front wheels not pulling

[yavapaires]

96 XLT 4.0 OHV auto,Control Track. The front wheels will not pull when rear wheels off the ground. Go to 4WD auto, front wheels on ground, front drive shaft will not turn. Tells me front axle disconnect is working. 2WD, front wheels on ground, BWM switch "on" driveshaft turns by hand with resistance.BWM switch "off", driveshaft turns freely. Tells me the clutch pack in the transfer case is worn. Does this sound right to anyone? If so, how big of a job to fix?

 

[gmanpaint]

Easier to replace the t-case. A rebuild by a shop will be 2-3 x's the cost of a used t-case. New cases are insanely high priced. Rebuilding on your own? Look on Ebay for the kits. Have you ever looked inside a 4405? Yikes! It's nightmare-ish inside!

 

[yavapaires]

Gmanpaint, thanks for your reply. No, I have not been into the xfer cases. Closest I have been is a C6 auto. I have done a lot of mechanical work in my lifetime, but getting out from under a vehicle is a royal PIA now a days. Do you agree about the clutch pack? At least I guess that is what it is called. Truck runs fine otherwise.

 

[gmanpaint]

Could be a few things causing the 4wd not to work.

Is your ABS light on, or has it come on and gone off in the past?

 

[yavapaires]

Could be a few things causing the 4wd not to work.

Is your ABS light on, or has it come on and gone off in the past?

No problems other than the front wheels not pulling.

 

[gmanpaint]

I had a clutch go out on a 4405, it rendered the tcase useless for any gears eventually. It was stuck in 2H, then it slipped into a neutral state. Opened the case up and found copper windings exploded everywhere. Looked like someone dropped a hand grenade in it. The fluids were full of copper particles, and that was the tell tale sign of the electromagnetic clutch blowing out.


So....Check the fluids, see what comes out. Just trying to do a elimination process here is all.

 

[yavapaires]

I had a clutch go out on a 4405, it rendered the tcase useless for any gears eventually. It was stuck in 2H, then it slipped into a neutral state. Opened the case up and found copper windings exploded everywhere. Looked like someone dropped a hand grenade in it. The fluids were full of copper particles, and that was the tell tale sign of the electromagnetic clutch blowing out.


So....Check the fluids, see what comes out. Just trying to do a elimination process here is all.

Thanks for your replies. I changed the fluid a few months ago, it was a bit dark, no unusual particles in it.So far there is no slippage to the rear wheels, no noise. I am wondering if there could be a problem with the module that controls the xfer case. But wouldn't the BWM override that. I notice when the switch is in the normal mode, the indicator light changes intensity. When in the "locked" mode the light stays bright all the time. Maybe I am using a wrong test procedure . However, in what little snow we have had, I can't get the front wheels to break traction, but the rear wheels didn't either. Maybe next time it snows, I'll nose it into a wall and see if they all will spin, or only the rears will. Hell, maybe it is working as it should, after all, I have driven for years here without 4WD. Just nice to know it works if needed. Thanks for your input.

 

[drdoom]

Don't worry the 4405 case is easy to work on, really quite simple. With air tools you can have it out, and split open on the bench, in under an hour.