i have a 99 explorer in which the 4wd lights just started flashing randomly. so i looked under the body and sure enough the front drive shaft was spinning.

i've never worked with auto hubs so i have some questions...

does the shaft always spin with auto hubs? could this just be a short in the dash lights?

*another note, the 4wd has not been engaged for over a year.

-thanks in advance, jake

 

A '99 doesn't have hubs or any kind of disconnect for the front end. It's always engaged.

 

10-4 so it's probably a short

 

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What about a 97 ......... can I change them to manual hubs

 

I'm not real familiar with the 2nd gens, but, from what I understand, no, you can't put manual hubs on a '97.

'95-'96 use a vacuum operated center disconnect to disengage the axles from the driveshaft. The axles are permanently attached to the wheels. '97+ did away with the center disconnect -- the axles are still permanently attached to the wheels.

 

so if that front drive shaft is spinning then the car is positively in 4wd?

then the problem would have to be electrical right?

i mean the on-the-fly switch is in the automatic position but the drive shaft still spins. so the 4wd isn't disengaging.

-jake

 

On your '99, the front driveshaft will always be spinning -- powered by the wheels. The flashing 4x4 light I believe the control trac computer's way of indicating that it sees something wrong (a speed sensor maybe or ???). I really don't know my way around the control trac system, other than the basics. Is there a binding feeling in turns (to suggest that it is stuck in 4H)? Other symptoms.