4WD wont engage

[BlueBeast19]

A few weeks ago, I engaged 4WD using my push button 4x4 button....and heard a clunking noise. Drove on it fine, disengaged. The other day, I tried to put it into 4WD to no avail? What is wrong?

 

[Crankcase]

Did you drive on dry roads with it turned on?

 

[BlueBeast19]

A few times...what did I mess up? Now that I think about it, the lights beside the buttons don't even turn on anymore. Could that be another possible cause? Please tell me what I messed up, how much it would cost to fix it, and could I fix it myself. Thanks.

 

[MrShorty]

It's is very common for the electric shift motor to get dirty and seize, that I'd make sure the motor is working. There are instructions around here for disassembling and cleaning the motor (explorer maintenance on the resources page here). Also make sure the motro is getting power.

 

[Bashman]

As Crankcase is suggesting, 1st Gen Exploders aren't meant to be driven in 4wd on dry pavement. Doing this will seriously harm your hubs. If you have blown your auto hubs, most people here agree to switch to manual as they are cheaper. If you're lucky, it might be as little as the shift motor.

 

[BlueBeast19]

As little as the shift motor? How much will a brand new shift motor cost me? And how much will the conversion kit to manual hubs run? How difficult is it to perform this conversion? Thanks a lot.

 

[Nate1]

There is only one member on this site that I know of that needed a brand new shift motor. Most of the time the motor needs only to be dissassembled and cleaned... and then reassembled and it works good as new.
Manual hubs are cheaper and sturdier, as far as conversion prices, check www.4wheelparts.com or similar sites (I have a hubless explorer, so I don't know much about the prices).

I would guess if you can rebuild your shift motor you could probably do a manual hub conversion.

 

[Crankcase]

The lights that are supposed to come on when you press the button don't even come on?...I would check to see if the connector is loose behind the switch, or at the 4X4 module in the rear....

 

[JDraper]

Check this link out. Dead Link Removed . It will probably solve your problem. If it were the hubs, the lights on the dash would still come on. Bets on dirty xfer case motor contacts.

 

[Fhantazm]

Originally posted by nweibley
There is only one member on this site that I know of that needed a brand new shift motor. Most of the time the motor needs only to be dissassembled and cleaned... and then reassembled and it works good as new.
Manual hubs are cheaper and sturdier, as far as conversion prices, check www.4wheelparts.com or similar sites (I have a hubless explorer, so I don't know much about the prices).

I would guess if you can rebuild your shift motor you could probably do a manual hub conversion.

That member would be ME. It ALWAYS works out that way, im never able to take the easy route.

But the motor will cost you about $275, and if you get a shop to do it, depending on how bad they want to bend you over, your looking at about $75 labor.

The hub conversion kit with all parts will run you about $100-120 depending.

 

[Shurup]

Hub conversion kit ($35-$45 + shipping) is actuallya set of 4 nuts and 2 washers. If I knew that, I would have pulled it from a truck on a junk yard for couple bucks.

To convert to manual it took me 2 days for left wheel and 10 minutes for right wheel.