4wd wont work

[Kyle M]

I am sure this has been brought up thousands of times, and I apologize. I have searched and read but nothing really leads me in any direction.

SO here goes, 95 Explorer Sport. A while back when I got it, the dash light would work with the switch, but the transfer case wouldn't engage. I jumped power to the 'brown wire' and then it worked. SO my plan was to put a switch in the dash to engage it when I need it but now after a few months the dash lights don't work and the front axle wont engage, not sure what is going on. All fuses are good from what I can tell. Is there something else I can check? Where should I begin?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Kyle M]

bump for help please!

 

[jwwing]

Do a search on 4WD Troubleshooting if you haven't already seen that thread

 

[Kyle M]

I think I found it, it says if you lights don't come on to start a new thread.....lol. BUMP!

 

[Kyle M]

No help??? Man this sucks, I am lost with it all and I don't wanna throw money at it! Thinking I might just swap in a manual case and just skip all the electrical BS.

How should I set up the front end so I can lock and unlock it? Is there a simply way to do it?

 

[Kyle M]

Well since I know this is a common issue, 4WD not working and all, think I will update and maybe help some others....

I went to you you pull it and got 2 GEM modules. I swapped in one and it did nothing but make the lights stay on in the dash where they didn't come on before. SO I swapped in the other GEM and then the lights came on, then went off, then would flash 6 times every 2 min. Swapped out the rear ABS sensor, but didn't help.

So I finally just went for it and swapped in my 1350 M case with a slip front yoke/output and a drive shaft from a BII. I bolted the case in, direct swap. The drive shaft had to be shortened 2" to fit. The linkage bolted to the M5OD perfect, direct swap. The shifter came thru the floor in the removable panel, just trim to fit, easy. I still need to get a boot and center console. I now have 4wd selectable.

As far as the front axle, I use a toggle switch in the dash to enguage it. What I did was splice into the harness where the solenoids control the shifting, jumped + to both solenoids, then ran the other wire (they run on a + and a -, just 2 wires) one form each solenoid into the dash. I then added another wire, a ground from the dash then ran all 3 to a toggle. I got a on, off, on toggle, so one on turns on 4wd, the other turns it off. How it works is by grounding out the individual solenoids, and having the other side hooked to a + source, it turns it on then turns on or off 4wd.

Boy, that all sounds confusing....I can explain it better if anyone is interested.

Anyhow it works good, 4wd comes on and off with the switch.

 

[Glen4X4]

That's good that you got your problem fixed with a manual case. When I swapped to the 97+ GEM to get diff 4wd modes I just disconnected the pig tail under the hood so that as soon as the truck is started the axle is live, no toggle to mess with to have 4wd.