How to: Rebuild 4X4 Shift Motor

[BWTGUY]

Check both your front 4X4 hubs. The "Clunk" you hear is probably the auto hubs slipping because of the excessive lubrication caused by too much grease when packing the front wheel bearings. There should be zero grease in the portion your 4X4 hubs engage to provide front wheel power-the outer 4 inches or so.

If as I suspect, the hubs are "well Greased" (usually happens because the last guy to pack your wheel bearings did not know about 4X4 hubs), then you must wash ALL the grease out with hydraulic transmission fluid, wash off ONLY the part of the front shaft that the hub rides on (your front wheel bearings within the disk brake hub need the grease), and leave the hubs covered in fluid when you reinstall them.

There are several entries here on the correct installation of your wheels so follow them. If the 4X4 hubs have not worn out due to slippage or old age, that should do it.

 

[DeRocha]

....i have a new problem tho. to start i dont think the 4x4 has been used in years on this thing , so it may be a case on needing grease.

after the 4x4 engages perfectly , while in neutral and holding the push button 4x4 till the light shows up on the dash. i feel it working , but... when i turn right or left, there is a huge clunk noise that comes from the front left side, arrrg

and since my knowledge in mechanics is limited , i thought i might ask the pros here, where i should start.

there are a few posts on clunking, but none that ive found really specific to this senario.

any help would be great, and thanks again to the poster, you rule!! i have 4x4!!!! considering i only paid 500$ for the ride, im one happy 4x4er

If the clunking only occurs when 4x4 is ON then you most likely have a problem with U-Joints and/or HUBs (my bet is the outer stub axle U-Joints are toast). Over time the seals on U-joints get old/brittle and allow the lubricant to escape and moisture to enter (basically turning the needle bearings into rusted toothpicks). Now that you have 4x4 working the front axle shafts are now rotating and the sharper the turn the more articulation is forced on the U-Joint. A worn/rusted U-joint will pop and grind.

BTW Never use 4x4 on Dry Pavement. The 4x4 system does NOT have a center differential to even the torque between the front and rear wheels. As such using 4x4 on Dry pavement will stress out the 4x4 system causing popping and other front end stresses..

 

[K_r_n_i_c_-_-_]

im going to try just removing the grease (as there is lots) around the hub. since it is the simplest solution, if that doesnt work i will be changing the U-joints, hope its just the grease , my budget is limited at the time...

thank you both for your quick responce and great advice.!!!

 

[BWTGUY]

Hey Krnic-- did you cure the problem? Remember there is no help if we think your problem is cured.

 

[K_r_n_i_c_-_-_]

just going out for breakfast, then getting to it, ill will post my results, thanks again

 

[K_r_n_i_c_-_-_]

ok... so it works awsome now i just took the cover off with the wheels, cleaned all the grease from the hub cover and the components sticking out past the rotor. threw some trany fluid on the parts re assembled, clunked once, then went right in, tried it a few times, and it seems fine no odd noises at all, and works great!!
thank you guys so much!!!

 

[BWTGUY]

This is a pay-it-forward site. As you make your repairs over the years. Let the rest of us know how you did it so we can learn too. If we can help with anything else, let us know.
You'll find answers to many of your problems here and rest assured it will be the least cost for the best repair. BWTGUY

 

[K_r_n_i_c_-_-_]

exactly what i did,
-take front wheels and hub covers off
-clean excess grease, from hub cover and components exposed past the rotor, i used gasoline for this, worked well.
-flushed with transmission fluid , made sure there was no gas residue
-put as much trany fluid as i could on components and in the hub cover
-reasembled, works great

 

[BWTGUY]

Absolutely the right way to do it. Now you know more than the guy that greased it to death. Happy Exploring!

 

[jelkins]

still not working

ok so i did what was outlined in this section before i even read the post even put a rubber hose on it. go me so now that i did that i get the 4x4 light to come on in the dash and next to the button but the motor seems like it doesnt even want to turn when its all back together the motor shakes but the part that hooks to the shaft doesnt move but maybe a 1/4 inch if that any suggestions. would be great i just want to play

 

[DeRocha]

ok so i did what was outlined in this section before i even read the post even put a rubber hose on it. go me so now that i did that i get the 4x4 light to come on in the dash and next to the button but the motor seems like it doesnt even want to turn when its all back together the motor shakes but the part that hooks to the shaft doesnt move but maybe a 1/4 inch if that any suggestions. would be great i just want to play

:scratch: Sorry I'm a little confused.. Are you saying you removed the shift motor fixed it, and then tested the shift motor when not connected to the T-case?

 

[K_r_n_i_c_-_-_]

im not sure i understand either, but...
the hose you are using, make sure it's flush(does not pass the top) with the top of the screw it goes around, and make sure the piece of hose you use is not, too big, or too small. or , it will send the wrong information to the computer and it will not work properly

 

[jelkins]

ok i got all that and yes i tested the motor before i bolted it back on and i could feel the motor engaging when the button was pushed but the piece that turns doesnt want to move. before i took the shift motor apart it wouldnt do anything but click the light in the dash wouldn't even come on but after i took it apart the 4x4 light comes on but it still doesnt shift i hope thats what you were asking thanks for the reply everything helps im new to the whole 4wd thing.. i appreciate it.

 

[DeRocha]

ok i got all that and yes i tested the motor before i bolted it back on and i could feel the motor engaging when the button was pushed but the piece that turns doesnt want to move. before i took the shift motor apart it wouldnt do anything but click the light in the dash wouldn't even come on but after i took it apart the 4x4 light comes on but it still doesnt shift i hope thats what you were asking thanks for the reply everything helps im new to the whole 4wd thing.. i appreciate it.

Okay.. you fixed the shift motor and when not bolted to the T-case it shifts the geared selector in and out of 4x4.. that is why the 4x4 dash and button lights come on. Now when you bolt it back up to the T-case and push the button it doesn't work correct?

If so the selector shaft could just be frozen/tight from lack of use (and the electric shift motor can't muscle it enough to move it). You can remove the shift motor from the T-Case and use large pliers or vise grips to manually rotate the T-case selector shaft to 4H. Rotate back to 2H and repeat several times to help free up the sector shaft.

Note: You cannot shift into 4L without 1st putting the Transmission in Neutral. ***

 

[jelkins]

your on the right track but when i tested the motor before i bolted it on the t-case it doesn't shift. the geared selector will move but less than a quarter inch. the t-case selector is good its just like the shift motor is seized up. but when its all apart its just fine. so what i was thinking (which sometimes isnt good) is that the electronic piece on the gear was off or something making the motor think it was in 4H. does that sound about right???

 

[DeRocha]

your on the right track but when i tested the motor before i bolted it on the t-case it doesn't shift. the geared selector will move but less than a quarter inch. the t-case selector is good its just like the shift motor is seized up. but when its all apart its just fine. so what i was thinking (which sometimes isnt good) is that the electronic piece on the gear was off or something making the motor think it was in 4H. does that sound about right???

I'm confused... did you put the shift motor back together (just not bolted to the T-case) and it tested OK (4x4 button and dash lights came on)?

Did you manually rotate the T-Case selector shaft to 4H and back to 2H to loosen/free it up?

 

[jelkins]

not yet but gonna work on that tomorrow i let you know what i get

 

[jelkins]

so i came to realization im just going to get a new shift motor.... ugh all good tho in time.

 

[Ricky B]

so i came to realization im just going to get a new shift motor.... ugh all good tho in time.

How much are those bad boys these days?.......

 

[DeRocha]

How much are those bad boys these days?.......

Shift motor @ A1 parts (new) $97
Shift motor @ Ebay (new) $87