Brown Wire Mod for Control-Track

[brgates]

Am I right in that I read a post that said the Brown Wire Mod can't be done on my X because it has Control-Track instead of Select-Track. Is this true? If so is there anything I can do to disengage the AWD? I have a 1997 XLT 6 SOHC.

 

[Lee S.]

Dont know where you read that... Please post a link to the post.

Brown wire mod only works with control trac (dash switch says Auto, 4x4 high and 4x4 low). It does not work on awd (ie; fulltime 4wd).

 

[brgates]

I'm not sure what site I was at I was trying to print out the instructions for the Mod and I saw a post in the thread that said it would not work with Control Trac. I appreciate your clearing that up. Now I can try the Mod. Did you access the Brown wire from under the seat or behind the dash? Also do you think I need to use a switch with a relay or just a SPDT will work?

 

[Lee S.]

Cause I'm to lazy to answer my second BW thread of the day I'll refer you to this one: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144825

If you follow the links within it you will see pics of accessing the BW in either the dash or the floor.

I did mine in the dash and used a regular lighted switch without a relay.

 

[brgates]

Thanks again. I am going to tap the wire from under the seat and mount in in the center console.

 

[00XLS]

If you have AWD you can not do this mod.

 

[Roger84]

Hello everyone I am new and I just did the bw mod to my “x” and it works great. I got it finished last night and everything was awesome in till I got the citation for “improper start!!!” it one hell of a burnout though. So thanks for all the help with the mod. lee s. the pics were a big help. thanks to you it took me a total of about 30 min to install.

 

[Lee S.]

 

[BuzzisCrazy2]

Don't know what I did or didn't do but.............it didn't work, front end still pulls. Did the brown from dash.........

 

[Lee S.]

Don't know what I did or didn't do but.............it didn't work, front end still pulls. Did the brown from dash.........

Don't mean to be rude here but do you have a question? Hundreds of people have sucessfully done this mod so it does work when done correctly. Without knowing what you 'did or didn't do' we really can't be much help. Did you access the correct BW? Did you properly wire in a switch? How have you determined that the front still pulls (this can be deceptive since even with this mod, the front axles and drive shaft will still spin when the X is in motion. It's just that no power is being applied to the front thru the transfer case so you should not get the front to pull).

I'm guessing that you don't have the switch wired properly. Try removing the switch and leave the BW cut. Then drive it and see if the front still pulls. If it doesn't pull then the switch was not wired correctly.

 

[BuzzisCrazy2]

Yep, read the threads over and over..........cut the Spliced brown wire. Am currently the switch NOT connected and front tires are still spinning Sorry , guess it turned into a question........

 

[Lee S.]

Yep, read the threads over and over..........cut the Spliced brown wire. Am currently the switch NOT connected and front tires are still spinning Sorry , guess it turned into a question........

Beats me... Assuming you have control trac (your dash switch says 4x4 Auto, High and Low) and that you have accessed the correct BW then the only thing I can think of is that your transfer case is screwed up. Something may be causing it to be permanently stuck in 4wd.

 

[gijoecam]

Don't know what I did or didn't do but.............it didn't work, front end still pulls. Did the brown from dash.........

WHERE in the dash? There are three brown wires in the dash.... ome from the TOD relay, one from the TCS relay, and one that runs from the splice of the aforementioned two wires down to the transfer case. If you clipped the one from the TCS relay, that would explain it.... the TOD relay is still able to send the signal to the clutch coil.

I need to know exactly WHERE in the dash you clipped the wire to help troubleshoot it....

-Joe

 

[BuzzisCrazy2]

WHERE in the dash? There are three brown wires in the dash.... ome from the TOD relay, one from the TCS relay, and one that runs from the splice of the aforementioned two wires down to the transfer case. If you clipped the one from the TCS relay, that would explain it.... the TOD relay is still able to send the signal to the clutch coil.

I need to know exactly WHERE in the dash you clipped the wire to help troubleshoot it....

-Joe

Umm.....upper left, LOL

It was months ago.........I cut in at the "spliced" brown wire upper left looking at the pics posted, it then went down to a little box, (LEFT Side of duct) I might ad my wire coloring was way diffrent for the fog light Mod too.

 

[gijoecam]

OK, now we're getting somewhere....

The splice is also in the upper left side of the dash. Are you upstream or downstream from that?

I've got pics in my gallery if it'll help....

You can see the exposed splice here:

The top left one comes from the TCSrelay, the top right comes across from the TOD relay, and the one that runs down is the one that runs to the transfer case coil. As long as your switch is somewhere between the splice and the transfer case, you should be good. If you spliced on the up-stream leg between the splice and the TCS relay, that would explain your problem.



-Joe

 

[BuzzisCrazy2]

Yep, tapped in right there, at the "splice".That is where I coulda swore y'all said was the best place. Lord knows the stock 4.o cant spin the rears while the fronts in.

 

[gijoecam]

I don't have any trouble spinning the rears on dry pavement with the control trac off. In the rain, it's almost impossible not to. I usually turn it back on in the rain.

Have you tried it on a gravel road?

-Joe

 

[BuzzisCrazy2]

I live on a gravel road.............Front spins too.............on rain none spin.

I drive 150 miles a day, ready to yank front shaft :fire:

 

[gijoecam]

Unplug the transfer case alltogether and give it a whirl. The 4x4 lights will blink, but the transfer case clutch coil will definately be disconnected then. If the rear wheels don't spin by themselves, then the t-case is hosed and needs to be replaced.

Don't understand why you would want to yank the driveshaft though. You won;t save any mileage that way.

 

[gtrz]

I decided to go for the bw mod today. I only got as far as having the leads ready to go, they're running back up from beside the seat to underneath the dash. I think I'll try to put the switch in the panel under
the steering wheel. Anyway I just tried driving it and can't really tell a difference yet but I can't squeal em in my neighborhood. Hey I've searched quite a bit about the mod but couldn't find what anyone thought they would better for mileage doing this, any rough mpg increases someone could throw out? I have a 4.0 ohv control track and
I get 16 mpg.