5.0 2to4wd 4406 and tons

[Mbrooks420]

I wouldn’t run it any more that low on atf. Be a shame to foam up the little fluid in there and burn your pump and glaze over your clutches.

 

[410Fortune]

the linkage is actually adjustable, make sure the little metal tab that stops the level at the 4hi position is in the correct spot.....
Once the trans is full and running through the gears you should be able to get 4hi if you opened the floor wide enough to get the lever around the gate

So the way this works is we put 4-5 quarts in the pan, then start the engine let it run
Adding more then 5 quarts to the empty pan without engine running, can have it coming out the dipstick or breather tube........

Now run the trans slowly through all gears, add a quart, run through gears, add a quart...
it will take 10-14 quarts depending on how much you drained from the trans and converter
I also add a bottle of lubeguard red
With engine warm and engine at idle in park, adjust level on dipstick
Take some ATF with you and a funnel on the first few test drives

 

[Scotts96sploder]

Thank you! I will follow those directions right after I seal up the transfer case/transmission connection. I just bolted it up to make sure everything fits and didn’t seal it, so I’ll have to pull it back down and do that correctly. I poured 4 more quarts in to see what would happen and it leaks a bit from there, so apparently that whole cavity fills up. I don’t remember dropping a bunch of fluid from there in any of the several I’ve pulled apart, but whatever lol.
How is the linkage adjusted? Do you just loosen the whole assembly and rotate it a bit? I’ll have to stare at it, but the lever is just one bolt and it mounts with two, so where is the adjustment? Hole is plenty big, went full butcher lol.

Edit: looked at a video of me assembling the thing. The lever rides on a bolt with a spring and what looks like a lock nut. Is that the adjuster?

 

[Blown]

Yup, the tails haft housing holds some fluid and filling the tranny a completely drained unit is different than a refill or fluid change. Filling from the top does not fill that housing until you point the rig uphill.

Go Man Go! What axles??? Tars size? What are you building for, to wheel?

 

[Scotts96sploder]

Plan is for D50 and sterling (f250 axles) on leafs probably unless some extra money comes up before that point. Tires will be at least 37 if not up to 40, I would like to put the same wheel/tire combo on my excursion so I have 10 of the same wheel and have backups for everything. I even have an idea of building a little trailer on two more making 12. Lol
Building it to screw around in, not get stuck. I’m in Florida, no rocks to speak of, just mud and sand, Also hurricanes that like to flood everything. I already made a snorkel for emergencies like that. Hurricane response type vehicle thing. Pulling trees out of roadways and getting cars out of water. Low gears and some extra weight should be able to handle that.

 

[Josh P]

37s look small on an excursion. My roommate has a set and wants to go bigger.

 

[Scotts96sploder]

Well that one I want to keep stockish. Which apparently I like to do things the hard way, because this one is currently 2wd and independent also. But I have a buddy that had all the parts and is going to do the front end swap to solid on leafs for me. I’ll just have to figure out the transmission after that. Put a mild lift to fit 37ish so it’s calm enough for the wife to still drive it. This is the family/toy hauler. That’s also why I don’t necessarily want to jump straight to 40s with the explorer so I can make it all the same. Also have half an idea to build that trailer using the ibeams that will be coming out of the excursion. Not sure how that will tow, but just an idea.

 

[Scotts96sploder]

Had a short day at work so I pulled that transfer case and got it reinstated with a gasket and rtv. Had some atf coming out of that little weep hole in the tail shaft if the trans, so I figured I would drain a little from a red plug in the pan. That worked but now the red plug leaks. Is that a factory thing or should I swap it out for the other pan I have with no plug?
I’m going to need some clarification on the adjustment for the shift linkage. I fiddled with everything to make it shift into 4hi (not running) and it seems to be throwing short by about 3/16” on the stop. I took a pic of where it has to be to positively shift into 4hi. Kind of wondering if I need to replace the plastic plates on that fork, or is that actually an adjustment issue? It’s a little hard to tell, but I basically have to shift to neutral and then back to 4hi to get it to click in.

 

[Mbrooks420]

That red plug is just to keep debris out. It needs a real plug.

 

[Scotts96sploder]

@Mbrooks420 do you happen to know a size/part number? I couldn’t find anything other than replacement pans. Which, if I end up pulling the pan, I’ll change the filter. Is it worth getting one of those solenoid kits while I have it open?

 

[410Fortune]

that red plug is from the machine the junk yard uses to punch a hole in the pans and extract the fluid
You need a new pan, dorman makes a nice pan with a threaded plug in it, not too expensive

The 4406 linkage is slightly adjustable, it pivots on the large bolt and clamps down with the small bolt, the small amount of adjustment is so you can match the 4hi detent in the trans case shift lever with the little metal stop on the shift arm bracket. That is all that is required.

 

[Scotts96sploder]

Ok pan it is. Those are all over cramazon, and there are also a bunch of service kits that come with solenoids. Is it worth changing those? Are they high fail items?
I think I’ll cut the whole larger so I can access the large side bolt on the linkage better and fiddle with that till it works. Thanks again!!

 

[410Fortune]

what year is the trans and how many miles on it?

 

[Scotts96sploder]

@410Fortune i want to say 99 and 150k, but that was a couple years ago, could be wrong about the numbers. Can you tell by the neutral safety switch for year? It was different from the 96.

DRIVESHAFT! One step closer. It hangs out of the tail shaft housing about an 1-1/4 more than stock, but that’s how the 2wd was because of the spring under. Not worried about it anyway, swapping for tons asap. Fairly tight clearance from the yolk to the tank, whatever, let it make its own room lol.

Pan, fill, maybe fix the power steering leak I just found, and test! I’m excited!

Did i mention y’all are a huge help? I really appreciate it!

 

[410Fortune]

Looks like a good position for the slip yoke you want to have a bit of plunge available at ride height

1999 has the latest solenoids and wiring internal no need to change solenoids unless they have issues

96-97 uses a analog dtrs (digital trans range sensor) and has additional wires feeding the solenoid pack

98-01 use an actual digital dtrs and there are fewer wires going into the solenoids

 

[Scotts96sploder]

I guess I’d better pull the pan a have a look before I go get a filter. Looks like they change a bit between years. I’ll see if I can’t find a new pan local before the weekend, if not I will use the one off the 2wd, and just throw in a filter, and this time fill it correctly lol.
The Dakota digital box is supposed to be here today. I’m about to re-read that whole thread. Plan is to just extend the vss wiring to the 4406 and run off that.
I think my neighbor has a stump in his front yard that could stand to be pulled out. Might ask him if I can yank it out for him to test out the low range lol

 

[Scotts96sploder]

SUCCESS!!!
Pan and filter in, case mostly filled, trans filled to 9q (all they had) and it’s currently over the high mark which I assume will go down after a road test.
No leaks or weird noise. It does shift into reverse kinda hard, but it turns the back wheels both ways in the air. Road test tomorrow.
Can we guess at the year of the trans by the electronics? (Pic)
Case freaking shifts! Decided to just try it, neutral on the brake, shift, D, and let go, both outputs turn with no funny noise! I guess the click in the case is different when it’s actually turning from the trans or something idk. That’s a really short throw also, kinda wish it was more positive of a throw and click, but whatever. Explains why people want the 4wd indicator to light up.
Ok still getting the O/D off flash but no CEL until I shift gears and start moving things. I’m hoping that’s all from the vss being disconnected. The box will be here today, might try to play with that tomorrow, definitely this weekend. I’ll pull the codes to make sure there is nothing else wrong tomorrow after work.
Tomorrow is the last day of June, so it’s ironic that my rig transitioned to a technically 4wd this month.
Sorry for the dad jokes, I’ll see myself out.

 

[410Fortune]

that is a 99-01 version it has the hard wiring harness
fluid bright red looks good!
Exciting!!
I got flamed for my sandals! Put your flame suit on

 

[Scotts96sploder]

There was some shmoo on the magnet, but I figure that’s probably normal. The factory plug was not there (that’s a thing right?) so someone has been in here. Hope that a good and not a bad thing….

 

[Scotts96sploder]

@410Fortune so I’m reading through these directions on the DDbox and trying to understand which signals were trying to sync here.
Old vss was gear driven, no clue what the output is. New one is a tone ring spinning max around 8k rpm that’s divided by however many nubs are on the ring. So I need to convert a (guessing) 8-16k ppm signal to what?
I assume I can just wire the sensor directly to the box, give this thing ground and 12 and connect the correct output to whatever wire in the gem?
I read your write up on the other forum, but I think this application is a little different.