I hate fixing cars and trucks

[FastDoc]

Tonto the ranger is stuck in 4WD. It's an electronic shift on the fly 4WD and quite complex. I found a bad electrical connector. I replaced that, and it still does not work. I think it's the trasfer case electric shift motor. $100. I ordered one and hope this is the trick. This is my only winter vehicle, and if I can't get it back into 2WD it will tear it up when the roads dry off, which will be soon...

Some pics of the bad connector. I replaced it. No pics of the finished result. I was in a bad mood! If you all like I will add pics of the shift motor replacement.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/maule/DSC06447.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/maule/DSC06446.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/maule/DSC06445.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/maule/DSC06448.jpg

[MICRider]

Not sure if the Ranger electronic 4WD system is similar to the system my Aerostar had, but my van wouldn't come out of 4WD either. Not a fix by any means, but to get it out of 4WD I ended up pulling a fuse for the 4WD. At least that way I could drive it on the dry pavement without hurting anything. Unfortunately I never did figure out what the problem with it was as the engine died just after I spent $1500 on the front end... :( Hope you get it sorted with a minimum of stress and bruised knuckles.

Cheers,
Stew

[Reveeen]

If "stuck" in 4WD you can always pull a drive shaft.

[FastDoc]

A miracle. :D

I can't explain it otherwise. I thought for sure replacing the plug would work and was surprised when it did not seem to right after the repair.

But when I took the truck out last night to dinner, and this AM to church and shopping, it went in and out of 4WD normally! It will even go into 4 Low which it never did before. I will cancel the order on the servo motor.

[SpudRider]

I think the microprocessors sometimes take a while to "reset" themselves after you make a change. :roll: I'm glad you solved the problem, Doc! :D

Spud :)

[FastDoc]

This system does indeed use a microprocessor. I curse Ford for a complicated system that replaces a simple failsafe lever on the floor. Back in the early 90's pushbutton 4WD was all the rage I guess.

[Weldangrind]

Can it be economically converted to manual? You could also install manual Warn hubs, which are bulletproof by comparison. As well, you wouldn't be turning all of that hardware when in 2H.

Do you really think it would damage a differential if you couldn't switch to 2H on dry pavement? I would have guessed that the diffs are one-leggers.

[FastDoc]

The guys on the Ranger Forum all lament the electronic shifter. AFAIK no one has engineered a maunal replacement.

The manual says driving in 4WD on non-slippery surfaces wears the tires and the drivetrain. You can feel it 'binding' when you turn. Like an ATV with it's solid rear axle.

[Weldangrind]

Sounds like a manual transfer case and manual hubs would be the only way, if you were so inclined.

[lego1970]

My 98 F-150 has a manual shift lever, but it still has a servo or something to engage it in 4hi while moving so even the manual shift levers are not fool proof. I hate that. While doing some tree work I ran over some limbs and I guess one of the limbs caught and pulled out some wiring down there. It would only go in and out of 4hi at a standstill instead of on the fly. I plugged it back in and everything started working like normal again.
That was when the truck was only a couple years old like back in 2000.

For what it's worth, I use my 4 wheel drive thru out the year and it never binds or has any problem going in and out of 4hi or 4low, yet I've driven plenty of other 4x4's that's hard or just won't get in or out of 4 wheel drive and all those trucks only see 4 wheel drive in the winter. I think it's important to engage the 4wd a few times thru out the year. Even if it's just for a few minutes on a gravel road or something like that.

[Weldangrind]

Lego, if your transfer case is servo-controlled, then it would seem to not be a fully manual box, especially if you can shift on the fly. In the old days, you had to come to a complete stop, get out and lock / unlock the hubs and then shift the transfer case.

I'd have no problem doing that, for the amount of times per year that you actually shift in and out of 4WD. The old system is very reliable, and the hubs aren't connected when not in use, saving a bit of fuel.

[FastDoc]

My new practice will be to switch it on and off once a month or so while going in a straight line. Drove it to work today and it remains 100%, thank God, I think it's fixed.

This truck sees little use. Less than 3,000 miles a year. I only use it in bad weather, and for towing the bikes, boat, or ATVs.

[waynev]

Just take out the rear drive shaft and run it as a front wheel drive :wink:

[Weldangrind]

I actually saw a girl do that on the side of the road when the rear u-joint grenaded on her. Sexiest thing I ever saw. :lol:

[FastDoc]

I actually saw a girl do that on the side of the road when the rear u-joint grenaded on her. Sexiest thing I ever saw. :lol:

That would have done it for me too! If she could shoot and ride a bike I'd be in love!

[lego1970]

Lego, if your transfer case is servo-controlled, then it would seem to not be a fully manual box, especially if you can shift on the fly. In the old days, you had to come to a complete stop, get out and lock / unlock the hubs and then shift the transfer case.

I'd have no problem doing that, for the amount of times per year that you actually shift in and out of 4WD. The old system is very reliable, and the hubs aren't connected when not in use, saving a bit of fuel.

Yea your right, it's not fully manual. The lever goes directly to the case put there is still some kind of servos both to allow 4hi engagment on the fly and I guess to lock the half shafts in. While I do like the simplicity of the old locking hubs, when it's raining out or you just come off a gravel road on to some slick dirt/mud road it's nice not to have to get out and then track all that mud back into your truck and or loose your momentum.

Missouri has good back roads (interstates are horrible) , but Kansas still has a lot of dirt roads (interstates are great) that turn to grease as soon as it rains. Some of them are just impassable. It's kinda wierd, the road can be flat as a pancake, you have aggressive tires, locking diffs (my truck doesn't have locking diffs) and still struggle for every foot down the road. The soil is some kind of quasi clay/dirt stuff that could be used as fithwheel grease.

[FastDoc]

With some soils, one rotation of the wheels and the grooves are filled with dirt/mud and you're effectively on slicks. I don't think there's anything a guy can do about that. The soil where I lived in Kalifornia was similar, and when wet would suck you in and you'd need a pull in no time flat.

[lego1970]

With some soils, one rotation of the wheels and the grooves are filled with dirt/mud and you're effectively on slicks. I don't think there's anything a guy can do about that. The soil where I lived in Kalifornia was similar, and when wet would suck you in and you'd need a pull in no time flat.

Yep, thats excactly what happens and if I try to spin them clean it just causes me to slide towards the ditches. Glad somebody else has come across that problem.

[katoranger]

My old ranger was all manual. Had to get out and lock the hubs and move the lever myself. No problems with that one. In the winter I just left the hubs locked unless I needed to drive on the highway.

Current ranger is 2wd.

[FastDoc]

I think my automatic hubs work fine. How would a guy know if they didn't?

[lego1970]

I think my automatic hubs work fine. How would a guy know if they didn't?

Your fronts wouldn't spin. Take it on a gravel road, put it in 4hi or lo and floor it. You should see or feel the fronts kicking gravel. Some vehicles you have to back up 10-25 feet to get the hubs to lock and likewise to get them unlocked. There are so many different designs it just depends on the vehicle.

[katoranger]

Yep. If you had a bad hub you would have no 4x4. Most people will swap them to manual for hard off-road use. The hold up fine to snow and light use.

I think the push button problems tend to be in the electronics used to engage to transfer case.

Much prefer a lever the physically changes the gears.

[FastDoc]

My hubs are good them. She definitly spins all 4 when I stick my head out the window and punch in in the snow.