If your 4WD switch looks like this AUTO, 4HI, 4LO then...

[sk1er17]

wow, excellent explanation! Thanks a lot.

Well, i guess i dont care about switching to 2wd now. my only concern was the CV joints but that wont even to what i want!. hmmm , im still going to put the indicator light in though- i think that'd be neat to see either way!

Thanks again

 

[alfcapone]

Yepp! the indicator light is great

Connect it to the brown wire and you will have an exellent warning if there is slippery roads, BUT it will glow sligtly all the time, and if it gets slippery it will light up with an intencety that reflects the engagement of the T-case clutch, if it Shines srong and bright with no flickering its very slippery!!

 

[Blee1099]

Originally posted by stadx2
Hey Guys,

This yellow wire you're talking about bypassing will work, but there is a better way.
This yellow wire coming from the GEM goes to the "Torque-on-Demand" or TOD solid state relay. This relay, when energized, allows power to flow to a heavy duty eletromagnetic clutch inside the trasfer case. The wire that feeds that transfer case clutch power from the TOD relay is a heavier (12-14)gauge brown colored wire. This is the right wire to switch because you won't need to "reset" the GEM by turning off the truck and on again, because you're not disabling the TOD relay, you're disabling the power to the electromagnetic clutch.
The best place to access this Brown wire is at connector C200 located under the driver's seat.
I also recommend using a standard 30 amp automotive relay to do the disconnecting because it is a fairly high current circuit.

I seem like an expert on this because I just finished swapping in a Control-Trac transfer case to my 98 V8 Explorer which of course, had that stupid AWD. Getting all the electronics to work was very educational!

Where exactly is the brown wire under the drivers seat at connector C200. Need some more information on that. I rather put a switch or relay there than at the yellow wire.

 

[alfcapone]

Jason25 has som pics on page 3, and Stadx got a wiring diagram that i used on page 4, and i made a little effort to explain on page 8, i found the brown wire (there are only one all brown wire that a bit thicker than the rest) under the seat without removing it.

 

[DrinkMD]

Hey was there anymore input on mileage differences?? I think there were a couple of guys that were still checking, have they posted their results yet? I know a few did

 

[Gage]

Well

I have not done the mode but I am without front shaft at the monent so its close. I used to get about 180 mile per tank. It would go down to 170 in the winter. I just got 230 on a tank. So if it is close to what I have it was not bad. But then I have 35"s.:mattmoon:

 

[94ZebraRanger]

I wonder if you could swap out the 4wd control box from a newer X into a 95-96???? then do the switch.

Tim

 

[X24]

I thought the 95's had a 2wd option. My friends does.

 

[Doug]

All 95-96s do have 2wd. you can do the 2wd mod and have 2wd low, I know jason_25 has.

 

[Blee1099]

brown wire

Need some help on this brown wire.. Over the weekend installed a switch for the brown wire under the seat. From what I can figure, it doesn't seem to work. I noticed two bundles of wiring under the drivers' seat. The one I spliced into was the one on the left that had a male/female connection on it. Is this the correct one or is there another one hidden under all that tape on the second bundle. I tried power braking earlier today and it seemed like it didn't work. I retraced the switch to verify I was getting power at the switch.

 

[tenikiwon]

When I did it, the brown wire was obvious. You "shouldn't" notice much difference unless you are in a situation where AUTO would normally kick in. Try to get in grass (preferably wet) and slam the gas. You might want someone else with a sharp eye to watch to see if the rear tires are moving faster than the front.

 

[94ZebraRanger]

Originally posted by 98FordX24
I thought the 95's had a 2wd option. My friends does.

Mine does, too What I want is 4WD NOT Auto 4wd. I don't care if I have auto 4wd, 4wd and 4 low like the 97+ . I JUST want fill time 4 wd not the assinine auto crap
I may just say the he!l with it and swap tranfer case.

Tim

 

[rsjohnsn]

Ok, I know I am bringing up an old topic but I still have a couple of question. Will the 2WD mod work on an '03 Limited? I really would like to have a 2 wheel drive mode as well as the auto. Also, I have a switch in the center console that controls something. It has a car symbol and slippery conditions indicated on it. What is this and will it be affected by doing this mod? Also, if the wiring is different for the '03 could someone point me in the right direction to find the correct wire.

Thanks
Scott

 

[dogfriend]

Originally posted by rsjohnsn
. Also, I have a switch in the center console that controls something. It has a car symbol and slippery conditions indicated on it. What is this and will it be affected by doing this mod? Also, if the wiring is different for the '03 could someone point me in the right direction to find the correct wire.

Thanks
Scott

I think that you have "Advance Trac" traction control. Check your owners manual, it should explain how the button works. Not sure whether it will be affected by the mod for 2wd.

I don't have any info on the wiring for 2003.

 

[rsjohnsn]

Thanks, thats what it is. I new I would remember what it was called when someone posted it. Anyway, this button turns the Advance Trac off and on and I thought about using it for my 2WD switch. If someone could give me more info on how this works then I might be able to just disconnect it and leave the Advance Trac on all the time or tie into it and when I turn it off it automatically puts me into 2WD. Just a thought. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Scott

 

[rydinhigh]

Has anyone been on the dyno with this mod? I am going soon and would be able to save $40 if I go in 2wd mode vs 4wd mode.

 

[dogfriend]

Originally posted by rsjohnsn
Thanks, thats what it is. I new I would remember what it was called when someone posted it. Anyway, this button turns the Advance Trac off and on and I thought about using it for my 2WD switch. If someone could give me more info on how this works then I might be able to just disconnect it and leave the Advance Trac on all the time or tie into it and when I turn it off it automatically puts me into 2WD. Just a thought. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Scott

I was thinking about this on the way to work, and it occurred to me that all you need to do is find the wire that supplies the electromagnetic clutch in the transfer case. The mod works by cutting the power to the electromagnetic clutch, therefore reverting from 4wd to 2wd.

Fortunately, it is easy to find this wire because it is the only wire that goes directly into the transfer case. All of the other wires go to the shift motor which is external or to the speed sensors which are held onto the case with one bolt. The wire you want goes into a rubber grommet in the case (it is brown on my truck, probably still brown on the 03). Trace this wire back to a convenient location (most choose the harness under the drivers seat) to insert either a relay or a heavy duty switch.

 

[rsjohnsn]

Ok, I have found the wire that goes into the transfer case and yes it is brown and around a 16 guage wire. I have traced it to a connector where it downsizes to about a 20-22 guage wire and it goes to the passenger side seat. Does this sound right? I know it is the wire because it goes into the transfer by itself through a black grommet. Do I have something different? Will the mod still work?

Thanks
Scott

 

[dogfriend]

Sounds like you have the correct wire. They may have routed it different on the 03 because others have found it under the drivers side seat.

Originally posted by rsjohnsn
Will the mod still work?

I think you are the first with a 03 model.




It should work, but

All tips and information provided on this site by either "Serious Explorations" or it's contributors are for use at your own risk and discretion.
Modifying the suspension on any vehicle will cause changes to it's handling characteristics.
Some modifications described within this website may void your factory warranty.

I think the only unknown for you would be how the mod interacts with your traction control system. I just don't know.

If it does cause an issue, you can always reconnect the wire and forget that you ever saw this thread.

 

[Jason_25]

Originally posted by rydinhigh
Has anyone been on the dyno with this mod? I am going soon and would be able to save $40 if I go in 2wd mode vs 4wd mode.

You already have a 2 wheel drive mode. You can run it on a 2wd dyno just fine.