Yes, all manual equipped 4x4 Explorers built from '97-'99 came with Control Trac. It shouldn't be a negative though since from '97 on the Control Trac does have the settings of Auto/High/Low. So instead of a 2WD setting you get the Auto setting. Much (much) better than 2WD in my oppinion. To me it is almost like the equivalent of having traction control (only much better). I had traction control on my '95 T-bird and my Auto setting is so much better. On my T-bird when the rear wheels would slip, my ABS would start pumping the slipping rear tire until it regained traction (or got both rear tires spinning). On my Explorer when the rear tires slip, it diverts some of the torque from the rear wheels to the front. There have been many circumstances that would have required 4WD had it not been for the Auto mode. Last winter I was up playing around in 12" of snow without ever having to switch it into High. I put it in High to get a comparison. The only difference was that when in High it started moving a fraction of a second quicker. Another advantage to Auto is that you maintain the light steering that 2WD provides, but get the traction that 4WD provides. Even if I had a 4th setting of 2WD, I can't see any reason to use it unless it offered better fuel economy. If it doesn't then there would be no benefit to having a 2WD mode. I think Ford even dropped the 2WD setting from the Expeditions as well now. I know it used to be on the '97 Expeditions, but I seem to remember someone with a '98 saying his only had Auto/High/Low.
