I have just purchased a Control Trac 4x4 5.0l Explorer '97 it pops when taking off, there is a little play in the ball joints, but not much, I think it is in the front end, so I want to scrap the front wheel drive (disconnect the drive shaft) is this possible?

I have disassembled the transfer case to check for wear or slipping nothing out of the ordinary, and no shrapnel, the transfer case seems to be ok to disconnect the chain drive to the front end or just the front drive shaft.

Thanks

 

No Responses? I am gonna try it to see what happenes.

 

Leave the T/C intact, drop the front driveshaft, then if you need front drive you can reinstall shaft. Ran mine like that for 6 months.

 

why not just fix what is wrong and be done with it.

 

Well I have dropped the front shaft, and it works perfect, but as a responce to quicklook2 the answer is it is my 5th vehicle, it will be a work only vehicle, I dont need 4x4 here ever, and there are way too many driveabity problems than to fix one that is a optional item, it will be fixxed, but first is (Ball joints, Radiator, Something killing the engine when it stops, fuel system dump and clean, brakes, interrior detail, and decaling.) then comes the optional items

 

My 1997 Sport 4x4 does the same thing, and I also have the 4x4 occsasional lights flashing problem. My 1997 has an electric shift motor on the xfer case that engages the fron axle. The pop I hear is the unit trying to shift into 4x4 with the dash swith in AUTO. I belive you could just unhook the electrical connection to the shift motor and cure the uncommnaded 4x4 engagement and the flashing lights problem, without taking out the driveshaft to the front axle. Anyone ever done this?...I will try it and see what happens. I donlt like that unit jumping into 4x4 uncommanded when you let the cluth out, with no warning! Sooner or later, some damage will be done!

 

I have temporarily cured my problem of 4x4 engaging while in AUTO - 2wd.
1997 Sport Control Trac 4x4 (borg warner 4405 )and manual 5 speed transmission.

I disonnected the 4x4 shift motor electrical connection from the xfer case and drove around. The uncommanded engagement into 4x4 (front axle), has stopped (as expected)! Those dash lights still blink exactly 6 times every few minutes, but it proved the point that 1) the shift motor was working and 2) the motor was gettng a false signal to engage the front axle when uncommanded (dash switch in AUTO - 2wd). This only happened when slowing to a stop with cluth in, and then starting off in low gear just at cluth release. Disconnnecting the shift motor has basically shut off the 4x4 feature by not alllowing the xfer case to shift internally. I like this option better than removing the front drive shaft because the xfer chase internally would still try and jump in and out of 4x4 every time the shift motor received that false signal. Also this was MUCH easier.

Now I have to figure out 1) what is causing the false signal to the shift motor with the dash selector in AUTO -2wd (note: the dash lights DO NOT COME ON WHEN the unit was jumping into 4x4), and 2) what is causing the voltage to blink those dash lights exactly 6 times every few minutes?

I have a OBDII reader, but no codes have displayed. I am hookng up at the under dash location. Is this the connection to read any stored tranny codes?

Please pass on any ideas....thanks all!

 

similar thread in...4x4 to 2x4

 

[quote=jbwilli;5064820]I have temporarily cured my problem of 4x4 engaging while in AUTO - 2wd.
1997 Sport Control Trac 4x4 (borg warner 4405 )and manual 5 speed transmission.

I disonnected the 4x4 shift motor electrical connection from the xfer case and drove around. Now I have to figure out 1) what is causing the false signal to the shift motor with the dash selector in AUTO -2wd {quote}

Oops, I think I messed up the quotes...

I did the same thing on my '97 4.0 V6 OHV auto trans--disconnecting the transfer case wiring made it drivable. The next step was to do the "brown wire modification" so now I can just flip a switch if 4WD is needed. The trick seems to be to flip the switch to ON with the engine off to restore the 4WD. It still does not seem to function properly in Auto with the switch ON.

Apparently the electro-magnetic clutch in the transfer case works so, like you said, my problem also seems to be a false indication that the wheels are slipping. I cleaned the two sensors in the transfer case and that didn't help. There is a clutch relay that I'm going to look for--maybe it's bad. The GEM might also be suspect.

 

Brown Wire Mod, got a hint where to find a write up?

 

I found the brown wire mod on a link in this website. I have it saved somewhere in my laptap at home. I will dig in and see if it is still there. It was a great article with pics. Basically it directed you to pull the radio, find the brown wire in the the 2x4 rotary switch, splice a switch into that wire to give you control to cut off the shift motor.

You might want to do a search under explorer brown wire mod on this site.

 

OK, I just did the search "brown wire mod" and it led me to this:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=149388

SERIOUS EXPLORATIONS website...it is all there with the pics!

 

the system gets its "wheel sligpping" signal from reading the front wheels' ABS sensors and comparing it to the vss signal from the transmission (the rear ABS sensor on later models). I'd replace the front wheel sensors instead of hacking the driveline as the transfer disengages the front differential above 35mph in AWD anyway.

 

The front wheel sensors are an intergral part of the wheel bearing on the 1997, so you have to replace the entire bearing, and they are very expensive. Yes, they could cause the problem if faulty and should be replaced. Just be sure before you drop a wad of money on blind parts swaps that may or may not cure the problem.

Note: I do believe if one or both of the front wheel sensors goes bad, your ABS system will act up as it uses them to sense when a wheel has stopped rolling and is skidding.

Disconnecting the shift motor does temporarily cure the problem with no harm to the drive train while you try and figure out what part is the root cause, and it is a 30 second job! The brown wire mod written by someone else, will do the same thing and has some other neat features. You have to read the entire article to understand it. It has it's disclaimers and cautions as well. Youhave to weigh them and decide if that is best for you.

Good luck to all with this problem!