I just got the partial '99 Explorer home that I cut a deal for months ago. I was under the impression that you could get manual locking hubs for the front but I'm starting to think I am wrong about that. I want to use this rolling chassis under one of my '53's but I am using a 351-W with a manual tranny and transfer case from an '83 F-150. I guess for what I'm doing this really isn't a big deal but it is the way I planned it.

After bringing it home and getting the trailer parked, I had some other stuff to do. about two hours later I went out and turned on the lights in the trailer so I could spend some time looking over My treasure. I got to looking at the front end and what you see is the half shaft axels splined and bolted directly into the hubs. Just like a front wheel drive car. I didn't look at the time but I'm thinking they used some sort of electrical servo to engage the front drive inside the diff. housing. Perhaps some of you folks know what they did here. If there is some sort of electrical actuator up there I can just manually control it.

I hope I can work something out that is satisfactory because I really want to use this rolling chassis.

Later Man...

 

What you describe is what I've seen on Explorers, not that I've looked at a lot of them. Like you say, there is some kind of servo (vacuum?) that disconnects the front axles from power, but they still spin all the time. Maybe the boys on the Exploder forum here can provide details.

 

Yeah, I need to slip over there and ask around. Since I mainly hang out here I know there are a lot of guys that have or use parts from rangers and Explorers and they probably know the answer. Strangely enough, guys here often no more about the workings of vehicles featured in the other forums than those who hang out in those forums.

Later Man...

 

Bill, The Explorer/Ranger setup has a computer that takes the signal from the dash pushbutton or rotary switch which shifts a dc motor on the back of the transfer case which then engages the front diff to spin the axles. This spinning engages the front hubs such that they lock to the axles. I played with same years ago on my 90 Ranger. However I had my 2003 Ranger up on my,new to me,lift and the 2003 setup looks similar. Both the shift motor and the hubs can be troublesome and expensive to replace and last I knew people like Warn made manual hubs that you could turn in for FWD.

 

Dave, the front axle diff spins the entire time. The only thing that seperates two and four wheel drive is the transfer case being engaged. I'm guessing the parisitic loss of the drive axles and diff must not be huge, or maybe since ford switched to a Short and long arm on the expolores and rangers, there wasn't enough room for hubs?

 

Are you sure that the front diff/axles spin all the time? See my post above. I will admit that I have not been under the Ranger while it was running in either 2 or 4 wheel drive!

 

It's been a while but it seems to me that some years ago when I was under our '95 Explorer during an oil change I had the front jacked up and the wheels would spin freely of the front drive shaft. But hey, I could be wrong. I certainly would not bet my life on what happened. At the time it seemed like it was just a matter of curiosity to me as I had no ideas about alternative uses.

Maybe somebody on here will give us a definite answer or some documentation.

Later Guys...

 

If you decide to go with a different trans and tcase route, the older 1991-94 (maybe 95-96 too?) explorers have manual locking hubs as an option.

 

Yep, got a '91 but would rather have later front suspension. I don't know if the locking hubs are going to be all that important in this case. I got lots of time to make a decision.

Later Man...

 

Ah, but are the outers the same? swapping spindles and hubs only? and let the differential still operate? I dunno, just guessing here.

 

After floating around the other forums and reading them I feel the same way.

 

Of the few late model vehicles that I work on, all of the 1/2 ton Ford 4X4s have been integrated hubs on the front. I haven't seen one where the hubs can be unlocked, but have seen kits offered to convert them.

 

I found mixed results on the other forums. I asked a question a little while ago about changing right bank spark plugs on my 2003 Ranger 4.0 Auto with AC. The first response was "take it to the pro's" (the dealer). Not what I was looking for. I did get a better response after a bit which is that plug replacement is a real pain and the best access is thru the wheelwell. Easier if you remove the inner wheel housing. All of this is another example of why we like our vinage trucks!

Note: I still need to go after those 3 remaining plugs.

 

My '94 F-150 has manual hubs, for the record thats the best wat to go...I had a 1997 Ford Exploder...the transfere case gave me nothing but grief...They called them "exploders," for that very reason. I vowed never to get anothe 4x4 unless it was manual...Guess that's why I'm stickin with a straight axel in my '54...something about the less mechanical the parts the easier, cheaper the fix...

 

As I have found: the newer the truck the more likely a driver. The older the truck the more likely a builder.