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Ford Explorer Community - Maintenance - Modifications - Performance Upgrades - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street
Explorer Forum Covers the Explorer ST, Explorer Sport, Explorer Sport Trac, Lincoln Aviator, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Ford Aerostar
Something up front lets out a pleasant ratcheting sound in 4lo when in a bind or I'm on the gas. I havent looked yet, but I assume its one of the hubs.
Does anyone make a manual conversion kit for 96's?
Starting about '95, the Explorer went to control arm front suspension and doesn't use locking hubs. Best guess would be a chuckling CV joint (these generally don't make you chuckle along with them) or the differential lock may be "camming" off the splines due to the increased torque in low range.
Since it only appears to happen in high torque situations, I would likely be checking out the latter first. Four bolts to pull the vacuum actuator off and you should be able to look in there for wear/damage. Check the shift fork as well and the plastic inserts on the fork.
Thanks Jimmie I'll go check that.
It happened the first time going up hill in 4lo, just a normal trail. But now I can do it flat ground in 4hi just by stomping on it.
in one of those blinding flashes of brilliance...... you might also check for too much slack in the T-case chain. This could give the effect you mention. I would expect the sound to come from underneath your butt but stuff like this has been known to "telegraph" and seem to be coming from somewhere else.
Another thing that has been known to add a "pop" - actually closer to an audible heart attack - is an odd sized tire. This is more prevalent o hard surfaces and in 4HI.
I checked the 'shifter' on the front end. Looks brand new. No wear on the spline ends, nothing.
I took it out wheeling again the other day and payed more attention to the sound. I'm going to have to go with the transfer case chain slipping.
Anybody replaced one of these? I'm sure a Haynes manual wont go into tearing into a xfer case, how about a Chilton? Or is it self explanatory? I have been inside my jeeps 3 speed and its dana 18 case, but I bet the BW is a bit more complex...
The thing/sound you're talking about here.. does it feal like somethng is slipping and then grips again?
The reason I ask is that my truck(I also have a '96 XLT) also makes this terrible "poppin" kind of sound, expecially in 4LOW if I try to back up an incline or something, but also forward. Also when I'm turning in 4LOW(on a slippery surface of course) it does this. It's not just once as I start, but it seems to continue as long as I'm "preasuring" it.. I have checked my frontwheels when it does this, and they actually stop up while the rears are spinning when it pops, and then continues to spin they to..
I also get this same thing in 4AUTO when it's transferring power forward, a really noticeable "popping", I don't even have to "step" on it to make it happen, sometimes it actually does it even on dry asphalt.. In adittion it feels like it's kind of "binding up" when I'm turning. No, not in LOW on asphalt, but in AUTO on all kind of surfaces(even snow).
My truck has acted like this ever since I boutht it, so I thought it was normal(from what I've heard and read on this board the 4wheeldrive on the explorer is kinda noisy) until I tried a friend of mines, and it wasn't as bad as mine at all..
I've asked my local Ford-garage to check it out, and at the second attemt the mecanic agreed with me that there was something wrong. He didn't figure out excactly what thow, so he'll check it better on the 20. of November. If anyone has some good suggestions for what this could be I'd be happy to know before that.. If not I'll tell you what's the problem with mine as soon as he figures it out..
Now just a little xtraquestion. After looking at my truck the mecanic said it might be a clutch or something sitting between the two front axels. He said the power(when in 4WD) was transferred to the right frontwheel, and if the truck started spinning it would transfer power to the left one. Is this correct? from what I've read on this board both front axels are connected to a normal open diff who gets power from a magnetic clutch between the transfercase and the middle axle or what it's called(the axle between the middle and the front of the car).
Doesn't he know what he's talking about or have I totally misunderstood everything I've read?
Me thinks your mechanic is confused. The 95-96 Ex's had a tendency to be more spasdic (for lack of a better word) when in Auto mode, especially when starting. This was corrected in later models, and a reprograming of the GEM (or PCM) was done to try and fix it in the older models.
Mines had a very loud popping noise when turning sharp in 4lo or 4hi. Took it 4x4 wholsalers and they had no clue. Took it to California customs and they had no clue. I just had my radius arm replaced (one was broke the other cracked) so I'm hoping this may be the fix???? Mine popps so lound that everybody even with the windows rolled up looks at me with a concerned look on there face. I"ve just gotten used to it and nothing has broke (except for the radius arms) so until somthing lets go or someone on this site figures is out I'll just keep popping around on the trails.
Schmoken,
My 95 exploder does the same thing: Bad popping in 4 hi when power is being switched to the front end and 4 lo all the time. Have you had the chance to figure out the problem? If so, what is it and how much did it cost? I'm about to head back to New York for break and probably will be doing some offroading with friends and need my four wheel drive bad!!
Thanks
Anyway.. There seems to be a TSB on the 95-97 models about this. I'm having mine checked in the end of next week (should have been today, but the mecanic is ill so it got rescedualed). Hopefully the reprogramming is enough to fix it! I'll let you know as soon as I get it back..
Sorry, I have 4 auto, ford should have made it 4 hi and thrown away this automatic fourwheel drive junk. Anyway, let me know how it goes and if it helps.
thanks
Yes I have, and the problem seem to be fixed.. I brought a description of what I thought was wrong (that I got from Mark Drysdale on this board ) to the mecanic, and he tried that. He said he did it in half an hour, and was nice enough not to charge me anything for it. Seems he just connected his computer and loaded over a new program to this GEM module or what it's called.
I can still feel the front when it engages on snow and ice, but barely not, and not in the same way it used to. It's much smoother, and if the traction isn't to bad I don't feel it at all, even when I really "step on it".. The "binding" when I'm turning is gone to, and I think it's been better in 4LOW to, but I haven't been able to check that out much yet.
I can email you the word-documet I brought with me if you like.
