How to: Rebuild 4X4 Shift Motor

[DeRocha]

I can't find if this has been awnsered, but has anyone tried to modify the actual housing itself, like by welding a bigger peice o metal to the case, so it won't skip the stopper?

The problem with replacing the stopper with all metal is that the worm drive on the electric motor could get bound up with torque wind up when disengaging 4x4.. Have a softer bumper allows this torque to be dissipated so that when you engage 4x4 later on the motor can move and not be frozen by being jammed in the off position..

 

[5spdman]

question...is it possible to take the shift motor off withOUT having to take down the transfer case or cut wires? all the pictures i've seen in this thread, the motor is still wired to the case...

and would it be ok to just take the motor off completely and crawl under to switch it manually, or would water be an issue with that? future plans are to get a new ex and in the process of build-up, put in a manual t-case, but this ex is so rusted that i'm just going to use it for parts...

 

[5spdman]

oop...decided to re-read the whole thread and saw the post about taking the pin out...first question answered

but i'm still wondering about my second question

ps...been looking at this thread for about a year (4x hasn't been working for 3-4 years) and after getting stuck in a flat spot in the woods for the second time, (and having my cousins blazer pull me out for the second time :fire: ) decided to crawl under and tackle this thing...hoping for the best!!!

 

[DeRocha]

Many people have removed their shift motors and just used pliers to engage 4x4 and 4x4 low.. Water should only be a slight concern...


Note when shifting in/out of 4x4 low the transmission needs to be in Neutral or it will be VERY hard to turn the selector shaft.

 

[5spdman]

alright...and thanks for this thread!! for 7 dollars i picked up sealant, special torx bit (2 dollars at local hardware store) and a piece of fuel line (10 cents ) and it's running like a champ!!! only took about 1 hour (including running around for the parts ) thanks again!! ~caleb~

 

[DeRocha]

alright...and thanks for this thread!! for 7 dollars i picked up sealant, special torx bit (2 dollars at local hardware store) and a piece of fuel line (10 cents ) and it's running like a champ!!! only took about 1 hour (including running around for the parts ) thanks again!! ~caleb~

Congrats on getting it working... I bet you wish you did this a long time ago..

 

[kraylake]

those darned 10mm bolt heads

great post, very helpful, but heres my problem. My 92 Exploder is a classic rust belt car, i cant get one of the 10 mm bolts out of the transffer case. ive tried 13/32 and 3/8 sockets, both 6 and 12 point varieties and cant get this one out.

Any special tools/ideas?

 

[5spdman]

that along with wishing i had found this site a long time ago...the amount of useful information you guys have is amazing. when i have questions, this will be the first place i go!!

 

[BWTGUY]

I just completed the overhaul of my shift motor as shown in the first post. I have two things to add. I bought some 3/8" OD by 1/4" ID Polyurethane tubing, cut a piece 3/8" high and warmed it enough to force-fit over the Shift-Stop in place of the broken plastic ring. Otherwise, I used the instructions posted here and it was perfect. I bent a paper clip straight and then put a 1'8" right-angle at the end of the clip. I used this home-made tool to pull the retainer ring from the shift motor plug and having removed the retainer ring, I pulled the brown wire from the motor plug. It works like a FORD tool and gave absolutely no problems. I will rebuild the old motor and take pictures so you all can see how it works.

 

[Ricky B]

Or, you could all just use this thing and call it a (cheap and quick) day...........



http://theshiftster.com/

 

[BrooklynBay]

Is this your product? It says Ricky B designs in the link.

 

[Ricky B]

Is this your product? It says Ricky B designs in the link.

Mmmmm, it depends. Am I in trouble here if it is?.......

 

[BrooklynBay]

It's a nice product, but according to the rules of the forum, you have to be a vendor to sell products on this site. An elite membership is required for selling things which aren't part of a business such as spare parts that you have laying around or your vehicle. Talk to Rick about becoming a vendor on this site.

 

[cougarmt]

4x4 Motor rebuilt!

Yesterday, no 4x4. Today, 4x4! Pulled the motor (cut the brown wire), found only a few very small specks of the stop disc... replaced with a 1/4" piece of tubing. Cleaned contacts (not very dirty at all). Reassembled, reinstalled (splice connector for the brown wire...), tested. Yay!! And all in just 20 minutes!

 

[4x4troy]

just did this in my 2nd expo and...we have 4x4.this is gotta be the best ever,well except for me only paying $500 for a nice '91 x 4x4.

 

[javamama63]

4X4 Shift Motor Rebuild

What a phenomenal post!! Thank you! While my mechanic was under the truck, ready to remove the shift motor, he noticed that the black ground wire (attached to the plug) was not attached. The eye hook was rotted off. He re-attached the ground wire and Voila! The 4X4 now works perfectly.

Now, had the Ford Dealership actually looked under the car, they would have seen this problem. But all they did was hook the car up to the computer and read the code. We really need to get back to the basics of actually looking at things and not relying so much on electronics.

I LOVE this forum

 

[javamama63]

I followed ther posts, pulled the. TC Motor disassembled and replaced the bushing on the large gear with a piecve of rubber fuel line. Reassembled the motor and Installed on the truck. Reconnected the battery and pressed the white button on the control module. Now when I press 4x4 button, light comes ande motor responds but Low Range button still Isn't working yet. Any thoughts?

try putting the car in neutral, hold the brake pedal down and THEN push the 4W Low button. The light will flash a few times and then the light on the dash will come on. To disengage, to the same.

 

[javamama63]

great post, very helpful, but heres my problem. My 92 Exploder is a classic rust belt car, i cant get one of the 10 mm bolts out of the transffer case. ive tried 13/32 and 3/8 sockets, both 6 and 12 point varieties and cant get this one out.

Any special tools/ideas?

did you try using a 10mm?

 

[Bwana Bob]

What a phenomenal post!! Thank you! While my mechanic was under the truck, ready to remove the shift motor, he noticed that the black ground wire (attached to the plug) was not attached. The eye hook was rotted off. He re-attached the ground wire and Voila! The 4X4 now works perfectly.

Now, had the Ford Dealership actually looked under the car, they would have seen this problem. But all they did was hook the car up to the computer and read the code. We really need to get back to the basics of actually looking at things and not relying so much on electronics.

I LOVE this forum

Yup, I've learned over the years of troubleshooting ham radios, electronics, and the Explorer, that you can find a lot of problems just by doing a good visual inspection. I had a squeak in the rear end of my new Focus that was annoying me, so I crawled under and found a bolt on one of the camber arms that was not fully threaded into the captive nut and torqued down. A casual underhood inspection of the Explorer revealed a cracked plastic vacuum line.

Yes, this is a great forum. I've saved hundreds of dollars and had fun doing it!

Bob

 

[K_r_n_i_c_-_-_]

i have a 1992 ford ex xlt.. did a portion of this post yesterday, bought a t20 bit for about 4$ found a piece of rubber hose at the parts store, for free. brought the shift motor in, showed him the mashed rubber piece inside the shift motor, and explained my frustration at the fact that , that little piece of rubber, was the only thing stoping my 4x4 from working
so it saved me .99cents lol, as he cut me a small piece and gave it to me

long story long, i got it fixed by simply replacing that piece of broken plastic. in no time at all. thanks to this post!!! thank you so much.

now....i have a new problem tho. to start i dont think the 4x4 has been used in years on this thing , so it may be a case on needing grease.

after the 4x4 engages perfectly , while in neutral and holding the push button 4x4 till the light shows up on the dash. i feel it working , but... when i turn right or left, there is a huge clunk noise that comes from the front left side, arrrg

and since my knowledge in mechanics is limited , i thought i might ask the pros here, where i should start.

there are a few posts on clunking, but none that ive found really specific to this senario.

any help would be great, and thanks again to the poster, you rule!! i have 4x4!!!! considering i only paid 500$ for the ride, im one happy 4x4er