Brown Wire Mod, Yeah yeah i know.

[281exploder]

Hi Everybody, looking to get a proper post for 2002-2005 explorer/mountaineer brown wire mod. before you say "go search its already been posted before" go look at the past posts for BWM, in my personal opinion as a first time user on this forum it was pretty frustrating going through page after page of nonsense, people arguing, people spewing misinformation, people going off topic, just not being helpful. I don't mean to compare apples to oranges but I've seen better forums byfar.

Back on topic, if we can get a proper post about BWM, best place to locate and splice, what does it do and what's the point of the mod as well as pros and cons, etc. I'm finally getting around to doing this old mod myself and would sincerely appreciate some proper information. thank you in advance to the people who actually want to help out. have a good day yall.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Hi Everybody, looking to get a proper post for 2002-2005 explorer/mountaineer brown wire mod. before you say "go search its already been posted before" go look at the past posts for BWM, in my personal opinion as a first time user on this forum it was pretty frustrating going through page after page of nonsense, people arguing, people spewing misinformation, people going off topic, just not being helpful. I don't mean to compare apples to oranges but I've seen better forums byfar.

Back on topic, if we can get a proper post about BWM, best place to locate and splice, what does it do and what's the point of the mod as well as pros and cons, etc. I'm finally getting around to doing this old mod myself and would sincerely appreciate some proper information. thank you in advance to the people who actually want to help out. have a good day yall.

Not sure if this holds true with the 3rd gens, so take this with a grain of salt, but on the 2nd gens (4auto, 4H, 4L), the BWM lets you manually disable all 4x4, so you get 2H, 2H, 2L. Its helpful if you have a front locker, but for open diff fronts, the difference is sort of none, unless you want to do burnouts/slide in the snow.

As far as location, I can't speak for the 3rd gens.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

How to: - The Comprehensive Brown Wire Mod Thread

Per Rick's request, this will be come the comprehensive brown wire mod thread. It will (hopefully) save a lot of reading through the twenty-some page original thread. (Rick, please note I will upload my images directly to my EF gallery as soon as I can find a program that will allow me to...

www.explorerforum.com

Here is the thread I followed again its for the 2nd gens but I think the results should be similar on a 3rd gen.

For anyone reading this: This thread does not apply to the 3rd gens! It is for the 2nd gens, and seems not to apply to 3g. I'll say it again for the kids in the back: NOT FOR 3g!!!!!

(end)

 

[Flashflood]

Hi Everybody, looking to get a proper post for 2002-2005 explorer/mountaineer brown wire mod. before you say "go search its already been posted before" go look at the past posts for BWM, in my personal opinion as a first time user on this forum it was pretty frustrating going through page after page of nonsense, people arguing, people spewing misinformation, people going off topic, just not being helpful. I don't mean to compare apples to oranges but I've seen better forums byfar.

Back on topic, if we can get a proper post about BWM, best place to locate and splice, what does it do and what's the point of the mod as well as pros and cons, etc. I'm finally getting around to doing this old mod myself and would sincerely appreciate some proper information. thank you in advance to the people who actually want to help out. have a good day yall.

I don't see the point in doing the brown wire mod. Except for maybe if you want your traction control doing the work instead of the transfer case. Plus it's not like a 95 through 96 where to make your 4wd lock you kinda had to do this mod. Good luck anyhow.

 

[281exploder]

I don't see the point in doing the brown wire mod. Except for maybe if you want your traction control doing the work instead of the transfer case. Plus it's not like a 95 through 96 where to make your 4wd lock you kinda had to do this mod. Good luck anyhow.

Appreciate the responses everybody.

from what I understand, the start of the 3rd gen explorers didn't have traction control switch until 2005, so if you owned a 2002-2004 and wanted a traction control switch then you would have to do the BWM. Also from my understanding let's just say you make a wide turn at full lock in a 2002-2004 and the front tires loose traction the 4wd auto will automatically kick in as to replicate traction control which it does a really good job at but i would like to fully disable all power to the front so it doesnt do the common 3rd gen "shudder". I want to install a traction control switch like the 2005 and up explorers that have the traction control switch where the cup holders are. now instead of putting the switch where the cup holders are which is pretty stupid, I want to put it where the blank accessory switches are.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I did it because of the attatched image haha its fun in 2wd

Also its helpful sometimes if Im on the ramp in 4L (if its wet/slippery) and I need to turn, I can put it in 2L just to turn then back to 4L

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Also from my understanding let's just say you try to do a burn out in a 2002-2004. 4wd auto will automatically kick in as to replicate traction control which it does a really good job at but i would like to fully disable all power to the front thats what I'm after.

Yes if you want to do a burnout it will send power to the front without the BWM (meaning no burnout without the BWM)

 

[281exploder]

I did it because of the attatched image haha its fun in 2wd

Also its helpful sometimes if Im on the ramp in 4L (if its wet/slippery) and I need to turn, I can put it in 2L just to turn then back to 4L

View attachment 457851

these are exactly the reasons why this mod peaks my interest and is something I want to do. how many miles have you put on it since BWM, how has it held up?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

these are exactly the reasons why this mod peaks my interest and is something I want to do. how many miles have you put on it since BWM, how has it held up?

I want to say I did it back in 2021 so that would mean I have about 20k on it since then. I have had no issues with it, still worked as of a month ago when I slid it on some dirt haha.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

If youre in Morgan Hill Anderson is right in your backyard! Perfect location for boating haha. Id say I use it most offroad, second is the ramp... other than that I usually leave it in 4A since I have no reason not to haha

 

[281exploder]

If youre in Morgan Hill Anderson is right in your backyard! Perfect location for boating haha. Id say I use it most offroad, second is the ramp... other than that I usually leave it in 4A since I have no reason not to haha

yes sir I'm in morgan hill, i actually live up in the anderson lake hills by henry coe state park. also i haven't taken the explorer to hollister hills yet but i try and go there at least once or twice a year.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

yes sir I'm in morgan hill, i actually live up in the anderson lake hills by henry coe state park. also i haven't taken the explorer to hollister hills yet but i try and go there at least once or twice a year.

Then perfect spot for lake days!

Hollister is another great spot for some wheeling! My backyard (somewaht) is Gorman

 

[281exploder]

Then perfect spot for lake days!

Hollister is another great spot for some wheeling! My backyard (somewaht) is Gorman

sounds like your oddly close! I don't have any social media but maybe we can go wheeling soon or something. I'm about to order a set of American racing baja 16x8 wrapped in some 30's falken wildpeak at4w 245/75/16 and that's when the fun begins.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

sounds like your oddly close! I don't have any social media but maybe we can go wheeling soon or something. I'm about to order a set of American racing baja 16x8 wrapped in some 30's falken wildpeak at4w 245/75/16 and that's when the fun begins.

5 hour drive north for me to get up there haha. Sounds like a fun build keep us posted.

 

[wollimann]

The easyest way for second/third model 4.0 explorers is to cut the brown wire directly
at the transfercase. Connecting a solid switch with tough wires, routing the wires through the transmission tunnel
and connecting them with the two ends at the transfer case, maybe with removable connectors.
Some videos on youtube...
_

I am using the BWM with 4low for pushing back our sometimes heavy loaded firewood trailer.
On a 2gen it dosen't throw any trouble codes with BWM.

 

[281exploder]

update: went looking for the brown wire but couldn't find it at all. looked under the glove box, looked under the passenger kick panel, looked at the 4x4 switches and there was no brown wire at all. I'm not quite sure what I'm missing here. to top it off I go on YouTube and there's only one guy that did it to a 3rd gen and he was tapping in to a grey/red wire. I haven't even wired anything yet and I'm pretty pissed already. all these posts with zero valuable info. same with YouTube. what the **** do I have some special ford explorer that doesn't have a single brown wire? Come on people, this is getting ridiculous. I may wear glasses but I sure as he'll ain't color blind.

I haven't checked the transfer case because i live on a hill and want to do all the wiring in the cab but that's my next course of action.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

update: went looking for the brown wire but couldn't find it at all. looked under the glove box, looked under the passenger kick panel, looked at the 4x4 switches and there was no brown wire at all. I'm not quite sure what I'm missing here. to top it off I go on YouTube and there's only one guy that did it to a 3rd gen and he was tapping in to a grey/red wire. I haven't even wired anything yet and I'm pretty pissed already. all these posts with zero valuable info. same with YouTube. what the **** do I have some special ford explorer that doesn't have a single brown wire? Come on people, this is getting ridiculous. I don't wear glasses but I sure as he'll ain't color blind.

I haven't checked the transfer case because i live on a hill but that's my next course of action. I was just really hoping I can wire it all in the cab. guess not.

Let me do some research. The brown wire mod initially came about on the 2nd gens, and most of the info is for the 2nd gens, so perhaps the color changed for 3rd gen?

Sorry, I wrongfully assumed the 3rd gens would be in a similar location as the 2nd gens (since both are called BWM haha) I will update that post accordingly so no one is misled into thinking the 3g would be like the 2g. Sorry aghain.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Perhaps this may be applicable: BWM Brown Wire Mod 3rd Gen

"
"In 04 the 4x4 Control Module was obsoleted, hence no brown wire in the kickpanel.
For 04, read back though this thread, you have to get it in the engine compartment, I believe on the drivers side of the engine, near the firewall."

I'd suggest reading back through the thread and verifying this, though.

 

[281exploder]

Let me do some research. The brown wire mod initially came about on the 2nd gens, and most of the info is for the 2nd gens, so perhaps the color changed for 3rd gen?

Sorry, I wrongfully assumed the 3rd gens would be in a similar location as the 2nd gens (since both are called BWM haha) I will update that post accordingly so no one is misled into thinking the 3g would be like the 2g. Sorry aghain.

no worries mistakes happen to the best of us, that's the problem with these damn 3rd gens. no info, no aftermarket, makes owning the car not even fun. reminds me of my 1971 amc hornet sitting on the side of my house lmao.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

no worries mistakes happen to the best of us, that's the problem with these damn 3rd gens. no info, no aftermarket, makes owning the car not even fun. reminds me of my 1971 amc hornet sitting on the side of my house lmao.

There is a bit more info for Ezplorers than an AMC! I wisg I had a 3g to verify against, only way is at the JY haha.