Automatic 4x4

[mental_help]

I was reading a thread about how to engage a manual 4x4 it said you had to turn the hubs and drive at a slow pace and then press the 4x4.
So I was wondering is the part in bold the same on the automatic? Because I thought I had to be in neutral then press it. But if the part in bold is how you do it it would explain why my 4x4 doesn’t work.

 

[Phager]

My understanding is that you need the vehicle rolling for 4H to engage, although I think you have to be stopped for 4L.

Pat

 

[Lt.Jim]

4H hit the button and go with auto hubs. 4L stop shift into neutral hit the button wait for the clunk shift into gear and go with auto hubs. For manual hubs its different. Manual hubs you have to lock the hubs in by hand before doing anything in 4H or 4L.

 

[DeRocha]

Are you having a problem with your HUBS locking, or with shifting the T-case into 4x4 by pressing the dash buttons?

If your problem is with shifting into 4x4 then forget about your hubs. Hubs put the power to the tires but don't play any part in shifting the T-case into or out of 4x4.

The electronic 4x4 system is shift on the fly (In high mode). As such you can press 4x4 (High) @ any speed and the shift motor will shift the T-case from 2H to 4H. Press 4x4 again and the shift motor will shift the T-case back to 2H. If nothing happens when you press the 4x4 High button then you have a problem with the shift motor or its computer. See Shift motor rebuild Thread for info on removing the shift motor and getting it working again (very common problem on 1st gen explorers).

Shifting into 4x4 Low (*note the T-case must be in 4x4H or the shift computer will ignore the 4x4 Low button)

1. Press 4x4 High
2. Put transmission in "N"
3. Depress Clutch on manual transmissions
4. Press 4x4 Low (speed must be <3mph or button ignored)

Shifting out of 4x4 Low

1. Put transmission in "N"
2. Depress Clutch on manual transmissions
3. Press 4x4 Low (speed must be <3mph or button ignored)
4. Press 4x4 High

Because of the extreme stress put on the driveline by 4x4 low the 4x4 computer will ignore the 4x4 Low button unless the vehicle speed is under mph).

 

[Phager]

One thing to note. If you've had a front brake job done recently check for excessive grease inside the hubs. After I bought my X last January I had the brakes done in front and noticed that I had lost 4WD not long after. This term I'm doing a steering, suspension and brakes course and while doing a brake inspection I pulled the hub covers and found that the shop I took it into had put a bunch of grease in the hubs. It took half a roll of paper towels to clean out the majority of the grease.

I swear, I don't know how some people get hired at shops.

Pat