How to: Rebuild 4X4 Shift Motor

[Spdrcer34]

You DO know you have to be STOPPED (0 speed) AND in Neutral.

I have a question....

Can you go from 2H to 4L without putting it in 4H first? I have always gone into 4H before going into 4L.

Ryan

 

[Glacier991]

Does THIS need to be included in a useful thread about "Rebuilding a Shift Motor" ?????


[note to moderators... can we prune this discussion out to move it somewhre else??]

 

[Jonny813]

Is there any way to disconnect the brown wire? I really dont want to cut it but will cut it and just reconnect both ends later if necessary... That the only part I dont see what to do...

I have the next generation xfer case though... any help soon will be GREATLY appreciated.

I will have mine off for atleast a whole day(taking it off now, fixing it tomorrow), is there anything I should worry about while its off? Like grit/dirt getting into the areas where the sensors went. Anything I should tape off or cover up?

 

[Brain]

It is my understanding (but I have not done it) that you can remove the brown wire from the female connector, but it will still be connected to the t-case.

I think it involves removing the red center part which compression-locks all of the prongs in place. I know that the brown wire can't just be pulled from the case.

 

[Jonny813]

I ended up cutting it... Ill just splice it back together. And mine doesn't even have that connection, it has the square connector... Althought they probably work similar, because my connector's prongs are split into 3 sections with a red divider in the middle.

*Edit*

Oh and I forgot to say Thanks! Ill post again once I put it back on to see if its fixed.

 

[mpierich]

I felt I had to add this - it saved me a ton of money and a lot of grief...

I was going to do as this excellent thread suggests and try to fix the motor. But the screws on back of the gear housing were so bad I was down to Easy-outs, and didn't want to mess with that. So I got a rebuilt motor (Advance Auto Parts, $169). Reinstalled it and although I could tell there was current draw, it still did not shift.

I posted about it and my friend "toppermansworld" told me he found he had to loosen and retighten the motor to get it to work. Seems if the rear bracket on the motor is not just right, when you tighten it, it pulls the motor sideways (toward the transfer case) and binds up. So, especially w/ a new motor, or if you have taken the actual motor apart, you need to leave the motor's rear (end) bracket loose on its screws (the same two screws that pass thru the motor body and keep it together). Put the three mounting bolts in and hand-tighten. Test the operation. If it works, torque down the three bolts. _Then_ push the loose rear bracket tight against its mount, hand-tighten the bolt, re-tighten the two screws holding the bracket to the motor, and torque down the bracket to the transfer case.

Also, Lisle company makes a pin removal tool with different-sized doodads that make it easy as pie to push the pins out the back of the electrical connector. So you don't need to cut the brown wire, nor the blue/green if you are installing a new/rebuilt one.

Hope this helps somebody; I know you guys have helped me a lot. I'll keep an eye on this board in case there's something I can help somebody else with (you don't get to be 55 and poor w/out learning a bit about mechanics, lol).

Mike

 

[mpierich]

It is my understanding (but I have not done it) that you can remove the brown wire from the female connector, but it will still be connected to the t-case.

I think it involves removing the red center part which compression-locks all of the prongs in place. I know that the brown wire can't just be pulled from the case.

The Lisle Corp. of Clarinda, Iowa makes a "Wire Terminal Tool System", part no. 56500. Yyou take the red core out, then just push any of the pins (including the center one) out the back, easy as pie.

I got mine from a motorcycle supply house, but I imagine NAPa or anyone has them on th especialty tool rack.

Just wish I woulda remembered I had the damn thing before I cut three wires, loo!

Mike

 

[N7XME]

I use a long dental pick tool that I picked up years ago for who knows what. It slips down and has a nice little bend on the end to get under the red lock ring. Pull it out and pry back the tab on the center pin, pull the brown wire from the back and Voila. No cut wires and neat as can be. I was having trouble with my shift motor as well and took it off and on so many times in one day that I now can have the whole motor off the case in 5 minutes flat, including pulling the wire. Only tools required are a 10mm nutdriver, a t-20 torx(busted out my security pins), and the long pick or paperclip. My motor turned out to have the commutator and brushes a nice black color, the bushing was gone and the sensor wheel had a lot of carbon buildup. 5 minutes with a pink eraser and 2 minutes to find, measure, cut, and install a new rubber hose bushing and BINGO, 4x4 again. This writeup helped tremendously and I wanted to share my success story and tips.

 

[glfredrick]

My question runs past the shift motor into the switch and computer controller for the motor.

I have tried multiple good shift motors and sensors and none will function on my 92 (they work on my Ranger) - which leads me to believe that I have a bad switch or relay (computer?). Anyone have experience with those parts - as in replacement or diagnosis?

Also, as a stop gap measure for all the people that just can't make their own shift motors work, I have worked out a way to make that motor a manual affair... This is still in the works, but I should have it running this week some time (and I'll take pics).

I got a flexible drive shaft (a piece of E-brake cable with its sheild) - cot off the rotor of a known bad motor - and made a collar by drilling a piece or round stock to fit both the end of the worm gear (that drives the shift selector) and the flexible cable. I also drilled and tapped the collar for set screws to hold each shaft securely. Then, I epoxied the flexible shaft into a part of the old motor housing (I used one with a broken magnet) and reinstalled the end cap, now drilled to support the flexible drive with shortened screws (I ran a die down them to thread them further). I now have a "shorty" motor housing, that intead of holding an amature, holds a flexible drive shaft epoxied into place.

I am running the other end of the shaft up into the interior of the truck and I'm using a window crank from a moble home window to turn the shaft, thus duplicating the efforts of the electric motor to shift the truck.

It's sort of a cheese fix, but so far, it gives me every indication that it will work fine. My final steps once I get all of this together are to simply count the number of turns I need to get it into 4 Hi and 4 Low (low is easier - just turn until you can't - high needs to be at a particular spot).

Perhaps my fix will help some other guys that want a "manual" T-case shifter for some application, but can't find or afford the change over to the true manual shift T-case.

Oh - and BTW, the two cases - manual and electric shift - are identical once you get inside the case. One is not stronger than the other - the only difference is the back half of the case and the shift mechanism - so spedning a lot of money to get a manual setup is rather cost innefective becasue you really don't get any true strength difference - just the satisfaction of pulling a lever instead of pushing a button.

One further thing - my son's shop has a TON of these T-cases - in both varieties if anyone really needs a replacement. They have them in stock and ready to ship - sorry - no linkage for the manual shift T-cases. PM me for contact details.

 

[EXPLORER DAD]

What is the aproximate time to R & R the transfer case?

 

[glfredrick]

You should be able to do it within an hour if you have a few tools and some skill...

You just have to drop the two drivehafts - he electric harness - and the 5 bolts that fasten it to the transmission adaptor. It just slides right out then...

 

[Low End Torque]

I want to personally thank you for posting this information. I just completed this rebuild and it worked great! This is a very enabling piece of information and emphasizes the internet as a tool for freedom. Many of us, that like to do our own maintenance, hit road blocks on a regular basis and it is refreshing to find support from others in this regard.

Thanks,

 

[mpierich]

I have tried multiple good shift motors and sensors and none will function on my 92 (they work on my Ranger) - which leads me to believe that I have a bad switch or relay (computer?). Anyone have experience with those parts - as in replacement or diagnosis?.

Only thing I read was to disconnect two flat connectors from the computer module and push the test button on the bottom. If it flashes, the computer is good, if steady or nothing, it's bad. Mine flashed and turned out to be OK, FWIW. There also must be way to check the relays. There is a fuse (40A I think) in the panel on the right fender.

, I have worked out a way to make that motor a manual affair... This is still in the works, but I should have it running this week some time (and I'll take pics).
I got a flexible drive shaft ...It's sort of a cheese fix, but so far, it gives me every indication that it will work fine. My final steps once I get all of this together are to simply count the number of turns I need to get it into 4 Hi and 4 Low (low is easier - just turn until you can't - high needs to be at a particular spot).

I like it. I was going to work on something but might try this. You will likely be able to tell (feel) when it snicks into 4H and 4L and back, it's a defintite detent. My attack was going to be an emergency-brake type or stout push-pull choke cable and a crank arm on the shaft. Might still try that, too. 'Course, now I have my electric working perfectly.

Perhaps my fix will help some other guys that want a "manual" T-case shifter for some application, but can't find or afford the change over to the true manual shift T-case.

As simple as it is convert, I wouldn't know why you'd need to buy the manual one. My mechanic tells me somebody does sell a cable-actuated conversion kit, I'll find out who makes it. But it likely will cost as much as a rebuilt shift motor.

 

[Jonny813]

Thank you Brian! Finally my 4x4 works again... After bolting it back in place I couldn't find any wire splicers... So I had to wait till the next day to hook it back up. Just finished it about 2 hours ago (only thing needed to be done was reconnect the brown wire) which took a whole 5 minutes. I was so sweating bullets when I threw it into nuetral and turned the switch then I saw the light come on and a click from the motor! Wallah! Again, thank you so much for the wonderful thread!

 

[Flyswat]

I'm new here, but not new to forums (I moderate www.mx6.com)...I'd just like to tell everyone that www.rockauto.com sells a remanufactured Shift Motor for $90...which is the cheapest price I've seen anywhere.

 

[glfredrick]

Just FYI, I made a post on another thread about my idea to convert the shift motor to manual with a cable drive.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125545

 

[Spdrcer34]

I just made $100 with the help of this thread! Thanks!

My friend bought a 91 or 92 EB X, he picked it up for nearly nothing, one of the 'major' problems it had is the 4x4 hasn't worked in a few years....I told him I just 're-built' my 4x4 shift motor, and I could do the same for him. I removed his shift motor, pulled the red 'keeper' out of the plug using a nail and some needle nose pliers. pulled the brown center wire out, and took the motor to my house for disassembly. Sure enough, the nylon/plastic bushing was in 5 pieces in the housing. I replaced it with a small section (1/4" - 3/8" long) of rubber hose, cleaned up the motor contacts (they were VERY black with carbon deposits), lubed and re-assembled.

I installed the motor and it worked perfectly........

Thanks!

Now I have more money to spend on the X!

Ryan

 

[cwb8791]

DUDE! That was an awesome write up. I haven't had 4X4 capability in over two years. Had no idea. Saw this, printed it, followed it step by step and it went right into gear after putting it back together. Only problem, that added about two hours to the project, was that two of the three damn torx heads snapped right off. Had to put in new threads, but it all worked out in the end. Thanks a lot for the time to put that write up together.

 

[snikwah32153]

thanks

AWESOME!

Ever since I was working on the 'Extreme Makeover' house here in Kingston, WA (it will air on 1/9/05) in Early November (read THAT thread here: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1114941#post1114941 ), my 4x4 function didn't work!

Using this write-up, I ordered the T-20 Security tool off ebay. It arrived the other day, and today was my first day off since then. I cut the brown wire, as I couldn't figure out how to unplug it.

I took the Shift motor into the garage, took apart the motor and found the bushing in about 5 pieces!

I promptly replaced it with a piece of rubber hose from my spare parts shelves (it started as a 'bin' and grew....LOL)

Put it all together, installed a butt connector and shrinktube over that on the brown wire I cut........plugged it in AND IT WORKS!

I took the X to a place where I could test the functionality........PERFECT!

It works, it works!

Thanks a million.....well not quite a million, but atleast $300 worth!

Ryan

if this works you guys have saved me a bunch of monies. I will put it back together tonight. thanks again

 

[Linkster]

I have no high or low, switch and lights work and seems to be in lower gear but no 4 wheel drive! Damn aggravating get stuck in my driveway every night after this record snow fall!

HELP!!