Yet another T-Cases to mount to the V8 Thread

EDIT 6/30/05: I have successfully installed a BW4406 from a Ford Expedition. Pictures of the install begin on page 8 of the thread.

Pages 1 - 7 are research for the swap.

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OK. I want to really nail this down. I would like to get 4low in my V8 Mountaineer, with 6bolt, 31spline 4R70W.

I DON'T NEED AN ATLAS!!

Since this is the same transmission pattern that is used in the fullsized trucks such as the Bronco and F150 a t-case should be able to be found that mates up. What t-cases were used?

The real problem will be fitting? I know the older F150s and Broncos used the BW1356, and the BW1345 in manual versions. Does anyone have the demensions? What about the newer 4406 T-case from the expedition?

As used behind the full size Bronco:
NP208, Part time, chain, 2.61:1, 80-86
BW1345, Part time, chain, 2.72:1, 80-88
BW1356, Part time, chain, 2.69:1, 87-96

As used behind the F150:
BW4406 (Electronic, Electronic w/control-trac clutch, Manual)
BW1356 (Electronic, Manual)
BW1345 (Manual)
NP208 (Manual)
NP205 (Manual)

What about other creative solutions?

I'm looking for cheap cost as well as simplicity. Wiring is no problem if the t-case is electric. Fabbing a shifter shouldn't be too hard. I don't want to go the route of putting in an expensive advanced adaptors conversion and using a 1354 or 4405 control trac. That's over 500 for the adapter, and at least 150 to get the tailshaft installed in the tranny. There has to be a better way!

I'm posting this for two reasons: 1) I realy want 4low. I don't need AWD. 2) My front driveshaft took a crap, transfer case is acting weird. Rather than replace, I'd like to replace that stupid CV joint and AWD t-case.

To make things more complicated, my 97 has the VSS in the t-case tailshaft

 

[ahodges]

Interesting. I see your confusion now and what you are trying to do. I never realized that we had a natural tow mode option on the original V6 set up. I never heard of anyone doing this before. I see how what you are talking about could work but I feel you are right in that on a normal stock set up as soon as you restart the vehicle and take it out of neutral, it will come out of 4H with a 4406. I would love to see someone figure out how to keep the shift motor in the 4H position on a 4406! Expeditions had the function of 2wd, 4 auto, 4 high, & 4 low, but I don't think anyone has ever done it in an Explorer, to my knowledge.

 

[kythri]

Interesting. I see your confusion now and what you are trying to do. I never realized that we had a natural tow mode option on the original V6 set up.

I hadn't realized it was an option until I joined the forum a few years ago - I thought all of the Explorer's had it.

I never heard of anyone doing this before. I see how what you are talking about could work but I feel you are right in that on a normal stock set up as soon as you restart the vehicle and take it out of neutral, it will come out of 4H with a 4406. I would love to see someone figure out how to keep the shift motor in the 4H position on a 4406!

That's the downside of me not getting into this aspect of my Explorer until now - a lot of the people that did a lot of the technical legwork on this forum don't appear to be all that active any longer.

Expeditions had the function of 2wd, 4 auto, 4 high, & 4 low, but I don't think anyone has ever done it in an Explorer, to my knowledge.

Outside of the brown wire mod, earlier Expeditions didn't seem to have that option - at least, not something that you could manually switch to.

I've got a 2000 Expedition Eddie Bauer with a 5.4L, and the switch is only A4WD - 4H - 4L.

That's another aspect of what confuses me, since I don't have a 2H option, though I do see switches available for the '03+ Expeditions that are 2H - A4WD - 4H - 4L.

So, I guess what I'm interpreting is:

The BW4405 in the V6 Explorer has the following positions: H - N - L
The BW4406 in the Expedition has the following positions: 2H - 4H - 4L

Since there's ControlTrac in the Expedition/BW4406, I'm assuming that 2H on the transfer case is the "A4WD" selection on the switch.

In an Expedition/4406, moving the switch to 4H would mechanically lock the transfer case into 4H, likewise with 4L.

In an Explorer/4405, however, moving the switch from Auto to High would leave the transfer case mechanically in the H position, but the electronic clutch engages full-time, instead of when sensing the need, whereas moving to Low would lock mechanically lock the transfer case into the L position.

Without any modification, a 4406 in a 4WD Explorer would never move into the 4H position, and there is no longer any option for neutral tow, save disconnecting the drive shaft.

Since the neutral tow kit isn't a physical switch (it's a programming option enabling something in the computer, I believe, along with the little indicator light), one would never really get the ability to manually shift into 4H - that position on the switch wouldn't affect anything (as far as I can tell).

 

[ahodges]

You and I are on the same page. Sounds like you understand the way I do as well now. Only thing is, I swear I saw the 2wd, 4auto, 4 high, 4 low switch in the 97 expedition I got my transfercase out of. I could be getting that confused with another truck I was looking at that day too though.

 

[kythri]

Funky - maybe the '97 had that switch/option, and they got rid of it by '00.