i know this topic has been beaten to death but mine is a little different... my 96 explorer 4.0 4wd has the rear wheels locked in 4wd, the front wheels will engage and disengage using the selctor switch on the dash but the rear wheels will not disengage. the 4wd dash lights do the flashing 6 times every 2 minutes or so. this problem occured after i had to remove the transmission to replace the clutch and the slave cylinder. the 4wd was working perfectly before then. i have replace the sensor on the rear of the transfer case. i have disconnected the battery to reset the computer and it still will not release the rear wheels. any help with this problem will be GREATLY appreciated.

 

Welcome to the forum!

I'm a bit confused by your issue. When this vehicle is not in 4WD, it will be in 2WD and the 2 driven wheels will be the rear wheels. When it is in 4WD mode, all 4 wheels will be driven, front and rear. You should never have a situation, other than when in neutral, where the rear wheels are disengaged.

What am I not understanding?

-Rod

 

ok let me try and clarify. the rear wheels might not be engaged but the truck is driving like it is stuck in 4lo (25-30mph top speed with extreme torque). the front wheels are disengaged. the selector switch on the dash does correctly lock and unlock the front wheels (i had the truck on jack stands to test this). i hope this helps.

 

If I understand you the T-case is stuck in LOW but still locks/unlocks the front shaft normally. It sounds like the electromagnetic clutch is working but the shift fork/motor system that chooses high low is not. I have posted an explanation of how the T-case works. I hope this helps.

The Borg-Warner Control Trac 44-05 transfer case was used in the Explorer (4WD) vehicles starting in 1996. The transfer case transfers power from the transmission to the rear axle, and also to the front axle when electronically activated.

Mechanical Operation

In the 4X2 mode, torque from the transmission is transferred to the input shaft which, in turn, drives the rear output shaft that drives the rear axle assembly. Though the input shaft and the rear output shaft are independent of one another, there is a mechanical gearing interconnect that locks them together as a unitary assembly during normal operation. That through power from the transmission is transmitted to the back wheels for a 4X2 engagement. Shifting to 4WD is done electronically by energiizing the electromagnet, which in turn actuates a very interesting electromechanical ball ramp clutch assembly. (More on this later)

The electromechanical ball ramp clutch assembly drives the drive sprocket after the generic electronic module (GEM) activates the clutch coil. The drive sprocket turns the chain which rotates the front output shaft and front driveshaft. In other words the input shaft and output shaft are locked, and the eledctromagnet actuates the gearing (through a clutch) that adds the sprocket attached to the chain drive, which then adds the front output shaft to the equation. (Confusing enough?)

The high-low shift is accomplished when the motor turns a shaft that moves the reduction shift fork which moves the reduction collar to lock the planetary gear set to the output shaft. Torque from the input shaft is then transmitted through the sun gear, which then turns the front planetary gear set. When the front planetary gear set engages it provides transfer case speed reduction.