How to: Rebuild 4X4 Shift Motor

[N7XME]

"what can I replace the bushing with and where can I get one?"

I used a piece of high-temp heater hose of the correct diameter cut to length to fit in the case. Been going strong for over a year since my repair.

 

[h3kt0r]

Awesome Thread!




Just wanted to say thanks and I really appreciate this information. I live in Chicago and really needed my 4-wheel drive to work just to get the truck into the garage as the snow in the alleys remain unplowed. I was searching for the cost of a replacement transfer case just so I'd have an idea of what I might be charged when I came across this website. I read the information and everyone’s tips a few times then crawled under the truck and took care of business. I didn’t need to cut any wires as I did this on the garage floor under the truck lying on my belly. Thanks everybody!

 

[JStrider]

Hey... new here... this is a really great site...

i'm trying to do this repair, and I have already gotten the whole thing off my car, its still attached by the wires, so i'm stuck working under my car but thats beside the point

i got the torx screws off and have opened the case, but cant get the large gear to come out, it looks like its just press fitted thru the housing but it wont push out, at least not easily.

I havn't taken apart the motor part, I was hoping to avoid doing that if possible

whats the best way to get this gear out of the case so I can access the rubber stopper?

thanks for the help!

 

[JStrider]

ok i got the gear out... had to use an extractor, one of those things with the 3 legs that grabs onto something and then you turn a threaded bar i nthe middle and it will push things out... worked pretty good

now i'm trying to find some tubing to replace the rubber stopper

another thing i noticed is that the white plastic bit that stays between the gear and the housing(where the gears axle goes thru the housing) is cracked, is this something that needs to be fixed?

 

[JStrider]

woooo it works!
that repair took entirely longer then it should have... but thats alright... cuz it works now and it barely cost me anything

I ended up using some 1/4 inch ID 3/8 OD vinyl tubing that was by my dads old fish tank

worked great

now i just need to fix my sagging door and she'll be good as new!

 

[soundaroundyou]

Parts for shift motor rebuild?

I am new to the board.
I was wondering if it would be worth while to have a rebuild kit made? I have a shop here locally that rebuilds electric motors of any type and may be able to either make brushes or pull a size off the shelf that would work. Also could have a machinest make the stop out of nylon, resin, or a metal of some type. New springs could be good also. I would be glad to research this if anyone has an old broken drive motor they could send me. I can use my own in the spring. I would now but it is snowing and I need it! LOL
I have to say, before I owned an Explorer I really did not have any interest in them at all. I needed a work vehicle, since I totaled my Jeep, and found a beautiful 93 with a standard trans and a 4.0 six engine at an auction and fell in love. It seems that Ford picked up where Jeep left off. My Explorer has fixed every gripe I ever had with my Jeep. I have had to put a few dollars in a new trans, lock out hubs, and a few other needed things, but I am completely sold. I love this truck. It is everything and more that I have ever wanted out of a truck. I love this body style. Sorry guys, I like the later years but, this one is for me. This next year, maybe 2, should be good for her. I plan to customize the interior and then have fun with the outside. I have already started ordering parts. Sorry, I could go on and on. Hope everyone will have a safe any happy new year.

Chris

 

[DeRocha]

...another thing i noticed is that the white plastic bit that stays between the gear and the housing(where the gears axle goes thru the housing) is cracked, is this something that needs to be fixed?

Nothing to worry about, the split is a normal part of the white plastic sleeve.

 

[DeRocha]

I am new to the board.
I was wondering if it would be worth while to have a rebuild kit made? I have a shop here locally that rebuilds electric motors of any type and may be able to either make brushes or pull a size off the shelf that would work. Also could have a machinest make the stop out of nylon, resin, or a metal of some type. New springs could be good also. I would be glad to research this if anyone has an old broken drive motor they could send me. I can use my own in the spring. I would now but it is snowing and I need it! LOL
I have to say, before I owned an Explorer I really did not have any interest in them at all. I needed a work vehicle, since I totaled my Jeep, and found a beautiful 93 with a standard trans and a 4.0 six engine at an auction and fell in love. It seems that Ford picked up where Jeep left off. My Explorer has fixed every gripe I ever had with my Jeep. I have had to put a few dollars in a new trans, lock out hubs, and a few other needed things, but I am completely sold. I love this truck. It is everything and more that I have ever wanted out of a truck. I love this body style. Sorry guys, I like the later years but, this one is for me. This next year, maybe 2, should be good for her. I plan to customize the interior and then have fun with the outside. I have already started ordering parts. Sorry, I could go on and on. Hope everyone will have a safe any happy new year.

Chris

Hi Chris and welcome to the board... I too am fond of the 1st gens ('91-94), although the look of the current Explorer is very sweet (just not alot of off-road mod options)...

I'm not sure how much interest will be in a shift motor rebuild kit.. Most repairs only require you to dissasseble the shift motor, clean it, and install a new stop bumper (which a length of 5/16" fuel hose or equiv will work). I've never heard of the brushes going.. The Shift motor @ max travel (ie 4 Low) only rotates the gear approx 3/4 revolution in both forward & Reverse so the brushes will last forever.

 

[soundaroundyou]

Shift Motor

I was thinking the same as you but, thought i would ask. Thanks.

Chris

 

[rudmann73]

gear bushing replacement

Thanks to the folks who suggested various hose material to replace the gear busing (plastic bushing on rear of the gear). I ended up using a thick walled fuel line hose. Cost was close to nothing, and it seems to do the job.

Thanks again to the person posting the great photos of the shift motor assembly. My gear busing was in pieces, and I had no idea where these little chuncks had come from until I had the opportunity to see the photos and read the text

 

[ajax33]

I just wanted to say hi and thanks for the awesome post. I came across this site when I was looking for some help with my '98 XLT...This was an awesome post with awesome pics...and I helped out tremendously. Though on mine the bushing was fine...it was the brushes that needed replacing. Thanks alot!

 

[vjam44]

well i tried...

Broke 2 T-20 bits with the hole, still could not even loosen one screw! Also could not take out single brown wire... no biggie just have to work under the truck. any suggestions???

 

[prochorus]

Brown wire removal

'92 EB that cost me $1.00
I just pulled my shift motor last night - cleaned and rebuilt it and will reinstall in a few minutes. My problem was a little different than what I've seen in this thread. I had one of the traces on the circuit board corroded to the point that there was no continuity on that circuit. I'll post pics later showing how I repaired it.

The brown wire comes out very easily after you remove the red plastic retaining ring from the center of the plug. I use a pair of hemostats like an earlier post suggested and it slid right out. There are no tab or catches or anything to worry about breaking it just lifts out. Once removed carefully pry the little black tab around the center pin (brown wire) toward the outside of the plug with a small screwdriver and while holding the tab away from the pin pull the brown wire out the back of the plug. Hopefully this discription is clear enough, I'll post some pics of this too.

 

[LBarr2002]

Just did this today. My 4wd problem was intermittent, so I didn't know if it would be just the bushing or not. But, when I got it apart there was no bushing and the pieces of it had been ground up and were all in the main gear and drive gear.

Now, the reason I posted this:
To replace the bushing, I used a rubber wire gromet that I had laying around in a assortment. I think it was 1/4 inch and it fits and works perfectly.

 

[TheRo0sTer]

Ok I've been reading and reading... Finally I decided instead of reading all 5 pages, can someone tell me how to test my switch and or motor. I found a replacement motor at NAPA for $88 - military discount. But I don't want to pull it all out and find out it was the switch instead of the shift motor. Any help will be much appreciated. It's a 98 XLT Limited.

 

[TheRo0sTer]

All fixed the battery disconnect trick worked! Funny thing the switch goes in and out of 4w High with ZERO issues!

 

[chonies]

yeah man did this as soon as i got done reading it and it works perfectly!!!

 

[wheelinford22]

Hey thanks for the help here, this worked great...saved me some money and took only about 30 minutes from start to finish!!

 

[Millette 34]

would it be possible to lock the 4x4 permanently without changing anything?

 

[DeRocha]

would it be possible to lock the 4x4 permanently without changing anything?

Many people have gone wheeling with a broken shift motor. They Just remove the shift motor completely and rotate the selector shaft to the 4H or 4L when they are ready to wheel. When they're done they rotate it back to 2H and everythings back to 2 wheel.. When rotating the shaft you will positively feel the shaft drop into place in each position 2H, 4H, and 4L, so you don't have to worry if you turned it enough...