2000 Explorer 5.0 all wheel drive transfer case swap

[bigblockford]

I have a 2000 Ford Explorer 5.0 all wheel drive plus I have a 97 4.0 liter 4 wheel drive so I'm wondering if the transfer case from the 97 4 wheel drive will work in my 2000 all wheel drive

 

[vroomzoomboom]

it will not. however, you can go manual 4406. lots of 5L truck guys (myself included) have done it, and if you have all the parts, it can be done in a few hours.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166726&highlight=4406

 

[SoNic67]

AWD to 4x4 requires replacing of transfer case, front and rear prop shafts, front axle, front CV's, plus a lot of electrical and vacuum work.
All of this to get what?

 

[Turdle]

AWD to 4x4 requires replacing of transfer case, front and rear prop shafts, front axle, front CV's, plus a lot of electrical and vacuum work.
All of this to get what?

No it does not

All you need to swap over is the t case and drive shafts.

Cv axles, front diff and vacuum lines all stay put.

What you get is a stronger t case with low range-duh!

 

[vroomzoomboom]

front axle, front CV's, plus a lot of electrical and vacuum work.
All of this to get what?

i've done 2 of these 4406 swaps. granted, yes you have to get different driveshafts, but if you read the thread, one is from a f150, the other is from a excursion. but you dont replace the front axle, or cv's. there is no vacuum work, and the only electrical work is if you want the 4low or 4hi lights to come on for a 2000. if it was a 96 or 97 then you would need to hook the vss up. thats all

 

[SoNic67]

4x4 years 95, 96 have a front axle disconnect. That's why I said you might need to replace that too.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

4x4 years 95, 96 have a front axle disconnect. That's why I said you might need to replace that too.

those didnt come on a awd 5L. they came on a v6 4x4 in 95-96

 

[Turdle]

Op has a 2000 so I don't understand the confusion or need for inserting it here.

 

[whisperer]

I think what SoNic67 is saying (and he’s right) is that changing the transfer case only gets you halfway there. Yes it gets you low range and disconnects the front axel from power at the transfer case. It does not get the front driveshaft or axels and differential to stop spinning while driving down the road. They will be spun by the wheels.
There are 2 normal ways to get this done. One is swap in the “vacuum disconnect diff” as in the picture . The other is swapping Ranger stub axels and adding manual hubs. Don’t remember which year Ranger axels but it’s all over the web.

 

[410Fortune]

Why would you want to stop the front axles from turning? Ford discontinued the cad (center axle disconnect) after 96 and so can we. Having the front half shafts ring and pinion and front driveshaft spin just because the tires are rolling will not hurt anything. Every v6 explorer from 97-04 is the same way and rangers from 99-2011

The Crappy manual hubs made for the 98-99 rangers that had the vacuum hubs are a joke! They break the first time you need them. Adding these to a 5000# v8 4’door explorer is like asking for trouble

You cannot install the 95-96 v6 cad system in the 5.0
Trucks without a drop bracket lift or 5.0 oil pan mods, there is not enough clearance.
Now if one was to have a drop bracket lift or clear the oil pan then you could run the cad front diff and sort out the vacuum actuated shift
Lever…. A few have done this and it’s pretty cool but the gains are
Minimal for a lot of extra moving parts

The rear shaft is from an expedition not excursion

Removing the full time awd from the 5.0 trucks and installing a true 2wd 4hi and 4 low 4406 t case takes these trucks from a tire eating gas guzzling soccer mom suv to a real 4wd truck in one modification

Imo it is the single best mod you can do to a 5.0 explorer

 

[whisperer]

I’m in the camp of why would you want them to turn?

The Ranger stubs and Warn hubs are the logical choice.

How To: AVM Hub Conversion, 2006 Ranger

History In 1998, Ford changed the Ranger front suspension to a SLA style – identical to that found on Gen II Explorers (1995+) and Aerostar vans from 1989-ish. Identical except for one minor difference – the Ranger had locking hubs. The factory hubs were called PVM – Pulse Vacuum...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[CDW6212R]

I’m in the camp of why would you want them to turn?

...

So that you can engage 4WD while moving, so at any time.

 

[whisperer]

Don’t kill the messenger, go read that write up by a bunch of other EF guys…

My F150 and my Bronco and my Ranger and my 93 Explorer all have to stop to engage 4wd and lock in the hubs. No soccer mom **** in my shop.

 

[CDW6212R]

Don’t kill the messenger, go read that write up by a bunch of other EF guys…

My F150 and my Bronco and my Ranger and my 93 Explorer all have to stop to engage 4wd and lock in the hubs. No soccer mom **** in my shop.

Sure, I would brag about driving on roads at 45mph and see new snow and need the 4WD, and have to stop to engage the hubs. You brought up the question "innocently" of "...why would you want them to turn? "

I just answered that innocent question, so don't shoot the person answering that.

 

[410Fortune]

Because the aftermarket hubs for the vacuum hub rangers are not very good leaving your with another weak failure point

Those rugged ridge ranger hubs in that build thread are garbage
Several rangers in my family were converted from vacuum hubs to those rugged ridge and mile marker vacuum hubs when they first came out about 6 years ago. Shortly after that we decided they were a total waste of money after having about 4 of them fail during normal winter driving conditions

A weak hub is worse then no hub
There is nothing wrong with a “live axle” that is an axle that has its shafts spinning all the time, it may not be ideal when trying to get every horse power and every mpg but it’s way better than introducing a new failure point. Imo the stock vacuum setup in the 98-99 ranger is better then those crappy hubs.
Plus they were
Like $300 a set!!! Forget that noise

 

[CDW6212R]

Because the aftermarket hubs for the vacuum hub rangers are not very good leaving your with another weak failure point

Those rugged ridge ranger hubs in that build thread are garbage
Several rangers in my family were converted from vacuum hubs to those rugged ridge and mile marker vacuum hubs when they first came out about 6 years ago. Shortly after that we decided they were a total waste of money after having about 4 of them fail during normal winter driving conditions

A weak hub is worse then no hub
There is nothing wrong with a “live axle” that is an axle that has its shafts spinning all the time, it may not be ideal when trying to get every horse power and every mpg but it’s way better than introducing a new failure point. Imo the stock vacuum setup in the 98-99 ranger is better then those crappy hubs.
Plus they were
Like $300 a set!!! Forget that noise

Real world testing, that is precious. For everyone who may read that and appreciate it, thank you very much.


My needs are all on road, but if things went great, I might like to build a Ranger step side extended cab, for fun. With big tires etc, it could be a pretend I go off road project, like a lot you see on the road now, that may never see dirt.

 

[410Fortune]

Meanwhile the 2000-11 rangers and 97-01, explorers 02-04 sports/ tracs mountaineers Mazda b3000 and 4000 pickup trucks all doing daily service with no front hubs shifting from rwd or control trac to 4hi at the touch of a button or pull of a lever

Ford ditched the ranger hubs on the sla front suspension and so did we

I would love to build a center axle disconnect into my next
Sla ifs project but it will not be vacuum actuated, I have been holding onto a 96 front diff for over 10 years waiting for the right truck

 

[410Fortune]

No, the AVMs are not as strong as the live axle setup.

Compared to the Warn hubs, I would the AVMs are not quite as strong - but I could be mistaken. One thing I do not like about the AVMs are the way they mount - the body is plastic, and it just pushes onto the hub. It looks like a weak link to me.

In my case, this truck doesn't see serious off-road use, so I don't foresee a problem. dkchrist has AVMs on his truck, and has not had any problems - so I don't worry too much about them.

From that thread

I wonder if any ranger forums have reviews of those rugged ridge hubs? They have been on the market for a while now plenty of 98 rangers out there with the crappy
Pvh setup! Anytime I build a 98 I install explorer
Knuckles and if you use the right knuckles you can get the larger 02-11
Rotors

 

[CDW6212R]

Keep at it, we all love your projects and it gives others hope. I also have tons of parts I've collected for future plans, I could use a large garage just to organize those. I've got a KB 2.2 supercharger still in my spare closet, since buying it NOS almost 15 years back, I'm planning to sell it and upgrade to a 2.6 model.

 

[Josh P]

Keep at it, we all love your projects and it gives others hope. I also have tons of parts I've collected for future plans, I could use a large garage just to organize those. I've got a KB 2.2 supercharger still in my spare closet, since buying it NOS almost 15 years back, I'm planning to sell it and upgrade to a 2.6 model.

View attachment 424932

That would look good on anything I own.