4x4 issue from retard

[adamn1]

Hi people,

I know there are a ton of 4x4 troubleshooting threads but i dont understand technical speak.

I have a 1992 Explorer fitted with Manual Warn Hubs, the problem is the 4x4 button does nothing on the dash. I dont hear clicking or anything... The light is on as is the 4x4 indicator on the instrument cluster.

The car is definitely in 2wd as the rear tires will spin, but i imagine i shouldn't keep driving it like i am, maybe the transfer case is in 4x4 mode or something - as the title suggests I am a mechanical retard

Is there a manual way i can get this off? if there is would you mind explaining it so a 4 year old could do it?

I'd really appreciate the help, i cannot afford a garage to look at it as i am expecting a child son and i'm poor. really poor.

Cheers!

 

[Titan09]

Okay, I'll try and help if I can

If the light is on, it's definitely not the switch, and it's probably not an issue with the computer. It might be the electronic shift motor that's connected to the transfer case. When you lock in your manual hubs and press the button, illuminating the light on the switch and on the instrument panel, does your FRONT drive line still rotate freely? If it does, it's probably because your electronic shift motor is very dirty or simply not working at all. You might want to try hitting it with a hammer to see if that does anything.

Keep in mind that when you aren't in 4x4, ONLY the REAR drive line spins. The only time the front one should spin at all is when you are in 4x4. Simply put, if it's not spinning (or you can rotate it by hand if you're not moving), you're not in 4WD (obviously). It seems like it's something to do with the transfer case. If it's not the electronic switch motor, then I can't really help you. By the way, the shift motor is the part attached to the transfer case that the plug comes out of (the wires go between the 4x4 computer in the trunk to the shift motor).

Hopefully I was clear in my explanation. I certainly don't pretend to be an expert, and am only speaking from my own experience. I'm sure someone else can give you a more detailed diagnosis.

 

[adamn1]

cheers for the reply, when it was snowing the hubs were locked and it certainly in 4wd. I bought it from a friend in the snow so i didnt check the 4wd like an idiot.... now i have unlocked them it is definitly in 2wd (due to rear wheel spinnage) but pressing the button does jack diddly squat and the light is still on.

he thinks it is always on because of the manual warn hubs. i think thats rubblish. can i kill him?

 

[Titan09]

I'd just give him a few light slams...that ought to teach him a lesson

The hubs aren't the only thing that differentiates 2WD from 4WD. By this I mean that the hubs don't mean much if your front drive line isn't getting any power. The way it works is that there is a connection from the engine to the transmission, then from the transmission to the transfer case, then from the transfer case to the front and rear drive lines. In essence, the transfer case acts like a second transmission on 4WD and AWD models. A gear in the transfer case determines which driveline receives power. Either the rear driveline gets power (4x2 aka 2WD mode), or the rear AND the front driveline get power equally (4x4 aka 4WD mode).

When the front driveline spins, and the hubs are locked, then it locks in the axle so that both the front and the rear receive power from the transfer case equally. If your front driveline isn't spinning, however, all of the power is going to the rear axle, and you aren't in true 4WD. So if your front driveline isn't getting any power (aka it isn't locking in nor is it spinning when you're SUPPOSED to be in 4x4), then it's your transfer case - either the shift motor's not working right or it's the transfer case itself.

 

[adamn1]

so its safe to say that the axle is spinning because when i lock the hubs it rocks into 4WD.

So do I worry about the 4x4 light or not? does it matter that the axle is spinning as i'm not locking the hubs??

 

[Titan09]

Something I just figured out from looking at mine (and I obviously overlooked it before) was that there's a speed sensor that determines when the transfer case sends power to the front driveline. Now, if you lock in your hubs, but DON'T engage the 4x4, when the front wheels spin (as a result from the rear wheels spinning, getting power from the transfer case, and the vehicle moving forward), your front driveline WILL spin, but not because it's getting power from the transfer case. One of the cases of what the speed sensor can do is determine when to send power from the transfer case to the front drive line.

So, let's say you lock in the hubs, and you push the 4x4 button. It's possible that nothing may happen at first. What the speed sensor will do is determine when the front wheels start spinning more slowly than the rear wheels, and when that happens, it determines, "Okay, the front tires are spinning slower, so I'll send power to the front drive line", and that's when you're in real 4WD.

Probably contradictory to what I said before, the hubs being locked in will make the front driveline spin because of the front wheels spinning. Hence, the driveline will spin, but it will still be in neutral, because it's not receiving power from the transfer case. This isn't recommended as it can tear up your front end.

In short, the only time you should lock in your hubs for any extended period of time before you engage your 4x4 is when you know that you're going to be getting in a pinch, and there will be a case where the rear wheels will either break away, or the front wheels will start spinning more slowly (such as when you're going up a hill on a trail or you're getting stuck). Yes, you should still be concerned with the light. That lets you know that the transfer case is ready to start sending power to the drive line, if necessary.

As far as I've discovered, only 1992-1994 models for the first generation have the speed sensor.

 

[adamn1]

i appreciate you writing that up, but to be honest i was lost shortly after "something.."

the button the dash does nothing so i dont think you magnificant typed up thingy will help me, sorry....

shoudl i worry about the 4x4 light being on? when i lock the hubs the car is in 4x4, when i unlock them it isnt, but the button on the dash will not turn the light out. Should I care?

 

[Titan09]

Unlocking the hubs won't automatically disengage the transfer case. If you had auto hubs, pushing the button again would unlock the hubs and disengage the transfer case. There are wires going to the hubs that lock them, but the manual hubs obviously lack these. After you unlock the hubs, just push the button on the dash again and it should shut off.

To ensure that the switch is working properly, and the signal is being sent to the computer, take the panel off that exposes the computer and the windshield washer reservoir, and there's a red light underneath the computer. If the light is on, the light on the dash should be on, and it's in 4x4 mode. If the light's off, then it's not, and the light on the dash shouldn't be on either. If you push the button and the red light doesn't go off, then I'd check for loose connections and shorts.

 

[adamn1]

AH HA! I am beginning to understand... told you i was slow.

I unllock the hubs drive away, but the button does nothing with the hubs locked or unlocked.

so where is this panel thing you mentioned? remember simple enough a child can understand. i have a headache already..

you rock by the way.

 

[JDraper]

Most likely the shift motor on your transfer case is frozen. It's a common problem. It can be re-built or replaced by someone with mechanical knowledge.

Will it hurt to leave your truck operating the way it is? Not really, but you will hurt your gas mileage. Should you care? Yes..it is putting more wear on the drivetrain right now.

 

[Titan09]

Most likely the shift motor on your transfer case is frozen. It's a common problem. It can be re-built or replaced by someone with mechanical knowledge.

Will it hurt to leave your truck operating the way it is? Not really, but you will hurt your gas mileage. Should you care? Yes..it is putting more wear on the drivetrain right now.

This is what I was saying at first, but now it just seems that you aren't pressing the button after you lock or unlock your hubs, and you do have to do that.

The panel I'm talking about is on the left side of the cargo area. It's the door held in with two latches. Behind the door is your jack, windshield washer reservoir, and 4x4 computer (from back to front, respectively). The 4x4 computer is basically a black box with three plugs going into it. Two in the front, and one in the back. There is a small LED on the bottom of the computer, and that's what you want to look at when you press the switch. Press the switch, and see if the light comes on.

As JDraper said, the shift motor issue is what I'm currently having with mine. I'm planning on taking my shift motor out, disassembling it, and cleaning it.

 

[adamn1]

thanks guys, sorry if i wasnt being clear I am pressing the button. I will check out the light thing too....

Are these easy to replce these shift motors? There are a couple on ebay for like $50.

Could you do it yourself with minimal intellingence or is it something a techy dude has to do.

 

[Titan09]

Detaching it from the transfer case isn't hard...It's just a few bolts. Disassembling it, however, is a different story, as you have to worry about making sure that everything's in the right place and aligned correctly when you do clean it and put it back together. If you know someone who's mechanically savvy enough to do it for you, here's a thread on the forums that shows how to do it. I have it bookmarked for when I do it myself. It's very detailed, and will most likely be of assistance to anyone who does it

 

[JDraper]

The hubs are totally independent of the 4x4 light on the dash. It doesn't matter if you have manual hubs or auto hubs. The light on the dash is an indicator that tells you if the transfer case is in 4wd mode or not. From what you're describing, the case is stuck in 4wd mode and won't come out. If you had the auto hubs, you would be permanantly stuck in 4wd as long as the light is on the dash. Fortunately you have the manual hubs, so you can override the system and have the truck operate as though it were in 2wd mode because it releases the front wheels from the drivetrain.

You can press the button with the hubs locked or unlocked, there is no right or wrong order to do it in.

Again, if you are pressing the 4WD button and nothing is happening, 99% of the time the problem lies in the transfer case shift motor. As mentioned above, you can check the module in the jack compartment to see if a signal is being sent. If you are getting a signal through the module, then the next step is the shift motor.

 

[adamn1]

you guys are aces. I'll check if that light is on tonight. Now all I have to do is figure out how to fix the busted armrest too.... I have a new hinge but no clue how to attach it to the armrest