How to: The Comprehensive Brown Wire Mod Thread

[Riddle_Rob]

Do i really need to cut it? i saw a reply here somewhere and the guy said no need to cut...
I need to put the 12v on the wire going up to the left is that it? Just want to be sure...

Regards,

WHoaaa you aren't throwing a different 12v to the wire if that's what you mean.

Basically the brown wire has 12v running over it, the right wire from the Y needs 12v all the time and the left one, which you cut to put switch in, is the one that can be selectable. They both get the 12v from the same brown wire before the Y (obviously). That's why you gotta cut it. Simply splicing into it won't do anything since the wire is still technically connected thus allowing the 12v to flow thru. There's no if ands or buts, you gotta cut it.

 

[Qb3rt]

Fixed with the BROWN wire and it's working great!!!

Thanks!!!

 

[spinnn]

oh god my head hurts

Ok, I got the whole wiring thing, but is there a manual hub kit that I could get so I could just disconnect the hubs, or would I need to go get a Dana 44 and open up a can of worms the like of which the world has rarely seen? Yeah, I'm a knuckle dragger, but to stop the wear that is attendant with having the whole front rotating ass'y spin whenever I move, along with the resultant loss of mileage, well, you know where I'm going. I think that I've done this to every live axle I've ever had (2 Troopers, 1 Ramcharger, a 75 F-250 and an S-10 Blazer) If not oh well, but it'd be nice...

 

[IZwack]

Ok, I got the whole wiring thing, but is there a manual hub kit that I could get so I could just disconnect the hubs

Nope, there are no manual hubs for the 95+ Explorers.

 

[spinnn]

yeah,yeah

P.S. If you have a Dana 44 or better I'd love to see the pics, and I'll probably find them sooner or later but that's a hell of a bill to pay. Maybe once the market picks back up... or I can find a job...(vomit)

 

[spinnn]

Damn, wack, you're quick. Can't say I didn't try, tho. Hmmm...Welder, $800, D44, $400, sleeping on the couch, priceless.

 

[gijoecam]

Ditto. There are no manual hubs available for a second-gen. Additionally, the way the transfer case is designed, even if you were to release the hubs from the axle shafts, the oil in the transfer case trying to shear past the plates would tend to drive the front axle to a certain extent anyways. The whole system just isn't designed to work that way.

Now, that being said, I've *heard* that there was a kit out there to convert Ranger PVH hubs to manuals for somewhere around the 97 or 98 model year. (The first couple years of the Ranger IFS changeover). It *may* be possible to retrofit the knuckles from that year Ranger onto a second-gen Explorer and use the manual hub kit for the Ranger on them... but again, no significant mileage savings to be had either way, not to mention that the swap would be a royal pain in the rear...

But that's another discussion for a whole 'nother thread.

-Joe

 

[spinnn]

Gotcha. Thanks.

 

[Cobraguy]

Ditto. There are no manual hubs available for a second-gen. Additionally, the way the transfer case is designed, even if you were to release the hubs from the axle shafts, the oil in the transfer case trying to shear past the plates would tend to drive the front axle to a certain extent anyways. The whole system just isn't designed to work that way.

Here is my question on a 95/96 Joe that I don't quite understand from what you are telling us. My understanding is the transfer cases from the 95/96 are the same as the cases in the 97 and up Control Tracs. The only difference being the CAD in the 95/96. Now, I had my 95 up on jackstands the other day, and in 2WD, the front drive shaft still turns. The wheels don't because the CAD isn't engaged. However, this is NOT true 2WD in my book because you don't have the transfer case disconnected too. Now, I didn't get out my meter and do any checking, but do you suppose their is some current to the transfer case clutch turning the front shaft while the switch is in 2WD? Or do you think it was just resistance from the cold oil in the clutch? And next question...if a person were to disconnect the brown wire from the transfer case, then obviously you would lose any connection between the front and rear shafts, but in your opinion, is this what could burn up the clutch in the transfer case by driving just the rear wheels? It appeared to me the last time I was in one of those there was enough clearance there to allow the slippage without burning it up...but you folks may know more.

 

[gijoecam]

My opinion is this: The way the internals are laid out, there is not much clearance between the clutch plates on the front and rear outputs. There are a couple of members that have attempted to do just what you're saying several years back so that they could run their trucks on a 2wd dyno. At least one person I recall reported that the front wheels started spinning under power at higher RPMs after several dyno pulls. He later discovered a fried transfer case... It was the general consensus at that time that the cause was the dyno day... and it makes sense... You're talking about atremendous difference in driveline speeds, which that case never sees under normal operating conditions. The way the parts fit together, I can see how fluid shearing between the plates could break down and you could end up with metal-on-metal (or friction material on metal) with no or very little lube.

Now, as for the 2wd mode, I can't say for sure whether or not the system on the 95-96 actually cuts all power to the clutch coil, or if it still maintains some amount of power sent to the clutch. Someone with a 95-96 that's done the mod using a lighted switch may be able to confirm this for us. I honestly don't know. I would think that idling in first gear, you should be able to reach up and physically stop the front driveshaft by hand, but admittedly, I've never actually tried it.

Does that help?

-Joe

 

[Cobraguy]

Yep. It certainly does. And I tend to agree with you. I'll tell you something else...it may be one reason why the CAD went away for 1997. The engineers may have WANTED that front drive shaft turning the same speed at all times. And driving that driveshaft by the front wheels ensures that happens. Then they just use the software programming to apply the amount of clutch they want for any given situation. So why I can see the benefits of this mod, I can certainly see the pitfalls too.

 

[Cobraguy]

Now, that being said, I've *heard* that there was a kit out there to convert Ranger PVH hubs to manuals for somewhere around the 97 or 98 model year. (The first couple years of the Ranger IFS changeover). It *may* be possible to retrofit the knuckles from that year Ranger onto a second-gen Explorer and use the manual hub kit for the Ranger on them... but again, no significant mileage savings to be had either way, not to mention that the swap would be a royal pain in the rear...

But that's another discussion for a whole 'nother thread.

-Joe

I wanted to comment on this. I have been going to round up the parts to do this swap on my 99. I just have had too many irons in the fire to get it done...including a complete brake and suspension job on my 95. But my 99 will be due for that soon and that's when I'm going to do it. The reason I'm doing it on the 99 is it has a 4406 in it and I believe it can handle the disconnect inside the transfer case better than the 4405 Control Trac can. However, more research may need to be done. The 4406 also has a clutch that is electrically applied via a brown wire, but it appears that may be used momentarily to spin up the front half the the drivetrain when shifting from 2WD to 4WD when on the fly so the gears don't grind. An electric synchro so to speak.

It also may mean building your own front axles...using the inner half from the Explorer and the outer half from a Ranger. Just to make sure they are the correct length. I need to check that. I'm wondering about over all length of the Ranger axle compared to the Explorer.

 

[Glen4X4]

As to what you said about Cobraguy, my one explorer I had it in 2wd mode but apparently the front axle didn't disconnect like its suppose to at the time and when I got slippage I felt and heard the front end pull like you know how it sounds when it automatically kicks in 4wd.

 

[doughboy_2011]

has this mod improve gas mileage at all? I'm not sure that it would seeing as it still spins the transfer case. or doesn't it? some info would be greatly appreciated. i would like to get this done to my truck soon.

 

[gijoecam]

has this mod improve gas mileage at all?

No. There are no mileage gains to be had.

 

[wilbur-t]

Just been wading through this very long thread and wanted to make sure all the 95-96 owners knew that their trucks only have control trac if their switch says 4auto in the middle position. If it says 2wd-4hi-4lo, like mine, it does not have the type of clutch that needs this mod. The clutch in this case only helps to spool up the front driveshaft to the same speed as the rear on a shift on the fly to 4hi from 2 hi. Once the shift collar is engaged the electric clutch is released. Here is an excerpt from the manual.

Electronic Shift Operation

The transfer case (7A195) is equipped with a magnetic clutch, similar to an air conditioning compressor clutch, which is located inside the transfer case adjacent to the 2W-4W shift collar. The clutch is used to spin up the front drive system from zero to vehicle speed in milliseconds. This spin-up allows the shift between 2-high and 4-high to be made at any vehicle speed. When the transfer case rear and front output shafts reach synchronous speed, the spring-loaded shift collar mechanically engages the hub of the output shaft to the chain drive sprocket and the magnetic clutch is then deactivated. Shifts between 4-high and 4-low can only occur with the clutch interlock switch or transmission range (TR) sensor and the brake switch closed. The vehicle's speed must also be within specified limits as determined by the transfer case speed sensor (5 km/h [3 mph or under]).

When the operator selects the drive combination through the rotary control switch, an electric motor turns a helical-cam, which is linked to the high-low and 2W-4W shift forks through fork-mounted roller and bushing assemblies. As the electric motor turns the helical-cam, the high-low fork bushing rides in a slotted lobe in the cam to make the low-high or high-low range change; and the 2W-4W fork bushing rides on lobes at the end of the cam to make the 2W-4W or 4W-2W shift.

 

[gijoecam]

Just been wading through this very long thread and wanted to make sure all the 95-96 owners knew that their trucks only have control trac if their switch says 4auto in the middle position. If it says 2wd-4hi-4lo, like mine, it does not have the type of clutch that needs this mod. The clutch in this case only helps to spool up the front driveshaft to the same speed as the rear on a shift on the fly to 4hi from 2 hi. Once the shift collar is engaged the electric clutch is released. Here is an excerpt from the manual.

Electronic Shift Operation

The transfer case (7A195) is equipped with a magnetic clutch, similar to an air conditioning compressor clutch, which is located inside the transfer case adjacent to the 2W-4W shift collar. The clutch is used to spin up the front drive system from zero to vehicle speed in milliseconds. This spin-up allows the shift between 2-high and 4-high to be made at any vehicle speed. When the transfer case rear and front output shafts reach synchronous speed, the spring-loaded shift collar mechanically engages the hub of the output shaft to the chain drive sprocket and the magnetic clutch is then deactivated. Shifts between 4-high and 4-low can only occur with the clutch interlock switch or transmission range (TR) sensor and the brake switch closed. The vehicle's speed must also be within specified limits as determined by the transfer case speed sensor (5 km/h [3 mph or under]).

When the operator selects the drive combination through the rotary control switch, an electric motor turns a helical-cam, which is linked to the high-low and 2W-4W shift forks through fork-mounted roller and bushing assemblies. As the electric motor turns the helical-cam, the high-low fork bushing rides in a slotted lobe in the cam to make the low-high or high-low range change; and the 2W-4W fork bushing rides on lobes at the end of the cam to make the 2W-4W or 4W-2W shift.

Incorrect on every point. I'm not sure which manual you're looking at, but it's not one for a 95-96 Explorer, and if it is, it's a very bad mis-print with incorrect information. I'm not going to re-post the information from the Ford service manual as I've posted it more than a few times before, but suffice it to say, everything in your post is not correct for a 95-96 Explorer with a Borg-Warner 44-05 transfer case.

Furthermore, if your switch says 2wd-4high-4low, your switch has been replaced with one out of a Ranger or a later-model Sport or SportTrac. In 95-96, the switch should read 2wd-4auto-4low. Functionally they will work the same on the system as the GEM simply sees the resistance through it, and the ranges are the same for both switches, but it does not change the function of the switch itself.

 

[wilbur-t]

I am a Ford Senior Master Tech with 25 years experiance, so don't tell me I don't know what I'm saying or that my info is incorrect. It is straight off the Ford web site. I just want people to know that if their 95 or 96 explorer doesn't say 4auto they don't need to do this, in fact they should NOT do it. If the switch in the dash says 2wd-4wdhi-4wdlo then the truck has a 13-54 transfer case. Again from the manual.....

Transfer Case
The Borg-Warner 13-54 Shift Transfer Case transfers power from the transmission (7003) to the rear axle assembly (4006) and to the front axle when actuated. The 13-54 provides LOW RANGE driving. This system has no selectable neutral.

 

[gijoecam]

I am a Ford Senior Master Tech with 25 years experiance, so don't tell me I don't know what I'm saying or that my info is incorrect. It is straight off the Ford web site. I just want people to know that if their 95 or 96 explorer doesn't say 4auto they don't need to do this, in fact they should NOT do it. If the switch in the dash says 2wd-4wdhi-4wdlo then the truck has a 13-54 transfer case. Again from the manual.....

Transfer Case
The Borg-Warner 13-54 Shift Transfer Case transfers power from the transmission (7003) to the rear axle assembly (4006) and to the front axle when actuated. The 13-54 provides LOW RANGE driving. This system has no selectable neutral.

Just because you are a 25-year senior master tech doesn't make you right. Believe it or not, there may still be some things you can learn.

A 95 or 96 Explorer will have a Borg-Warner 44-05, not a Borg-Warner 13-54 regardless of what you may think.

I'm staring at the service manual right now... If you'll look at Section 07-07D: Transfer Case, Control-Trac, you'll see the explanation of how the system in an EXPLORER works. The 13-54 transfer case, for which you posted the operational description, was never available in a 95 or 96 Explorer regardless of what the switch on the dash may say. The specific section you posted was from section 07-07C, Transfer Case, Electronic Shift. That system was available in the Ranger, not the Explorer.

If, in fact, the switch says 2wd/4high/4low, either the vehicle is not an Explorer, or it has had the wrong switch installed. If you look at the resistances for the switch, the resistance and, therefore, the way the GEM will interpret the signals is the same. The only difference between the switches is the label. Functionally the switches are identical, but the transfer cases and, therefore, their function, are not. Two entirely different systems in two somewhat-related vehicles. That doesn't make them the same.

 

[wilbur-t]

My apologies. Hopefully I am through brain farting here. I think I transposed my ex. with a ranger I recently fixed. I did find an obscure reference in a tsb that some early 96 ex. could not be fitted with neutral tow. I think I ran into that back in the day, but I don't remember if it was a transfer case or module issue.