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

Re: 2WD Option

Originally posted by firecat sno pro
after all this talk on brown wires and relay and yellow wires I'm still kinda confused. On my 99 sport I have a red wire coming directly off the back of the "auto" setting on the switch, my question is, could I just cut the red wire and put a swich in there, or would that not work, it just seems like an easier way.

Thanks
Click to expand...

No, it won't work and the 4wd light will probably start flashing.

This is because the switch on the dash is actually not an on/off switch, but is a set of 3 resistor settings that tells the GEM which mode you have selected.
 



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In other words if you cut that red wire you're switch wouldn't work. The brown wire is the one to cut.
 






2wd option

thanks guys I guess I'll just have to start seaching for that brown wire. Do you think that my relay that I removed for my foglight mod will work for this application?
 






Re: 2wd option

Originally posted by firecat sno pro
thanks guys I guess I'll just have to start seaching for that brown wire.
Do you think that my relay that I removed for my foglight mod will work for this application?
Click to expand...
Read my posts, and do what I did. It's easier to remove your radio console than it is to remove your seat+carpet. In addition, you're likely going to want to mount the switch in the dash somewhere anyways, so why not do the splicing there?
Link me the foglight mod, please.
 






Re: Re: 2wd option

Originally posted by DrEVS
Read my posts, and do what I did. It's easier to remove your radio console than it is to remove your seat+carpet. In addition, you're likely going to want to mount the switch in the dash somewhere anyways, so why not do the splicing there?
Link me the foglight mod, please.
Click to expand...


I don't think the 98 sports came with the foglights built into the bumper, at least I know my 98 didn't, it was standard on the 99 and up models, but if yours does have them you have to go into your relay panel which is located under your air box, remove relay 2, and just run a peice of #12 or 14 gauge wire between pin 3 and pin 4 and that will enable your foglights to stay on when your high beams are on, I know there's a post for it somewhere on here you just have to look for it, and it has pics.
 






Cool, thanks for the info. I've got the factory rectangular fog lights in the air damn thing, below the front bumper. I'll take a look around and see if that mod still applies to me.
 






Not to get off the topic, but DrEVS, is that sentence in your sig true??
 






Yeah... he lives in Santa Monica, CA.
 






alright I can do burnouts now and I seem to have improved my fuel milage quite a bit, thanks guys
 






Well, I guess I'll finally do this mod while I have my interior removed.

First off, for everyone that wants to know if this will increase mileage here's your definite answer.... YES. Will you notice? Depends on how you're driving. That 4%, even as small as it is, is still giving a little bit of time for the clutch to engage which creates friction for that short period of time as it is engaging and disengaging. Stopping that friction will increase mileage, but you probably won't ever notice.

I'm thinking of using a lighted switch to turn the new relay on and off, but don't have a clue how much current the light will draw. Which circuit do you guys reccomend splicing into? I want it to turn on and off with the ignition.

Thanks.
 






I tapped power off the radio circuit. The switch will draw very little power.
 






Originally posted by yob_yeknom
I'm thinking of using a lighted switch to turn the new relay on and off, but don't have a clue how much current the light will draw. Which circuit do you guys reccomend splicing into? I want it to turn on and off with the ignition.
Click to expand...
KISS: Forget the replay, it's unnecessary. Place your switch inline with the brown wire. The current in the line is enough to power a lighted switch and not interrupt the function of the clutch.
 






Originally posted by DrEVS
KISS: Forget the replay, it's unnecessary. Place your switch inline with the brown wire. The current in the line is enough to power a lighted switch and not interrupt the function of the clutch.
Click to expand...

This is what i did a long time ago, no relay, no problems, when in auto 4 the light is dim, but gets brighter depending on how much power it is sending to the front, when in 4hi the light is bright as day.

So far so good
 






Gonna have to use a relay. I want the switch to light when I have it in 2wd.
 






Originally posted by yob_yeknom
Gonna have to use a relay. I want the switch to light when I have it in 2wd.
Click to expand...
Ah, you're right. Personally I like the switch to act as an indicator light of sorts:
-It's dark in 2wd,
-Dim in auto,
-Brighter when in 4x4hi/low or the 4x4 kicks in automatically.
 






PLease tell me if my understanding of this is correct. I have cut the brown wire and put a relay in tapping power to light up the switch from an another power source so that the switch I installed is illuminated when I have it in 2wd. When it is "on", light on, it would be in a true 2wd mode. The front axles would still spin but now power would go to it. this would mean that I when I place the factory switch in 4 auto it would function only as a 2 hi. The same would be true for 4hi being that it would be a 2hi mode and then 4 lo would be 2 lo when the switch is on. Does this sound correct?

When you guys drive around what do you set the factory switch in? 4 hi or 4 auto

Also can you go from 2wd to 4hi on the fly, obviously at lower speeds I just mean w/o shutting the car off?

Thank you all very much have a nice day
Gary
 






You don't have to have a relay or a lighted switch. I just used a simple $2 metal toggle switch for mine and it worked just fine.

When this new switch is OFF, then the only thing that your factory 4wd switch well essentially do for you is hi range ang low range.

With the new swith ON, then the factory switch works just like it should.

Yes you can shift the new switch from ON to OFF when ever, just so long as you are spinning wheels freely, like stuck in a mud hole with the petal to the floor.

The brown wire mod does not require the truck to be shut off and then back on, that was the orignal wiring we had come up with.
 






cool thanks Josh. Also what do you guys run your factory switch at 4 hi when you have your switch off or 4 auto
Gary
 






You're welcome.

Just leave it on Auto, no sense in having it in HI.
 



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alrighty, I wasnt sure if in trying to send power to the front when it slipsin the rear it would cut out some of the power to the rear.
Now i Just need to get some gears and a rear locker (and about a thousand other things even though I never off road)
THanks again
Gary
 






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