Salage Yard R&D (transfercase shift motors)

[Isaac]

Hi Everyone,
I have begun to do some weekend Research and Development on some things, i have a yard near by that i get most any parts for dirt cheap, and have been woring on a few things to use things "Other" then factory for our Explorer's.
This thread is for the Transfercase Shift Motor.
If you own an early Explorer, and have not already had this problem, you will in time ,most likly have problems with your push button four wheel drive.
Usaly starts with it not shifting to either 4high or 4low when buttons are pushed, and then in time not working at all,, or just "clicking".
well guess what, if you dont already know it is anywhere from $200-$400 dollars to have the Transfercase motor changed at a shop.
This thread is for the do-it-yourselfer.
in most cases what happens is the Motor simple has no contact between the brushes and the amiture. this is caused by normal wear and dirt in the motor, some have found after ajusting the unit that it then works properly, this is true, however, it is not because something has been ajusted it is simple because the amiture in the motor has been slitly turned, giving it once again partal contact with th brushes.
Then i have had a couple that when i tore them apart i have found the Motor's Can magnets have just fallen apart, and a new motor is needed.
But now to the R&D part of this thread, After doing some searching in the old yard i have found ,and this was further tested on my 92' , that the 89-90 Bronco2's and Rangers with the Dana 13-50 (different from the dana13-59 found on explorers) have the Exsact same transfercase motor's, everything bolts right up.
Just some more hopfully usaly (if not already known) facts from the salvage yard.
Good Luck!


Isaac
Salvage Yard R&D

 

[Isaac]

just to add,,

this test has been found to work with 91-90 Explorer's.

 

[410Fortune]

Couple of additions:

The electric shift motor is also the same unit used on the full size trucks.
The older shift motors are less prone to failure, from what I have seen, the 86-89 motors seem to last longer before they need to be "rebuilt"
Rebuilding the shift motor (take apart, clean, lube, put back together) is very straight forward and easy to do.
You can find out how to do this here:

www.therangerstation.com
look under transfer cases

ONce the motor has been "rebuilt" it is as good as new.
I have 235K miles on mine and I just rebuilt it this month. I also carry a spare rebuilt unit I got for $15 from a "u-pull it yard". If you see a shift motor still on a tcase in the junk yard grab it! Usually they are gone as soon as the truck hits the yard.....