T-Case swap?

[gear_grinder]

hi, i'm new to this fourm and did a little surfing in some of the "what tranny do i have" referance stickys. i have a 97 XLT 5.0 with (obviously) the 4R70W
tranny and the AWD transfercase.

kindof off topic (unrelated to secton) but o well, its back ground info.
I want to turn this into a wheeling rig/DD and my therioy is function over fasion. so the better it preforms the better i think it looks, lol. First off road mods i want to do is to get a 3" body lift, 33" tires & wheels if i need them. then eventualy do a SAS on it with leaf springs (posibly out of a CJ-5, CJ-7, YJ wrangler, K5, or Ramcharger),axle flip in the rear and posibly move up to 35" tires.

OK, my real problem for this section is that the AWD transfercase is not delivering power to the front axle, we have determind that it is the trasfercase because the drive shaft is not broke or disconected and you can rotate the tires and the drive shaft rotates, thus ruling out the diff and other driveline componets. I would like to swap in a part time, manual shift T-case into the truck to make it more to my liking, and i need to know what T-cases i can bolt up and have work with my stock shafts and tranny. i plan on making a shift linkage/lever or using the one that comes/came with the T-case that i get. i just plan on cutting a hole in the floor/tunnel area and puting a universal boot over the end so you cant see the ground go by.

tell me what you guys think and what T-cases i need to look for as well as what vehical i need to take them out of. (going to buy it from a junk yard)

thanks for the help in advance and letting you know you've got another set of boots, err tires on the ground

 

[gear_grinder]

no ideas? my only ideas were to look for a T-case out of a truck w/ the same tranny.

 

[rwenzing]

You'll need to swap out the driveshafts too but a BW4406 manual case is the answer:

Convert V8 AWD to BW 4406 Manual Shift- A how to thread

The only snag on the 96~97 is the speedometer drive off the stock case. Not impossible but a bit more involved than the later system which takes the VSS from the rear axle. Try searching on BW4406 for more threads.

 

[gear_grinder]

that looks like a good option, but is there any other T-cases that have been used besides the BW4406?

it also looked like there were some discepencys about what rear drive shaft works in that write up, does anyknow know for sure what one works?? i would also like to know if the drive shafts are just bolt up or do i have to do some riggin to the yokes to get the right spline shafts?

 

[77'cj7]

You can use a 1354 manual shift, from a 1993-1996 ranger, a 2002 ranger fx4, a 2003 fx4 level II, or a 1991-1994 explorer. You'll need the adapter from advance adapters, which also comes with a new output shaft.

 

[sparkyXplorer]

I put a 4406 into my 99, and I love it....
It is definitly a bit bigger then the AWD case and a tight fit no matter the case, but if you are doing a BL it makes things so much easier...

The rear driveshaft form a 5.4L expedition, is a direct bolt in...

Going from the 1:1 Ratio of the AWD to, the Lo 2:75:1 approx. (or 2:84 can't member) but ethier way it just wants to crawl in low...

 

[CDW6212R]

The BW4406 is the cheapest way out, and it's very strong. The rear shaft should bolt in from the 97-02 trucks with the big rear end, thus the 5.4 engine, shorter rear shaft. The front shaft comes from a 5.4 engine truck, which has the larger TC, and thus shorter front shaft.

Check to be sure that you do have a speed sensor in the AWD case. Just like a ton of items, the late 97 Explorers have the 98-01 parts in them. You might not have the VSS in the AWD. If so you will need an early TC with the sensor in it. Good luck,

 

[sparkyXplorer]

The rear shaft will be from a 5.4.

 

[gear_grinder]

thanks alot guys, this has cleared it up for me emensely. i guess its time to do a little junkyard shoping.

This is prolly going to sound really dumb, but is 2hi and 4hi in the 4406 1:1 like the stock transfercase?

 

[gear_grinder]

Changing gears

I have some questions about body lifting these trucks and yet to have any one respond to my thread (1996-2000 explorer body lift). there are also some suspention questions in their as well.

I would also like to know how strong is the 4R07W tranny, i checked my door code and its D4 so i have 3.73 gears w/ LSD. 3.73 is about what i wanted for running 33's, but i would like to know how well the auto tranny will hold up to moving that much more weight around.

 

[Glen4X4]

Your tranny will be fine with that, its stronger than the 4.0 tranny's. adding those 33's should be fine.

 

[rwenzing]

... is 2hi and 4hi in the 4406 1:1 like the stock transfercase?

Borg Warner 4406

low - 2.64:1
high - 1:1

 

[rwenzing]

You can use a 1354 manual shift, from a 1993-1996 ranger, a 2002 ranger fx4, a 2003 fx4 level II, or a 1991-1994 explorer. You'll need the adapter from advance adapters, which also comes with a new output shaft.

I thought about using the Advance Adapters kit when I swapped the 302/4R70W into my Ranger. There are a couple of reasons why I didn't.

1) The Advance kit costs $500+ not including the 1354 manual t-case and linkage (probably $200~400 additional, if you can find one). By contrast, I was able to get the 4406 case, linkage and both driveshafts for under $400 total.

2) The adapter shaft in the kit is a downgrade from the stock 31 spline on the 4R70W trans to match the smaller input of the 1354.

The 1356/4406/4407 series cases are built to handle the torque of larger engines used in larger vehicles. The 1354's were never used behind a Ford engine larger than 4.0L or in a vehicle heavier than a 1st Generation Explorer. For purposes of comparison, a stock 1354 manual case weighs about 60 pounds compared to 100 for the 4406 manual.

All things considered, for my purposes, it seemed like a better plan to go with a stronger V8 transfer case for less money.

 

[gear_grinder]

does the 4406 have to come out of a 5.4 truck?

 

[rwenzing]

does the 4406 have to come out of a 5.4 truck?

Nope, 97~2003 4.2 and 4.6 4x4 F150's had 4406's. Be careful because the case was also made in 2 electric shift versions besides the manual type that you want - all three are called 4406.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, the manual cases are much cheaper sometimes also. Look mainly at F series trucks, the Navigator/Expeditions got the TOD version for electric shifting.

 

[gear_grinder]

ok, well the case should be easy to find. all the 1/2 tons at the lumberyard were i work are all f-150s and are all manual shift t-case. so i know what truck i have to look for.

with the tranny and the extra load, would it be a good idea to snag another stock tranny cooler off of a junk yard 'sploder and then run two stock coolers?

 

[gear_grinder]

another question about running 33" tires on my explorer. what happens to the suspention with the added load? exelirated ware on ball jounts, wheel bearings, tie rods, etc...?

 

[CDW6212R]

The front axles need to be as close to level as possible. Moving them up or down at ride height over 2" or so will speed up the wear. The upper ball joints aren't the greatest, custom UCA's can be had for a few hundred dollars. For serious towing another trans cooler would be wise. That goes for heavy low speed use too. Regards,

 

[gear_grinder]

i just got done putting fresh OE upper ball joints in, how long do you think they'll last?

i dont plan on doing any TT, i'll take the fenders off befor that happens, lol.

if my stock ball joints take a crap again, i'm thinking of having the stock ball joint machined out of the A-arm and having them fitted for some press in style ball joints.

I also would like to know how add-a-leafs work on explorers w/o an axle flip?