E-4WD is not engaging.

[CaseyJ955]

Early 90s ranger would have the bw1354. There is no easy axle swap, anything else would be custom fabrication. The outer axle shafts go into sealed bearing hubs, so I don't know how you could convert that to manual hubs. The awd van is an orphan ******* when it comes to interchanging parts.

I had in mind to take the whole differential assembly, the entire TTB setup, housings and all. I cant see how to install manual hubs on the existing setup. I had read somewhere that it was a bolt up deal, which would we ideal. I was hoping that since the Aerostar is on a Ranger/Explorer frame that enough was the same that the whole front suspension would just happily bolt right on over. I realize this is optimistic. I was hopeful since I know some of these E4WD setups found their way onto Explorers.

Is the Aerostar similar enough up front to use the 2nd gen Explorer parts? The later Rangers have hubs that swap to the Explorers, and aftermarket hubs are also good choices to make them manual.
Keeping IDENTICAL tires is the most important factor for any AWD or A4WD, which is what the Explorers all have. The total diameter of the front tires must match the total diameter of the rear tires. You could use two pairs of vastly different tires(two brand new pairs), located in pairs left to right, and the TC would not care or be hurt at all. Any mismatched(front to rear) tires will eat the transfer cases, and the front diff, ask me how I know that one.

I wont ask, but ill assume it's the same way I have learned most of the valuable lessons of life, at least the ones that took haha.

It's wearing 4 identical rims and tires now, I would have never chosen to put different tires on. My winter daily driver is an AWD (Audi A4 6speed), all 4 must match down to tire PSI. I generally do that for anything with a TC.

I wonder if the existing TC can be made to operate manually, hard wired shift motor, like ON or OFF, no allowing the TCI to decide if it should be a 50/50 or 30/70. Just a simple 2wd or 4wd via the internal clutch pack being switched 0% or 100%, no in between. I know for that to be of any benefit I must also use hubs that can be locked in or locked out. It looks like that part would mean swapping over most of the front suspension/axle housings etc.

I also read that some of the Aerostar are AWD, and others are the E4WD, and that they are not the same thing, but I cant find anything to substantiate that claim, I do want to say I have seen an Aerostar with the AWD emblem on it, but still cant swear to it. Mine is badged "Electronic 4 wheel drive". Maybe it was just a different way to say the same thing.

 

[CDW6212R]

I don't know where the concept of a 65/35 or 70/30 power split came from, but in real terms these AWD's and A4WD transfer case are all or nothing, no in between. The AWD viscous clutches are mechanical/fluid devices, there is no external control of them. The fluid heating up due to different in/out speeds increases the resistance to differing speeds. That means it wants equal speeds, and the resistance varies, so the front gets "more" power as the viscous fluid heats up. That seems to be where people interpret it to mean 65/35 power split etc. I don't see it that way. When I've driven on slick roads, snow or ice, the front tires turn at equal total speeds as the back tires. Without limited slips working, you get one front tire and one back tire spinning, same speeds.

The electrically controlled A4WD TC's simply have an internal clutch in them, which is engaged fully, or not at all. That to me is 50/50% or 100/0% power transfer. My 91, 93, and 99 Explorers all behaved the same way on slick snow or ice, one front tire would spin, and with rear LS both back tires could spin too if there's enough power used.

Those A4WD TC's can all be hot wired(add a switch and power source), to engage the front drive shaft, or not, with your choice of switch. That's the "brown wire mod" which has been written about countless times. It just interrupts the existing power wire going to the TC internal clutch. You should be able to do that with the common TC's chosen for the given engine.

 

[CDW6212R]

The hubs on the aerostar are 26 spline and the 2nd gen explorer are 27 spline. If the explorer hubs would physically fit the awd aerostar then custom outer cv axle shafts would be an easy solution.

Are the spindles a similar design, are the control arms also comparable in dimensions? How close are they, can the whole Explorer IFS be swapped in place?

 

[Josh P]

I don't know where the concept of a 65/35 or 70/30 power split came from, but in real terms these AWD's and A4WD transfer case are all or nothing, no in between. The AWD viscous clutches are mechanical/fluid devices, there is no external control of them. The fluid heating up due to different in/out speeds increases the resistance to differing speeds. That means it wants equal speeds, and the resistance varies, so the front gets "more" power as the viscous fluid heats up. That seems to be where people interpret it to mean 65/35 power split etc. I don't see it that way. When I've driven on slick roads, snow or ice, the front tires turn at equal total speeds as the back tires. Without limited slips working, you get one front tire and one back tire spinning, same speeds.

The electrically controlled A4WD TC's simply have an internal clutch in them, which is engaged fully, or not at all. That to me is 50/50% or 100/0% power transfer. My 91, 93, and 99 Explorers all behaved the same way on slick snow or ice, one front tire would spin, and with rear LS both back tires could spin too if there's enough power used.

Those A4WD TC's can all be hot wired(add a switch and power source), to engage the front drive shaft, or not, with your choice of switch. That's the "brown wire mod" which has been written about countless times. It just interrupts the existing power wire going to the TC internal clutch. You should be able to do that with the common TC's chosen for the given engine.

Page 199 in the owners manual states "One third of the torque (power) is sent to the front axle. Two thirds of the torque (power)is sent to the rear axle"
The TC28 transfer case is an open differential style unit with an electric clutch to lock the unit. The np242 transfer case used in the jeeps has the same style awd capability but does not have the clutch. The mounting points, width, etc of the explorer front ifs is different than the aerostar, someone has researched it. I'd do it if I could for the better dual piston caliper brakes.