Purchase advice

[Grovebaby]

Hi everyone, here's the deal: 91 XLT, 4dr, 122k, Ac, pl, pw, crz, auto 4sp, auto hubs, 6cyl, hitch, Driven by senior, always garaged. Has had new trans, steering box, front end, new tires. Body minor scratches, paint very good interior perfect, engine sounds good. Appears to have bad auto hubs. Brother inlaws father wants $1500. any comments appreciated.

 

[unpredictable1]

Well from the work you said was done, its alot more than what he's asking for the complete truck.

122k? Theres alot of life left in that 4.0, I'd say go for it.

Always garaged I'm assuming the body is in great condition (not rusted out)

The hubs are not expensive to replace if you go with the WARN hubs that so many do here on this board. I'd check to make sure for certain that it is only the hubs thats the prob....

 

[marragtop]

Sounds like a good deal, especially since the trans has already been done. The trans is one of the weak points on the gen I Explorers. You might also want to check the radius arm bushings, another weak point. If they are really bad, you would hear them clunking when going over bumps.

 

[exploderlepracy]

replace them with manual hubs and save yourslef multipleheadaches down the road

 

[Grovebaby]

No rust, trans was done maybe 5years ago. But probably only 10k in that time. I don't know if I'll be able to check other stuff. Wasn't driven in 4wd much. one other thing, 4lo dosen't work. but I just found out today how to put it in, so I'll try later today.I not sure how to check other stuff. never had 4wd before.

 

[unpredictable1]

I thought the same thing when I first looked at my first Explorer - I thought 4lo didn't work but I too never had a 4x4 before. It was working, just I never knew what I was doing.

Stick it in Neutral, engage 4hi, and then 4low.

Edit: question, how handy are you with tools? because theres many things that are not hard to fix on the explorer if you're the least bit useful with a wrench so-to-speak, namely radius arm bushings.

 

[Grovebaby]

I'm a pretty good backyard mechanic. Now I'm wondering. Is there a sequence to engage 4hi? Maybe I'm not doing that right.

 

[Grovebaby]

New developement! 4lo works. Did the nuetral sequence and it goes right in. I tried it with 4hi and no good. One thing that I'm finding strange. I have a field next to the house. Has snow on it and is wet. I figure good place to test the 4wd. Put it in 4hi backup and all. Hang my head out the window to see if front wheel spins. sometimes it does. But most of the time I hear the ratchet sound and no spin. I take it on the pavement. try the same thing. I figured if it whined on the soft stuff it will do it really easy here. But it doesn't. Just goes and ofcoarse I can't tell if the wheel is getting power. I'm just surprised that it doesn't slip really bad on the pavement.

 

[unpredictable1]

Don't engage 4hi while moving - just so you know incase no one told ya

Here's what I do to test the 4 hi in a vehicle and do this on pavement. Press the button. The 4hi light should come on and what I do is turn the wheel all the way in one direction while stopped, and slowly give throttle so the truck starts the move, you should hear the tires chirp in opposite corners. Sounds primitive I know.

Maybe your light in the dash doesn't work? or maybe the switch itself is buggered up? I didn't think the 4lo would engage if the 4hi didn't engage. I think your 4x4 may be working because in 4hi not all your 4 tires have power to them anyways (hence why you saw your front tire move sometimes) - from what I understand it alternates from left to right depending on traction and changes to the opposite corner in the rear of which tire is powered in the front...any experts wanna chime in?

 

[unpredictable1]

sorry for double post, but for 4hi you can have the truck in P,D,N,2,1 - never tried engaging it while reverse was selected

 

[Grovebaby]

Thanks for the warning, lbrowne. But unfortunatly that has already been attempted. Went ok though. I think I'm starting to understand with the help of your explaination. The reason I don't hear the grinding on pave is because since all the wheels have traction, then it's not tranfering power to my bad hub. And when on slippery surface, it is try the bad one, which happens to be the driver side, and I hear it grind because that one is shot. Is that close?

 

[alexefron]

in 4wd 50% of the power goes to each axle. Assuming theyre both open differentials the wheel with the least resistance (traction) will get all the power. If a hub it broken that axle shaft will spin, and the other wheel shouldnt get any power.

 

[ma96782]

Hi everyone, here's the deal: 91 XLT, 4dr, 122k, Ac, pl, pw, crz, auto 4sp, auto hubs, 6cyl, hitch, Driven by senior, always garaged. Has had new trans, steering box, front end, new tires. Body minor scratches, paint very good interior perfect, engine sounds good. Appears to have bad auto hubs. Brother inlaws father wants $1500. any comments appreciated.

Sounds like a good deal If the engine and trans checkout and the body is good and paint is nice......even w/o the 4x4 working in tip top shape....though, you've already said that the Lo4 is working.

From memory: Check the FORD Manual. Engine running, transmission in N and Zero MPH. Engage Hi4, light will come on (indicate engaged), then press the button for Lo4, to engage (additional light will indicate it is engaged).

I think the FORD Manual says that your can engage the Hi4 "on the fly" up to 55 MPH......though, I would do it "on the fly" only if I were going......say less than 10 MPH (that's just me).

Don't know if your A/C is R-12 (not easy to get anymore).....I'd like to know.....R-134a is the NEW stuff and available.

All and all.........it sounds like a good transportation deal......and the price is BEAUTIFUL.

FYI: I paid $3500 (from a car lot, 1 month ago) for a '94 Explorer XLT, 4.0L, 4dr, auto, 4x4, w/ 137K miles, everything works (except the door lock on pass side and the windows don't work, up or down, when activated from the OTHER three doors switches) no rust and the body ain't perfect, though paint was still nice.

Aloha, Mark

 

[unpredictable1]

I'm almost positive that you shouldn't engage 4x4 on a 1st gen higher than a rolling start... >10mph

I could be wrong but....

 

[ma96782]

Ibrowne,

OK.....I'll go take a look.....cause, I'm interested NOW.

Aloha, Mark

 

[alexefron]

the manual states that you can engage 4wd from "any normal speed" however given the issues with the auto hubs youre probably best off doing it at low speeds only. If conditions are good enough to go 55 4wd isnt needed.

 

[DeRocha]

Don't engage 4hi while moving - just so you know incase no one told ya

Why not??? The 4x4 system is shift on the fly. The T-Case contains a magnetic clutch that slowly brings the front drivetrain up to speed.. That being said I routinely engage 4x4 going 35mph and under not problems... I would recommend you back off the gas while the sytem is engaging 4x4.

alexefron is correct in how 4x4 will work with open differentials.. Your Autohubs may just be hydraulically stuck towards the disengage position.. This often occurs when a mechanic does a brake job and packs the hub full of grease.. The hubs are basically a dry assembly and only require a thin film of grease to prevent rust nothing more.. If the hub is packed full of grease the innner spline mechanism will not be able to walk its way up the splines and lock the axle shaft. See the various links in the explorer maint sect within my sig, or use the site's search feature to locate "auto hub" information. Also check out the links on "How cars work" it will show an interactive animation on the 4x4 system, braking, suspension, ect...

 

[unpredictable1]

Sorry for the misinformation - I've been busy herre trying to find the thread that I once read with no luck. I think it must be the best practice is going very slow or stopped for the early auto hubs because of their tendency to break. It's been that long since I read it, that my brain musta changed my interpretation of it

 

[Grovebaby]

What do you think of the price deroche. See first post. thanks

 

[ma96782]

Ibrowne,

Jeez.....I had it all typed in here....then my server NETSCAPE.....took me off line and I lost everything I wrote.

Anyway,

To shift from 2WD to 4x4:

To shift into 4x4, push the 4x4 button located on the instrument panel. This shift can be done at a stop or at speeds up to 55 MPH (88 km/h).

To shift from 4x4 to 2WD:

Push the 4x4 button; the 4x4 lamp on the instrument cluster will go out indicating the vehicle is in 2WD. This can be done at any speed. To disengage the automatic locking hubs, operate the vehicle in 2WD in the opposite direction for approx. 10 feet (3 meters) in a straight line.

To shift from 4x4 to 4x4 LOW RANGE:

Stop the vehicle and place the automatic transmission in NEUTRAL or depress the clutch on vehicles with a manual transmission. Push the LOW RANGE button on the instrument panel to shift the transfer case from 4x4 to 4x4 LOW RANGE. Both the 4x4 and LOW RANGE lights are now lit.

NOTE: The vehicle must already be in 4x4 before pushing the Low Range button.

To shift from 4x4 LOW RANGE to 4x4:

Stop the vehicle and place the automatic transmission into NEUTRAL or depress the clutch on vehicles with a manual transmission. Push the LOW RANGE button on the instrument panel to shift the transfer case from 4x4 LOW RANGE to 4x4.

From the 1994 Owner's Manual.

Aloha, Mark