AWD / 4wd? manual transfer case conversion ? 2001 XLT

[hertfordnc]

I've been doing some research and just find the question but no answers. Apparently the electric shift transfer case in my Expy "Borg Warner BW4406" comes in a manual and electronic version.

Anyone deeply familiar with these things?

can it be converted by replacing the motor with a lever? (probably not) or, would the manual version bolt up without any drama?

The AWD works by always putting power to the front wheels where the differential decides which wheel to put it to, right? So that would be a very different mechanism than a typical transfer case which switches power to the front wheels on and off with a lever.

I probably won't do this conversion but I can't stand not knowing.

 

[ExplorerTom]

You have a4wd, not AWD. Similar, but different.

99.9% of the time you have RWD. But when one of the rear wheels slips above a certain %, the clutch in the transfer case engages and sends power to the front axle.

 

[hertfordnc]

Thanks. It's looking more like it would be easier to get a manual transfer case- Pick N pull is 50% off this weekend

 

[2000 expy owner]

You can disconnect the auto 4wheel drive by cutting the brown wire going to the transfer case. Then just use the dash switch to engage 4 high and low. I have done this to mine and it works great. Why swap over if everything is working

 

[Flexpedition]

Are you just wanting a small shifter on the floorboard? Is it shifting into 4WD when you don't want it to or something? Just trying to figure out what the advantage would be to undoing what most viewed as an improvement.

 

[hertfordnc]

Like I said, I probably won't do it but I like mechanical things and I think it would be cool.

And, where I live I think it would improve resale on a first gen beach beast.

But further research says there is no practical way to convert this transfer case. The best solution would be to use a Borg Warner BW 13-56 from a mid 90s bronco. Apparently it will bolt right in.

 

[Texpedition45]

You can disconnect the auto 4wheel drive by cutting the brown wire going to the transfer case. Then just use the dash switch to engage 4 high and low. I have done this to mine and it works great. Why swap over if everything is working

Have you actually checked to make sure the front driveline engages when the switch is on 4h or 4lo?

What i found with my 2000 Expedition was:

1) by cutting the brown wire, the signal to the clutch was interrupted, and so...

2) while the transfer case engaged in 4hi and 4lo, the clutch did not.

3) I effectively ended up with 2hi and 2lo while the wire was cut.

After properly completing the Brown Wire Mod and installing a switch to turn on and off the current to the clutch inside the transfercase, I now had the option of

1) A4wd, 4Hi and 4Lo when the switch was in the "on" position, and...

2) 2Hi in the A4wd and 4Hi setting, and 2Lo when while the switch was turned to "off".

...........

OP, I too have considered swapping a BW4406 or the new process from an F250. Not that I don't enjoy having an electronic twin stick (basically), but I'd rather have a more proper TC arrangement.

 

[Texpedition45]

Like I said, I probably won't do it but I like mechanical things and I think it would be cool.

And, where I live I think it would improve resale on a first gen beach beast.

But further research says there is no practical way to convert this transfer case. The best solution would be to use a Borg Warner BW 13-56 from a mid 90s bronco. Apparently it will bolt right in.

If you swap to a 1356, please update with the install info (what worked what didn't etc). I'm considering a swap to a manual as well.