How to: 4406 Shifting: How To

[5.0L96Exp]

Ok folks. Need a little help here. How do you properly shift a manual BW4406 in and out of ranges: Here’s what I gather so far (I'm sure it will all make sense when I actually get it installed).

What Ford has to say:
The 4406 manual shift and electronics shift transfer cases are three-piece magnesium design. Under normal driving conditions the unit is in 2H, but when desired, the operator may shift into 4H or 4L. The operator may shift from 2H to 4H or from 4H to 2H at any speed up to 88km’h (55mph). The vehicle must be less than 5km/h (3mph), the brake applied, and the transmission in NEUTRAL to shift into 4L. The unit is lubricated by a positive displacement fluid pump that channels fluid flow through holes in the rear output shaft.

The electromagnetic clutch is located inside the case. The clutch is used to spin up the front driveshaft when shifting from 2H to 4H at speed. When the shift lever is moved, it activates the 4WD indicator switch, 4WD electric clutch relay, and the clutch itself. When the TC front and rear output shafts are synchronized, the spring loaded lockup collar mechanically engages the mainshaft hub to the drive sprocket. Finally, the front axle collar is engaged and the clutch is deactivated.

The transfer case is set up as such:
a) 2H -> 4H -> TC Neutral -> 4L
b) 4L -> TC Neutral -> 4H -> 2H

Shift Knob:
1). When in 2H the floor shifter is pointed towards the dash. The TC lever is pointed all the way back towards the rear of the vehicle.

2). When in 4H the floor shifter is in the middle (pointing towards the sky) The TC lever is also pointed up.

3). When in 4L the floor shifter is towards the drivers seat. The TC lever is pointed towards the front of the vehicle.

Switching Ranges:
2H - 4H: Vehicle can be moving but must be traveling less than 45-60mph. While putting along, under light to moderate throttle shift from 2H - 4H.

4H - 4L: Stop the vehicle. You CANNOT Shift on the FLY from 4H to 4L. Place transmission in Neutral (maybe even Park if you’re having grindage). Wait 10 seconds. Place TC in 4L. Place transmission in gear. You’re now good to go.

4L - 4H: Stop the vehicle. You CANNOT Shift on the FLY from 4L to 4H. Place transmission in Neutral (maybe even Park if you’re having grindage). Wait 10 seconds. Place TC in Neutral. Wait 10 seconds. Pace TC in 4H. Place transmission in gear. You’re now good to go.

4H - 2H: Vehicle can be moving but must be traveling less than 45-60mph. While putting along, under light to moderate throttle shift from 4H - 2L.

2H - 4L: Bad.. Don’t do this..

4L - 2H: Bad.. Don’t do this..

Towing:
If the transfer case is in the Neutral position then both front and rear driveshaft are unlocked and the vehicle can be towed with all 4 wheels on the ground.

Fluid:
The BW 4406 uses MercronV? apx 2 quarts..

Shift Linkage:
How does the shift linkage "feel". When I pull back from 2H to 4H, there’s a distinct click. If I continue to pull back I would hit a shift block/stop keeping me from accidentally placing the TC into TC Neutral. To go into 4L from 4H I have to move the shift linkage towards my leg, pull down, pull towards console, and pull down into 4L passing straight through TC Neutral. Conversely If I am in 4L I pull to my leg and place in TC Neutral, pull towards console and place in 4H. From 4H I push towards dash into 2H.

Sloppy Feeling:
When I spin the input shaft (coming from the transmission) with the TC in 2H, there is minimal free play between the input shaft and rear driveshaft. Is this normal?

When I spin the input shaft (coming from the transmission) with the TC in 4H, there is a fair bit free play between the input shaft and rear driveshaft and a lot of in the front driveshaft. Is this normal?

When I spin the input shaft (coming from the transmission) with the TC in 4L, there is a small amount free play between the input shaft and rear driveshaft and a small amount in the front driveshaft. Is this normal?

Ratio:
2H 1:1
4H 1:1
4L 2.75:1 (approximately) (either way its killer)

Smoke Shows:
In 2H the rear driveshaft is mechanicly coupled to the transmission. There is no risk of burning up the TC or clutches (there arent any)?? The only burning will be the whole in your wallet after laying a stip of rubber 50 feet long from your 33's.

Please feel free to correct me if I have anything backwards.. As you may have guessed this is my 1st manual TC.

PS. If anyone has a close up picture of the shift linkage standing on edge, or some pictures with a ruler in the background it would be greatly appreciated (all 6 sides if possible). I cannot find the shift linkage and refuse to pay Ford $235 bucks for it.
Regards.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Nice post!

Neutral is between 4low and 4high. There isn't a click or solid feel to indicate when in neutral.

From what I have read the 4406 can be towed for a long way in neutral because the case has an internal oil pump to keep it lubricated that functions even in neutral. You can put the case in neutral with a driveshaft removed, turn the output and hear fluid moving inside the case.

Some free play is normal in any t case that I have seen.

I use Mercon V in my case at the advice of a Ford mechanic.

In my experience with the 4406, there have been a few times coming from 4low to 4high I got grinding while the trans in neutral. Its possible I didn't wait long enough to shift. With the case in between and the trans in neutral and the grinding sound, I tried to shift the trans to park, worse grinding. I have had to leave the trans in neutral, kill the engine, pull the case into 4high or 2high, then restart.

Other times, especially with it in 4low, if I come to a stop using the brakes, if I put it in park, I can't get it to come out of 4low. I put it in neutral and it seems the drive line relaxes, allowing me to shift the case.

 

['97 V8]

Nice post!

.

In my experience with the 4406, there have been a few times coming from 4low to 4high I got grinding while the trans in neutral. Its possible I didn't wait long enough to shift. With the case in between and the trans in neutral and the grinding sound, I tried to shift the trans to park, worse grinding. I have had to leave the trans in neutral, kill the engine, pull the case into 4high or 2high, then restart.

Other times, especially with it in 4low, if I come to a stop using the brakes, if I put it in park, I can't get it to come out of 4low. I put it in neutral and it seems the drive line relaxes, allowing me to shift the case.

I have the same experience. Nasty grinding when trying to go into park.

 

[Hokie]

I have the same experience. Nasty grinding when trying to go into park.

Is that the way it is on an F-150? I wouldn't expect that much grinding just to shift the transfer case.

 

['97 V8]

Is that the way it is on an F-150? I wouldn't expect that much grinding just to shift the transfer case.

It only happens when im going from 4lo to 4hi and i try to put the tranny in park. I think that electrical wire sticking out from the back prevent that???

 

[Turdle]

Ok
This is good discussion.
I'm all ears

 

[5.0L96Exp]

I have also heard that if you are stuck in 4L and can’t get out that you should try putting the truck on a slight incline facing up or down, then with foot on brake put transmission in neutral, move from 4L to 4H, let of brake real slow and the TC should pop into 4H.

In addition it is recommended by Ford to cycle through the ranges one or twice a month to keep things from getting stuck.

 

['97 V8]

I can only shift from 4lo to 4hi when stopped. If anything else, the case will stop at N and you wont be able to shift till you stop and are in Nuetral. Turning the engine off does help in the shifting from 4lo to 4hi as well.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Is that the way it is on an F-150? I wouldn't expect that much grinding just to shift the transfer case.

It only happens when im going from 4lo to 4hi and i try to put the tranny in park. I think that electrical wire sticking out from the back prevent that???

I think the wire is a shift interlock kind of thing, or maybe some kind of brake inside the case to prevent the grinding. My grandfather has the manual shift case in his 97, I've never experienced the grinding in his truck. I may look into how to hook up those extra wires and see if it stops the grinding.

Does anyone know the official crawl ratio for low?

 

[5.0L96Exp]

My TC was out of a 2001 F150 and the mystery Black/White wire doesnt appear to have ever been connected. It looks as thought it has some sort of factory plug stuck in the end to keep the dirt out.

I also believe the mystery wire is mechanical lock that prevents you from switching into or out of 4L while the vehicle is in motion. I suspect it would looks at the VSS or TCSS or RABS to sense motion. I’m curious to find out when it is energized. Further investigation is needed..

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I've got a Ford CD, will investigate the wiring diagrams tomorrow. I would suspect its a ground input since its only one wire......

 

[5.0L96Exp]

I've got a Ford CD, will investigate the wiring diagrams tomorrow. I would suspect its a ground input since its only one wire......

Ill keep updating Post #1 so that all the facts are in 1 place and all the discussion below.

 

['97 V8]

its 2.69:1 or 2.72:1, i cant recall exactly.

 

[AMMO_HOOAH]

Just my 2 cents, but I cant shift into 4lo anywhere but P. Even then I sometimes have to back up an inch and then try again. Yes there is a shift block between 4hi and N on the TC that's y the shift patter has a reverse L to it. I haven't done it often but if you get stuck in N (grinding on any movement) on the TC just kill the truck and try it. Might have to let the truck roll just a little though.

 

[GR899V8]

Wow this is a great thread, I just installed my 4406 manual yesterday and I have all these same questions.

I understood there was an electric clutch inside, but rather than use it to lock the front and back shafts so I shift on the fly, can I apply 12 volts and "lock" the transfer case output shafts when I wanted to? Is this the "torque on demand" thing?

Or are they "always locked" from the factory, meaning if the back is in the air would the front pull me out like a differential locker would if one wheel was in the air?

I just bought the shift linkage from Ford and it was $87.85 wholesale, and there's no way I would even try to make one, it's pretty complicated. Mine is a '99, so it may be different from yours...

 

[5.0L96Exp]

Ill have to post some pictures of my homebrew shift linkage.. It was a pretty ghetto operation. 1st i bought the shift linkage for 220, then i built my own from scrap I had laying around, then I returned the shift linkage and after I was reimbursed I showed the parts guy mine and asked if I could return it as well for another 220. He laughed and said I had too much time on my hands.

 

[gijoecam]

The mystery wire powers the electromagnetic clutch that would (ordinarily) be used to synch the front and rear driveshaft speeds when engaging it on the fly (The front shaft would ordinarily be stationary on an F-150). On an Exploder front end (or any live front end) with the front driveshaft spinning all the time at the road speed, it's unnecessary to synch them as the ground takes care of that for you.

As for the grinding, what's likely happening is that as soon as the lever pulls the reduction gears into the neutral never-never land, the input shaft from the trans begins to spin. If you happened to be in drive or reverse when this happens, the shaft is guaranteed to spin, hence the reason you need to shut the engine off to get it back in gear. Now, if you happened to be in gear with the transfer case in neutral, and throw the shifter into park, the trans output is spinning and all of a sudden makes a horrible grinding as the park pawl tries to engage the output shaft, just like if you were driving normally and threw it into park. It's not a big deal, but not a pretty sound either.

If you're quick, shifting from high to low is possible in gear, but if you hesitate at all, it's gonna grind. If you're rolling at a creep, it often makes it easier to engage the low range set. Every so often, if you're stopped, you'll hit that spot where the gears butt-heads and don't want to mesh. Creping forward or backwards will generally allow them to mesh without too much difficulty.

Hope that helps.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I thought the F150's used a live front end?? My grandpa's 97 has a manual 4406, no hubs. Do the have a vac diso front axle?

 

[gijoecam]

I thought the F150's used a live front end?? My grandpa's 97 has a manual 4406, no hubs. Do the have a vac diso front axle?

Yeah... essentially the system the 97-03/04 Heritage F-150s is a super-sized front axle from the 95/96 Explorer. It uses a pair of vacuum solenoids to control the center-axle disconnect, so in 2wd, the driveshaft, pinion, and diff carrier doesn't move. The halfshafts are solidly splined to the hubs, and bolted to the axle shafts, so the spider gears spin in the carrier, but the carrier itself can stop spinning.

The transfer cases are, of course, drastically different.

-Joe

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Humm, so when you pull the manual shift t case into 4wd, it locks the disconnect on the front diff I guess. I didn't know it did that. I just assumed it was a live axle. Weird.