Can Pushbutton 4x4 system be converted to Manual shift 4x4 on 91-94 explorers?

[mf94_4x4]

I own a 94 Explorer XLT it is equiped with an automatic trans, auto hubs and pushbutton 4x4. Is there any way to convert the Pushbutton set up to a manual shift. I have heard that the auto pushbutton systems can be problomatic and would prefer a manual system. I know they made explorers with manual 4x4 operation and was wondering if i could swap out the electric motor/pushbutton system for the manually operated floor shift found on 91-94 explorers. I know i would have to cut the floor but that is not a problem. Has anyone done this conversion before, any help is apreciated! Thanks

 

[ld50]

It`s been done before, I can`t recall who did it right now but he had an automatic tranny with auto 4x4 and he put in a manual transfer case.

You can also make it alot better right now by installing manual hubs, my buddy "carsonm" from here has that setup.

I`ll look through some of my old threads, the guy who did the conversion showed me a picture a while back. If I find it I`ll post again. He did a nice job on the shifter boot.

try searching more and you could get lucky too...

 

[mf94_4x4]

Thanks for taking intrest,

I was planning on converting to manual hubs too, the auto ones have already blown once.

 

[ld50]

Hey no problem on the interest,

Alas I cannot find the post where a guy put a pic up showing his t-case shifter job.

I did find this:
link

Other than that, you can "search" the site some more, and try different areas because this subject could be in general, offroad projects, drivelines, you never know.

I`m sure someone has the info though,

good luck!

 

[SteveVB]

All you need is the case, its a bolt on job. You need a 1354 manual shift case, the cover plate for the trans tunnel, and the shifter linkage, boot and a knob.
If you go to a junk yard to get the stuff - GET THE SHIFTER they are hard to find.


I bought all the stuff and never installed it 525 plus shipping and its yours. (used case, new shifter, new cover plate, new boot)

 

[johnri60626]

Being new to this forum. I had just purchased an older Explorer ('92) to repalce and even older Bronco II ('85 ).
I loved my Bronco II, and had 10 good years of service from it ( got it second hand from my dad when he died ), but alas, Maryland doesn't like a lot of rust on the vehicles and mine came up from Florida's Emerald coast ( something about salt ).

..but I digress. The Explorer is a '92 Eddie Bauer and it is a decent vehicle in good shape with one minor glitch...the 4X4 doesn't seem to want to engage, only days after buying it. It clicks from the relay, but no lights, nothing.

Is there an after market part to replace the apparently questionable actuator motors they used on these earlier Explorers? Surely, there has to be a better way.

Thanks.

 

[jrgaylor]

I do not know of any aftermarket shift motors, but explorer express a sponsor of this site sells oem shift motors, if I remember right.
Joe

 

[DeRocha]

I've been there and down that road several times.

I would guess 99% of the time it is the shift motor. The shift motor is actually 2 parts. The worm driven motor and the geared positon sensor. The Position sensor is notorious for getting "lost". This occurs because the plastic stop inside the sensor breaks apart over time and allows the sensor to travel slightly outside its operating range. If this happens then the the 4x4 computer module next to rear washer fluid reservoir will have no idea what position the T-cases is in and will shut down and do nothing.

You should read the info on the edu site and then take the wire harness off the shift motor and test for 4H continuity amoung the various pins.

Dead Link Removed

 

[johnri60626]

Thanks.

I had already arrived at this particular page in my search for answers, and printed it out. Amazingly, it was only two days later that a co-worker had pointed out this forum, so I went ahead and registered on this site.

The next question begs why Ford had not extended the armature a bit beyond it's case and provide a jacking bolt for emergency use. It would have made more sense, but I guess we can't go about reinventing the wheel.

 

[DeRocha]

Welcome to the site John.

An Extended shaft would be nice, but wouldn't be any good unless you could visably see the shift selector. Without this visable cue you could NOT tell what position your T-Case was in. When you turn the selector by hand or with pliers you can feel slight indents when you reach each position. This feeling would be lost if manipulating the motor shaft.

 

[johnri60626]

Well, I guess that would be true, you would lose the "feel", but even then, a judicious bit of casting and machining could have been done to provide a position indicator on the other end of the motor/gear housing.

The solutions are easy enough to see now, but then, who are we to tell Ford about a better idea?

I wonder how many toes one would step one if a person were to create such a beast. It doesn't seem that it would be all that difficult to accomplish.

 

[DeRocha]

Agreed...In hindsight Ford could easily have made the unit manually operable, so people like us could engage it. IMO they probably did discuss it, but shot it down since the added cost would only benefit a small % of people (us). The 98% of owners using the Explorer as a soccer mobile would just stop using 4x4 until they had it serviced; they would never crawl under the car to manually engage it...

 

[johnri60626]

Okay, a few gentle taps with a ballpeen seem to have bumped the actuator motor into working. Seems it wanted to be stuck after sitting a while during the summer months. Now I have 4X4 Hi, but I still can't get the bugger to shift into 4X4 Lo.

What next? Bigger hammer?

 

[DeRocha]

Did you ?

• Engaging 4x4 low
• Transmission in Neutral (speed=0 mph)
• Foot on the Brake
• 4x4 High already engaged
• Now press the Low button

 

[johnri60626]

Actually, I tried it with 4X4 engaged and tried to engage 4 Lo while in 4 H, also tried this in Park and in neutral. Out of shear curiosity, I even tried going into 4 Lo from 2 WD.

I'm not overly concered, as long as it will go into 4Hi. About the only times I use 4 Lo is when I pull stumps, drag others people out of ditches, or pull really heavy vehicles or trailers ( things that only need to go a short distances ).

 

[johnri60626]

Actually, I tried it with 4X4 engaged and tried to engage 4 Lo while in 4 H, also tried this in Park and in neutral. Out of shear curiosity, I even tried going into 4 Lo from 2 WD.

 

[TedfromVA]

Maybe a fix for the push buttion!

Grab a drink or something this could take a while. My push button acted up after a few months of non use. I believe that it just gets stuck sometimes. I pushed it on waited for it to click and try again. After bout a hundred times or so it was coming on and off with every click. Condensation might be the problem. Not sure, but it works fine now.

 

[johnri60626]

That was pretty much my thoughts on it. It may clear up on it's own, now that it is at least working somewhat.