what a difference!

[Lance Cann]

Hello all,



Some of you may remember reading/replying to a post of mine about 4x4 noise a few weeks ago and Ford telling me the transfer case was shot. Well I got to thinking... The truck has 2 different kinds of tires front and rear, they were all 255/70R16's but I have always worried about 2 different brand tires on a 4x4. So I took a gamble and instead of replacing the transfer case, I put 4 brand new tires on the truck and WOW. This solved all my problems completely. No more road noise in 4x4 and 4x4 kicks in and out smoothly and the truck no longer wanders when in 4x4. the old tires are goodyear wranglers and cooper discoverers, I stood a goodyear up beside a cooper and holly crap there is almost an inch difference in height between the two! and yes I made sure they were all the same size tire. This would explain all the complaining the truck was doing! So the moral of this story is, never ever mix different brands of tires on a 4x4. I just hope there is no damage to anything from the truck being driven like this for god knows how long before I got it.

Bring on the snow!

 

[Todd Z]

Lesson learned...



Glad it is fixed !!!



Todd Z

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

Moral of the story as I see it: Listen to your ST.

 

[scott degroot]

This is a very common issue an AWD vehicles and 4x4 also. The problem wasn't that the tires were different brands but that they were actually different sizes although they were supposed to be the same. When the tire diameter difference between front and rear tires exceeds 1/2 inch the t-case freaks out on certain systems and it thinks the wheels are slipping when they aren't. I have had some come into the shop so bad that they have wiped out the t-csae, front differential, and the trans and differential mounts.I don't mean to scare you but there has been damage done to yours but hopefully it still has some life in it. It would be in your best interest to have the transfer case serviced as soon as possible as the fluid in it has to burnt to a crisp

 

[Lance Cann]

I had the fluid changed a couple weeks ago when trying to diagnose the problem, and yes it was black. I am sure there was some damage done, but hopefully she will be ok.