92 Explorer 4x4 woes..

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Oct 14, 2004 | 04:24 PM

bigbluebronco43

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From: Norwood USA

92 Explorer 4x4 woes..

Hey guys, I'm looking at buying a 1992 Explorer 4x4 2 door to drive mostly over the winter while I store my other car. Anyways, its a cheap truck and has 170+k miles on it. I still haven't gone down to see it, but will tomorrow. The guy told me that the 4x4 switch doesn't engage the 4x4 and he thought it was a vacum-switch or hose. I tried looking through all of these pages and couldn't really find a topic with this issue. Basically I want to know what usually goes wrong first on this 4x4 system before I buy it not working. Obviously I'll know more after I look at it. Thanks.

Oct 14, 2004 | 05:29 PM

Jharger

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From: Phoenix

Could be a simple fix or a medium endeavour. There is a reset button on the 4x4 relay stack which is located near the rear window washer fluid resevoir behind the left rear quarter panel cover inside the vehicle. Hit that then try to engage the 4x4. If it doesn't work, next level is to check the alignment of the position sensors on the transfer case motor. Go to this web page for instructions. http://www.glue.umd.edu/~singletn/exp.html

Oct 14, 2004 | 07:30 PM

bigbluebronco43

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From: Norwood USA

I appreciate the response. I will check that reset button tomorrow when I look at the truck. Thanks again, and I'll give everyone an update.

Oct 14, 2004 | 07:53 PM

Andy G

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Wow I came here to get some info and see that Bigblue has asked almost the exact same question that I have.

I drove a 92 Explorer 4x4 tonight that Im thinking about buying as a hunting truck. The truck was in amazeingly good condition but the 4x4 light/lights didnt come on when I pushed the buttons so I dont know if the 4x4 works or not.

Anyway I'll be following this thread closely to see what you guys suggest.

Andy

Oct 15, 2004 | 11:56 AM

JMarkle

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I don't know if the 4x4 system is the same or not, but I had a '95 full-size Bronco with auto-hubs. The light on the dash would light up when I hit the button. . .I could feel the transfer case engaging the front drive shaft. . .but the front end wouldn't lock in. Turned out my hubs had turned into aluminum dust. I ended up replacing them with Warn manual units, and everything worked fine after that. I still had to hit the 4x4 Hi-Range button on the dash, then get out and lock in the hubs, but everything worked, and I wasn't getting stuck nearly as often.

Oct 15, 2004 | 12:00 PM

Jharger

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From: Phoenix

JMarkle - That's not the problem Blue has. He tried hitting the button and nothing happened - no 4x4 lights, no x-case engagement. Warns are a good replacement hub however. If I ever blow up my stock auto hubs, I'll go with that. Untill then, I'm too lazy to get out and lock.

Oct 15, 2004 | 03:34 PM

blwilli

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I had this problem on my 93 Explorer. I nefer pulled the transfer case, I just tapped on the actuator motor a couple of times with a hammer (ok, so it was a mag-light) but that freed it up. Since then I exercize the motor once or twice a week to keep the brushes clean...no problems (at least with the 4x4) since.