disable 4x4 AUTO?

hey guys, i just got an 01 xlt and i like it but theres one problem. Theres no full time rear wheel drive mode. Theres either a 4x4 full time, or its rear wheel drive untill the computer decides it should give power to 4x4. Well that feature is all great for soccer moms and stuff, but i dont need any of those "ease of driving" functions. I like knowing what is on and off and i like deciding things for myself, not have a computer "sense" when something should happen.

Mainly because the truck reacts to emergency situations differently in a rear wheel drive car than in 4x4 or front wheel drive. There are certain ways you react depending on weather its 4x4 or rear. IF t he type of drive the truck is using changes enexpectedly, the truck will handle unpredicatably.

All i would like to know is if there anything i can unhook or disconnect so that i dont have a computer driving my truck and the driving is left for me to do. Thanks for any help.

Unfortunately, that's they way you're wired up.... There is a way around it though. Do a search for "brown wire mod." I don't know a whole lot about it, because my '95 offers a 2WD mode...but you can jerry-rig your switch in such a way that it will only send power to out back.

ya when u find it, lots of reading to do, spent couple hr on it the other nite, course i started with the yellow wire mod reading, waste of time

long story short,
Brown wire mod= under driver seat there is a thick brown wire that u can splice into and hook up a switch, basically this brown wire controls ground to the the transfer case, so flip the swich no pulse to front drive shaft=2wd, i'm doing it this weekend on my 97, can't wait, i miss 2wd, only wish i had 5spd, enjoy

lol yeah, i was actually on the fourth page of the wire mod reading....waste of time?...ok.

What is the point of the switch? So if i do this mod...i leave in auto and turn my ground switch off? then when i turn ground switch on, i will be able to go back to any mode that uses the front wheels? (auto, 4x4high, 4x4low)?

I dont wana screw anything up. Do i have to turn the engine off and do that stuff?

thanks for the help.

the switch controls the ground, which allows the pulse to be sent to transfer case, giving front drive shaft power, so switch is to allow u to turn off that signal to T-case, making the front drive shaft not spin, is how i got from reading all that the other nite.

No with the brown wire mod u won't have to turn engin on and off to get back to stock. thats why the Yellow mod, is OUT, DON"T DO IT, unless u like turning ur X on/off,lol

depending on how u wire the switch,(with or without relay, then if in Normally closed/normally open) if u turn it on, applying the ground to flow like factory, it runs normal as if it was never there, if u turn it off, it cuts the connection to the ground, so that u have 2wd, in the stock (auto) position, u can still go to 4Hi which doesn't really do must different then in auto with the switch off, but u can go to 4Lo on the stock switch with your "brown wire mod switched off" and actually have 2wd LO, which i guess lots of people are happy about if they are pulling a boat or something, maybe i'll use that oneday.

hope that answers everything, if not u could always read those 23 pages of post ,like i did, lol, i'm doing mine hopefully sat morning, so i'll let u know then.

ok, thank you very much for the post. Um, i just got the truck and i got the extended warranty....do u think this mod will void it? I hate this auto thing, but i dont wanna get stuck paying to replace something major because of this 2 cent mod. thanks

will it? um.......prob. lol, but u should be able to hide the switch,(even if u don't, hide it, that is, they won't know what its for) they won't go looking under the seat for any mechanical problems anyway, u know.so they should never find the splice. if u ever have to take the truck in , just make sure u leave it in normal mode.

you should read taht thread.. there is tons of good info in it.. all the process of the tcase and wiring and why it works and what people that did it think of it.. yes its long, but its a very informative thread. no need to start new threads just because you didn't feel like reading the one there. trust me, you'll learn a LOT if you read that thread.

i read it, yes its useful, and Super LONG, we need someone, to write up a nice simple explaination but detailed enough on how and why to do this,and have a mod, put it in the "Useful threads" new people and even some others who haven't heard about it will make it easy for them to find out or use to pt them in the right direction without having to read 23 pages, 7 of which deal with a mod,that isn't recommended anymore(yellow wire mod) and only confuses those who try and read through the whole thing now
::yes it was useful and after figuring it all out good in the long run,but we have those other write-ups for this reason, cause its that popular! not just a link to the 23 page all-night reading project, simple well explained step-by-step, if no one wants to do it, i will next week after i do mine, if a mod will replace the other 'useful thread' with it

you'd think that you could just change the the 4x4 switch to a regular 2hi 4hi and 4lo switch, unless its mostly computer-based

jared... WONDERFUL idea. go for it!

what about what ford racing guy said? would that work. Just changin the switch to the old type?

no it won't work.

Doubt changing the switch would work. This switch is just several set resistances that the computer reads. I'd like to find out the Ford option that allows you to put transfer case in neutral so you can tow it.

I'd like to find out the Ford option that allows you to put transfer case in neutral so you can tow it.

Click to expand...

I don't think that is possible with our type of t-case. But if it is, I sure would like to know how to do it. Are you sure that is a Ford option? I think you would have to switch to a manual t-case.

oh well every thought counts,


good luck with the brown wire mod

thanks guys for all the help so far!

If you remove the shift motor, the 4405 case has H, N and L stamped on it. Now if we could just figure out how to fool it without going to Ford.

From the Ford manual...............

Neutral tow kit accessory
Neutral tow is an option which can be activated at any dealership that has a Service Bay Diagnostic System.............. This feature is available on vehicles with Control Trac and automatic transmission only.......... There are no wrecker or recreational vehicle towing restrictions on method or distance if the above feature is activated and enabled.

raptor86 said:

hey guys, i just got an 01 xlt and i like it but theres one problem. Theres no full time rear wheel drive mode. Theres either a 4x4 full time, or its rear wheel drive untill the computer decides it should give power to 4x4. Well that feature is all great for soccer moms and stuff, but i dont need any of those "ease of driving" functions. I like knowing what is on and off and i like deciding things for myself, not have a computer "sense" when something should happen.

Mainly because the truck reacts to emergency situations differently in a rear wheel drive car than in 4x4 or front wheel drive. There are certain ways you react depending on weather its 4x4 or rear. IF t he type of drive the truck is using changes enexpectedly, the truck will handle unpredicatably.

All i would like to know is if there anything i can unhook or disconnect so that i dont have a computer driving my truck and the driving is left for me to do. Thanks for any help.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't be so worried about the Auto 4WD causing you an accident, it seems like that's what you're worried about. Driving around normally, you shouldn't even notice that's on unless you try and spin the rear tires. And personally, I wish I could disable it too but its not a big enough deal for me to do the brown wire mod. Its especially nice to have when there's heavy rain or light snow on the road (a situation when you shouldn't use 4HI but 2WD is kinda hairy). Auto 4WD is great. Give it a chance before you resort to disabling it.

just checking to make sure i have the right wire, cause i decided not to go get it from under seat,which i found today no prob in like 2 mins. since i will be putting switch in center console right by dash decided to go with easier shorter wires.
is this where it is, the 14guage brown wire is just ontop of the white one(looks white in pic its actually yellow), wire colors are in order from front of truck to back are red,blue, brown , yellow


thanks guys, and Jason that fully explained write up is on its way,