How to: Rebuild 4X4 Shift Motor

[mrbubba2u]

thank you! only spent 4 bucks for some sealant and fixed my 4x4 on my 93 Explorer xlt sure glad i checked this forum before I bought a new shift motor! this fix was pretty easy and only took me about an hour. I did use a small screw driver to get the center wire loose from the connecter by prying the plastic ring that holds the wires so i would not have to splice it. Thanks again!

 

[Curtiswick]

Big Thank You ! ! ! !

Thanks to this posting, I now have functional 4x4 again after years of having it be iffy at best! Thank you Brain for this post! You are a time, money, and frustration saver!

It was the plastic bushing that got smashed into pieces against the stop. The computer couldn't tell what gear it was in. Replaced it with about 1/8 inch of fuel line. Started it up. Hit the reset on the control unit by the jack in the back and presto!

Micky Mouse is back in the house! Even his little ears light up. (the dash lights for the push button a.k.a. micky mouse 4x4 and low range)

The only thing that took me a minute to figure out was to knock out the gears from the other side. Just put a screwdriver in the triangle shift hole and a few quick knocks, and out it came.

Thanks again to Brain and to the owners/creators of this site! I have already used three posts in getting this 1992 Eddie Bauer back into running shape.

 

[rmcknight]

1998 SOHC Stuck in 4 by 4 low... So I pulled mine apart working under the car including the motor to find nothing wrong. noted that the position was still indicating low range, put it all back together, the motor brushes were a bit tricky but i think i got lucky. anyway it still flashed just the same as before. turned the car off and on about a dozen times with switch in all 3 pos, no change. I was almost resined to get Ford involved and then it struck me... disconnect the battery.... wait a few mins... reconnect put the switch in the low pos (matching the actual pos) and IT WORKED. She's back on the road.....

 

[BenLehman]

Replaced my shift motor on my transfer case it engaged into 4x4 but didn't show on the dash and also can't get it to disengage and go back to 2wd

 

[martin5081]

could i just pull of the electric motor, an manually turn the small crank to 4x4 for the time being this winter.. is that possible?

 

[martin5081]

could i just remove the electric motor, an use pliers to change to 4x4 cause,i live in snow all winter, just need a quick fix till summer?

 

[Ricky B]

could i just remove the electric motor, an use pliers to change to 4x4 cause,i live in snow all winter, just need a quick fix till summer?

If you remove the shift motor, you can still use 2 High, and maybe 4 Low. But it will never stay in 4 High without something to physically keep the t-case shaft in that position....

 

[BWTGUY]

Cold, Wet, and anger inducive

Lying on my back in cold, melting snow while icy water drips in my face as I fumble with equally cold, wet, icy, vice grips and try to turn a frozen muddy transmission post...MMmmmmm real he-man stuff...for masochists.

 

[Ricky B]

Lying on my back in cold, melting snow while icy water drips in my face as I fumble with equally cold, wet, icy, vice grips and try to turn a frozen muddy transmission post...MMmmmmm real he-man stuff...for masochists.

Snow? Ice? What are these things of which you speak?.......

 

[DeRocha]

could i just remove the electric motor, an use pliers to change to 4x4 cause,i live in snow all winter, just need a quick fix till summer?

Absolutely YES!!! Many people have done so with no issues. When you rotate the selector shaft you will feel slight indents (with a click) at each position (2H,4H,4L). Please note you cannot rotate the selector shaft in/out 4 Low unless you 1st shift the Transmission into Neutral (it will feel like a 500lb gorilla is holding the shaft in place).

If you remove the shift motor, you can still use 2 High, and maybe 4 Low. But it will never stay in 4 High without something to physically keep the t-case shaft in that position....

Um.. Ricky that is not true for 1st gen Explorers (91-94). The T-Case shaft will stay in whatever position it was put into. Just like shifting a manual transmission into gear it shouldn't pop out unless there is some other problem with the T-case.

 

[Ricky B]

Thanx for that info, I did not realize that. So I should have said that I was referring to Broncs & the F Series........

 

[Bwana Bob]

You can turn the transfer case shaft manually to put it in 4WD, but since it's a part-time system, if you drive on dry pavement you must put it back in 2WD or the drivetrain will bind up when making turns, which will make steering hard and will probably break something.

Bob

 

[davestracs]

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, pork rhines in one hand, bottle of jack in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”

great quote, life is what you make it.... or don't......

 

[mp223]

I took my shift motor off and mine is slightly different than the picture below. In place of:
2H I have H
4H I have N
4L I have L

I would assume leaving the selector in "N"/"2H" is 2wd, correct?

 

[Gilbee]

i have a 92 explorer that i cant get to disengage the 4x4 hi and i need to to go into 2hi any ideas?

 

[DeRocha]

i have a 92 explorer that i cant get to disengage the 4x4 hi and i need to to go into 2hi any ideas?

Lots of ideas... did you read the 4x4 troubleshooting guide?

As a simple quick fix you can remove the shift motor and use pliers to manually shift the T-case from 4H to 2H..

 

[param22k]

Greetings from India!

Thank you so much for the detailed description on troubleshooting/rebuilding shift motor. We have a popular Indian SUV made by Tata Motors called Safari which has a Borg Warner shift on the fly 4wd system. The 4wd version is optional and not very common so unfortunately even Company Service Stations are not competent enough to troubleshoot 4wd problems (I know it is crazy as even if they sell one single vehicle with the 4wd it is there duty to provide a certain level of good service for the same, but in India we are still very low on consumer rights).

The actual problem in my truck was with the 'Speed Sensor', but instead the service center opened up the shift motor and messed up reassembly of the shift motor gear assembly when they put it back together. When I read this topic I figured they must have got the positioning of gear and gear case cover wrong. Reassembled it myself and the 4x4 system came back to life. Saved myself a good amount of cash!

Thank you so much again for the great information, you guys rock!

 

[param22k]

Also, it was interesting to see that the design of the current shift motor (that I have) has been improved over the shift motor shown in this topic by removing some of the flaws discussed here. Specifically, the plastic bush has been discarded. Instead now they have a sturdy nylon stopper fixed on the gear case itself and the stud on the back side of the gear is full metal now (hence no plastic bush required any more). Also, proper markings have been provided on the gear case and cover so that they can be aligned properly.

 

[param22k]

Lying on my back in cold, melting snow while icy water drips in my face as I fumble with equally cold, wet, icy, vice grips and try to turn a frozen muddy transmission post...MMmmmmm real he-man stuff...for masochists.

I know the feeling, I am in an opposite climate (45 Celsius) and got the most puzzled look from the wifey when I came out from under the truck all sweaty and dirty with mud and grease all over, jumping, punching the air and shouting "Finally nailed you bugger!". Had to explain that was for the 4x4 I'd just fixed.

 

[param22k]

I took my shift motor off and mine is slightly different than the picture below. In place of:
2H I have H
4H I have N
4L I have L

I would assume leaving the selector in "N"/"2H" is 2wd, correct?

I'm not sure but that sounds like an AWD system to me. Different from the on demand 4x4 system discussed here.