 · 06-28-2011, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by easyride

Hi all just found your thread,sounds like a bunch of good people to me.My time across the pond was spent pulling 5,000 of fuel from the coast up highway 19 thru Ankhe and Pleiku.
VA is alot easier to deal with now than it was 40 years ago,just waiting for my unemployability to go thru,then I can do some traveling. Dave 359th trans co,central highlands Vietnam 70-71.

Sir, my dad was there, same time frame, same job. Driving trucks and hauling stuff. Do not remember his exact unit though. 1st Log Command out of Cam Ranh Bay, I believe. They called the patch the "Leaning (OUT)house." Small world sometimes.

easyride · 06-28-2011, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kry226

Sir, my dad was there, same time frame, same job. Driving trucks and hauling stuff. Do not remember his exact unit though. 1st Log Command out of Cam Ranh Bay, I believe. They called the patch the "Leaning (OUT)house." Small world sometimes.

1st Log came home just as I got there,I was with the 359th Trans Co. Fuel was all we pulled.Our most famous gun truck was Brutus 4 50 cals.and a mini gun. 70-71 Dave

kry226 · 06-30-2011, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by easyride

1st Log came home just as I got there,I was with the 359th Trans Co. Fuel was all we pulled.Our most famous gun truck was Brutus 4 50 cals.and a mini gun. 70-71 Dave

Next time I speak with him, I'll double check. I know he was there 70-71.