Who has converted to manual hubs?

[RickE46M3]

I have a 1999 XLT 4wd with Auto 4wd, I was wondering to get rid of the risk of breaking something while playing on slick surface or what not should I convert to manual hubs? I heard they were about $100 dollars to do but what are some benefits and bad attributes of this. I can not break the rear end loose to save my life with the auto 4wd, or is it simply that I don't make enough power with the SOHC 4.0. ? I also find it EXTREMELY annoying to be on a semi slick surface such as melting snow where my rear wheels spin, hessitate or get grabby because of my auto 4wd, it seems to put so much stress, it feels as if its alot of stress on the truck to constantly be engaging and disengaging the front because it is damp out or a little slippery, if it gets bad enough that I need full 4wd I can get out of the truck.

 

[lifeguard379]

i think you nead to search for the brown wier mod.

 

[RickE46M3]

the WHAT?

 

[JDraper]

You cannot put manual hubs on a '99 Explorer. The axleshafts are permanantly bolted to the hubs. The only thing you can do is the "Brown Wire Modification" where you interrupt the signal to the xfer case with a switch to give a true 2WD mode.

 

[Green98XLT]

Search is your friend...

There was a huge post (actually several) on here where it details the install of a switch connected to the brown wire coming from your GEM module. All it does is interrupt the transfer case clutch signal and stops the front wheels from engaging automatically.