How to disable the 4 wheel drive on a 2007 v8

[Fire488]

Have you considered an out of balance wheel/tire for the vibration. A wheel with excess runout would also cause that. Since the vibration is coming from the front you could switch your front and rear wheels/tires to see if the vibration follows.

A wheel bearing that is starting to fail (light marks in the bearing surface) will make a noise similar to a tire drone but different. If the wheel is raised and the calipers backed off then there will be no play in the bearing. If there is play in the bearing it needs to be replaced ASAP. A loose bearing will allow runout and probably cause vibration and noise.

There are constant velocity joints in the axle shafts that may cause noise and vibration. Do you hear a snapping close to full lock?

The front drive shaft has universal joints that can cause vibration if the joints are worn.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice Town. On my post that I linked I gave the symptoms and also explained that this issue started shortly after 4 new tires were installed. I also had a 4 wheel alignment and the car does not pull and i do not feel an out of balance scenario occurring. The sound is more of a drone or hum that increases with speed starting at about 35 mph all the way to around 70mph. There is no clicking when making a full turn either way stop to stop in 4v4 auto, high, low. The truck tracks very straight and feels very tight. I do feel the hum as a harmonic vibration in the steering wheel as well.
I did not check the front drive shaft though. I do feel it is a bearing noise.
I have been a marine technician for almost 35 years now on diesels, inboards, stern drive, and outboards. I work with bearing quite a bit as you can imagine, but I cannot feel the bad bearing turning the front wheels by hand, plus there is no side play at all in the hub (I did it by feel, no dial indicator). Tomorrow I will rotate my tires to see if i can move the problem to the rear.
Thanks again.

 

[Town]

Thanks for the advice Town. On my post that I linked I gave the symptoms and also explained that this issue started shortly after 4 new tires were installed. I also had a 4 wheel alignment and the car does not pull and i do not feel an out of balance scenario occurring. The sound is more of a drone or hum that increases with speed starting at about 35 mph all the way to around 70mph. There is no clicking when making a full turn either way stop to stop in 4v4 auto, high, low. The truck tracks very straight and feels very tight. I do feel the hum as a harmonic vibration in the steering wheel as well.
I did not check the front drive shaft though. I do feel it is a bearing noise.
I have been a marine technician for almost 35 years now on diesels, inboards, stern drive, and outboards. I work with bearing quite a bit as you can imagine, but I cannot feel the bad bearing turning the front wheels by hand, plus there is no side play at all in the hub (I did it by feel, no dial indicator). Tomorrow I will rotate my tires to see if i can move the problem to the rear.
Thanks again.

The highlighted observation in red is a problem. The 4x4 high and low modes lock the transfer case planetary gear differential. When you turn the wheels lock to lock, the wheel speed of the front and rear axles is too different and the transmission winds up and causes the tires to skip and there is a harshness and audible noise, a snapping sound on dry pavement. Since your vehicle is not doing this there is something wrong.

Good luck.

 

[Fire488]

The highlighted observation in red is a problem. The 4x4 high and low modes lock the transfer case planetary gear differential. When you turn the wheels lock to lock, the wheel speed of the front and rear axles is too different and the transmission winds up and causes the tires to skip and there is a harshness and audible noise, a snapping sound on dry pavement. Since your vehicle is not doing this there is something wrong.

Good luck.

Yeah My bad I do get the tire skip on the dry pavement and know that I am obviously in 4v4, but I do not hear any clicking noises at all. Everything seems tight.

 

[Fire488]

Problem solved! replaced the front hub assemblies with new Motorcraft units and the noise is gone.
Thanks for the help!

 

[fugereb]

Well I did some wiring diagram reading on the 4WD module and found "bliss" but later was presented with a computer fault on the dash display reading ... "Remove Object From Passenger Side", indicative of a loose wire. Removing the Grey/Orange and Green/Red wires from the harness blocked the 4x4 transfer case motor from engaging. Result was similar to pulling the 4x4 fuse, no front end noise/no 4x4 engaging. However, this thing is smart enough to know I pulled a couple of wires after 10 minutes of driving I will have to keep searching for my solution of interupting the 4x4 to not engage.

For the record; tire depth and pressure are exact across all four tires. The front end run up I experience is moderately noticable from 0-45 MPH during moderate accelerations.

 

[fugereb]

Since my last post I haven't had a "remove object from passenger side" error presented in the dash. Both wire remain removed from the 4WD Module and I am back to driving with bliss, meaning it drives like a rear wheel drive caddilac sedan.

Now for my next project, doing a professional switch retrofit on the dash so I can re-enable when driving conditions require 4x4, such as pulling my boat out of a ramp. I will keep you posted.

 

[yoster]

Since my last post I haven't had a "remove object from passenger side" error presented in the dash. Both wire remain removed from the 4WD Module and I am back to driving with bliss, meaning it drives like a rear wheel drive caddilac sedan.

Now for my next project, doing a professional switch retrofit on the dash so I can re-enable when driving conditions require 4x4, such as pulling my boat out of a ramp. I will keep you posted.

I would LOVE it if you could do that and post the how-to! Not the switch really, just these two wires you found and where you found them?

I'm not looking to do any burnouts, just looking for 2wd operation in general (and perhaps picking up a few mpg.) Been waiting for this post/thread for like 6 years now!!!

 

[fugereb]

I am down to removing only one (1) wire to effectively disable the 4x4 from engaging. The 4x4 Module can be found under the passenger side dash, directly above where the tip of your left foot would be if sitting in the seat. The module itself is about 1"x3"x3" size and has two downward facing wiring harness/plugs. Unplug the harness containing the gray with orange stripe wire, using delicate tools/handling pull the wire gray/orange wire out of the harness.

 

[fugereb]

 

[fugereb]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/074x4controlmodule.jpghttp://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/074x4controlmodule.jpg

 

[fugereb]

1,000 miles of motoring and no problems with the 4x4 disabled

Well the cutoff switch is working great. Recently had a foot of snow. Engaged the 4x4 at will no problems. Again I am not doing this to whip cookies. Interstingly I can enable / disable on the fly. The best indication of it being enabled is the 4x4 light will not illuminate when pressed when the cutoff switch is on. Back to dry pavement and back to 2x4!

 

[fugereb]

Forgot to mention my in town mileage is consistently 1.5 mpg better in 2x4. Not bragging but 12 to 13.5 in December in MN is alright

 

[yoster]

I know this is old but fugereb, since doing the mod, has there been any long-term consequence?

 

[fugereb]

Nope, no problems after nearly a year.

 

[yoster]

Perfect, just what I needed to know. Thanks!

 

[yoster]

So random update. I cut my gray wire w/orange stripe today. Back-story, I just replaced 2 of the 4 tires with a different brand and was concerned that them not all being the same brand would cause issues on an AWD. So figured now would be a good time. Cut the wire. Interestingly though, the "4x4" light will still come on when pressed. I need to somehow test if it really IS, in fact, enabled still.

Update #2 - It would appear that the light will still come on when "4x4 high" is selected. But "4x4 low" will NOT engage. The light on the switch itself just keeps blinking and you can hear a relay continually clicking under the dash trying to engage.

So, for now, it would appear that it's working. Just need to get an in-line switch now. Heading to Disneyland Saturday morning so fingers crossed nothing fry's on the way there

 

[t0ked]

Hey fugereb, a few questions about your mod. You still have the two wires disconnected or just one? And with the wire mod, do you still get the wrench warning like you would if you removed the fuse? Thanks!

 

[JoshC]

Hey fugereb, a few questions about your mod. You still have the two wires disconnected or just one? And with the wire mod, do you still get the wrench warning like you would if you removed the fuse? Thanks!

I'm curious of this too.

 

[Boomyal]

I also assume that your 4x4 high does not work unless you re-engage your switch.

 

[JoshC]

I decided I'd cut the gray wire with orange stripe to see how it worked. Took it out for about 10 minutes and put a few miles on it. No lights on the dash came on. The 4WD does not work, like fugereb said. I did not do this because I want to do a burn out....but she will do a burn out! That little V8 has no problem turning the rear tires over.

This is my wifes ride and I have always HATED the way they slam into 4WD when the auto kicks in. I'll pretty up a switch and we'll be good to go.

I was the original poster for the brown wire mod back in the day. I did it to my 97 that I had and it eventually wore it out. That, or my 35's