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Question on transfer case swap AWD to 4X4

Grizz593

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Joined
December 3, 2008
Messages
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City, State
Poughkeepsie, NY
Year, Model & Trim Level
'12 Exp limited 4X4
I have a '98 XLT 5.0 AWD. After reading the pros of swapping out to a 4X4 I think I am going to attempt it. Only hesitation I am having is that I love the AWD & how it handles in the snow & rain & I don't know if I really want to give that up. Is there a transfer case that switches from AWD, 4X4 H, 4X4 L, & 2WD? Or is 4X4 H really AWD? I saw a Jeep add the other day & they claimed that there 4X4 H is really AWD with the standard 60/40 split. Is this the case for Ford as well?
I am thinking of hitting the local junk yard to see if I can find a '98 4X4 & grab the stock trim ring & 4X4H, L, 2 switch. Will I have a problem connecting this to a transfer case say out of a F150 if it is set up with auto shift?
 



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short answer, no. There is no t-case that can switch between 4WD and AWD.

Long answer:
You have AWD. Think of it as being similar to a limited slip differential. With the BW4404, it is a roughly 30/70 split when there is no slip. When the rear tire(s) start to slip, it moves closer to a 50/50 split. There's a sticky on the BW4404 and Viscous Couplings with some good info :)

With 4WD, it's a full-time 50/50 split. The transfer case has no "give" to prevent drivetrain binding on a dry, grippy surface. AWD is forgiving on dry grippy surfaces.

AWD and 4WD are different. What you're thinking of is A4WD. Automatic 4WD. There are 4406's with A4WD. How this works, is when the rear slips, the GEM (I think?) detects that, then "powers" an electro-magnetic clutch which engages the front driveshaft.
 






I know how why they work I was just wondering if there was such a thing as a AWD/4X4 transfer case. But I see where I got confused by the Jeep add. There 4X4 H is really PT AWD & there 4X4 L is just that.
On to the second part of my question. If I can get a "T" case in true 4X4 from a same year F150 is it a "plug & play" deal or am I looking at a major mod here?
 






There 4X4 H is really PT AWD & there 4X4 L is just that.

no.

Jeep does (or did?) have Quadra-Trac which is of similar design to the BW4404. It uses a viscous coupling to provide a varying power split between front and rear.

4x4 in any vehicle, including Jeeps, is in absolutely no way, shape, or form, "PT AWD." There is no such thing as "part-time AWD"
AWD is full-time. Always.

For Jeep in particular; it's either a Quadra-Trac AWD, operating very similar to the AWD in the V8 Explorers, or it's selectable 4WD.

You can do a search on the 4406 swap and get all the info you need. There are numerous threads about what you need and how to do it.
 



















your links are... ummm... let's just say their facts are a bit off.

automatic AWD Hi
part time 4WD Hi
part time 4WD Lo
(Ford Control-Trac)

Control-Trac is an Automatic 4WD (A4WD) system. It is not AWD.

4x4abc seems to think Automatic 4WD is the same thing as AWD, which it is not

The definition on wikipedia is much more accurate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-wheel_drive
 






Thank you for the link. Just the info I was looking for :) Now, can you do this with shift on the fly? or electronic shift Vs manual? I don't want to have to resort to hacking the heck out of the car to install the manual shift. I would like to keep it as stock looking as possible if I can.
 












your links are... ummm... let's just say their facts are a bit off.



Control-Trac is an Automatic 4WD (A4WD) system. It is not AWD.

4x4abc seems to think Automatic 4WD is the same thing as AWD, which it is not

The definition on wikipedia is much more accurate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-wheel_drive

Gavin i dont know if you read the whole wiki thing but i find it interesting that"The true inventor of four-wheel drive is not really known; the history of such was not well recorded." That guy would make a pretty penny in today's market...
 






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