4X4 not working

[rancher824]

Hello, I am new to this forum, as well as to working on 4WD. I have had my 97 Explorer for 3 1/2 years, but never had any problems with the 4wd until now. We have a lot of ice on the roads, so now is when I need 4WD. This morning I took it out to pull a neighbor out of the ditch. I put it in 4 Low. After getting them out, I drove back home in 4L ( 1/8 of a mile). Later I drove it about 2 miles in 4 high. I then pulled into a drive and let it idle for a few minutes. I then killed it and stepped away for a few minutes. When I went back to it I backed out, still in 4 high, onto the country road. I then put it in drive and tried to pull out up hill. I have pulled out of this drive several times onto this hill with no problems. But this time the rear end swung around. It took me some time to get it to straighten back up enough to back to the bottom of the hill. I then tried again. It went to fish telling and finaly swung the back end around again. I again worked it to get it straight enough to back down the hill. This time I had someone watch to see if my front tires were pulling. He said they were not. The 4WD light was on. I switched to 4Low. The light changed to 4low. I put it back into 4 high. I then drove to my shop (I am a building contractor) and jacked up the rear end. I put it in gear and the back tire I had up went to spinning, but the front did nothing. I then jacked up the front and tried turning the tire by hand. The drive shaft going back to the TC turned with the tire. I am wondering if I have TC troubles, of if it could be the TC motor, or if there is another possibility. Any help would be much appriciated. rancher824

 

[FordExplorerboy]

Mine does the same thing. I have a 93 and I can't see the front wheels spinning. I hear the t case engage and I can feel it pulling, but they just don't turn. I have been in mud many times and I have to call my neighbor to pull it out. Any ideas???

 

[rancher824]

OK, new info. I walked to my shop where I had parked my explorer for the weekend. I started it up and it kicked right into 4wd. I drove it 1 mile home, killed it and went in for a few minutes. I then started it and drove 1/8 mile, parked and let it idle for a few minutes. I then drove it the rest of the way back to my shop. When I killed it I felt it kick out of 4wd. I jacked back up the front end to verify. It will not go back in. Any ideas would be appriciated.
Rancher

 

[hrancherat]

I have a 1997 with a borg warner 4405 and it would do the same. You need too drop the t case and open her up. the shiftt fork may have only broke easy fix and about a $40 part. hopefully thats all it is.

 

[rancher824]

Thanks for the idea. I did decide last night to try changing the fluid. It was dank, but not black. After letting it drain I put my little finger into the drain hole. I found no metal shavings, but I did find a white piece of plastic that looks like a tooth. I would not think there would be a plastic gear in a TC. Not sure what that means. I may have to drop it and open it. If anyone can tell me what the piece of plastic might mean, again I would be thankful.

 

[scucci]

Read this sticky to see what the white plastic is:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182071

 

[gijoecam]

OK, new info. I walked to my shop where I had parked my explorer for the weekend. I started it up and it kicked right into 4wd. I drove it 1 mile home, killed it and went in for a few minutes. I then started it and drove 1/8 mile, parked and let it idle for a few minutes. I then drove it the rest of the way back to my shop. When I killed it I felt it kick out of 4wd. I jacked back up the front end to verify. It will not go back in. Any ideas would be appriciated.
Rancher

If there is tension in the driveline (i.e. drove in 4wd, pulled into a parking space with the wheels cut, then shut the car off) the 'kicking out' is normal. When you cut the ignition, it cuts power to the transfer case clutch coil, which releases the front half of the driveline. I wouldn't recommend doing that, but it shouldn't hurt anything.

I have a 1997 with a borg warner 4405 and it would do the same. You need too drop the t case and open her up. the shiftt fork may have only broke easy fix and about a $40 part. hopefully thats all it is.

If the shift fork was broken, it wouldn't stop the 4wd from engaging (unless the low range gears worked their way into the neutral position, in which case the truck wouldn't move in the first place). The shift motor/rail/fork is not involved with locking the t-case in any way on a second-gen. Its only job is to hold the low range gears in either the high or low position. That's it.