06 Ranger 4.0L 4X4 Disengaging

[06DangerRanger]

Hey all, I am having an issue with my 06 ranger, I live in NB Canada and it gets pretty snowy and my 4x4 is a must especially for my work! I noticed before my truck began to jerk in 4wd and I didn't understand why until a few months ago on a snowy day I realized it was disengaging while driving as everything was going well and then all of a sudden the RPM's ramped up and the truck started fishtailing wide open as I let off the accelerator it kicked back in. My go to thought was Transfercase motor since my truck has 250 000kms and that the actuator it self was pretty rusty. I tried one that a friend has who had it pulled it out of a junkyard trunk and it did the same exact thing so then I figured transfercase. My friend also had a transfercase that has 90 000kms on it so I took a night and changed it but boom same thing so I thought maybe my luck is just that shitty and it was 2 bad transfercase motors. I ordered a brand new one off rockauto since OEM is like 500$ and installed it 30mins ago in my yard and same exact issue kicks out of 4wd and into 2. Anyone know where to start? I read the 4x4 control modules go on these trucks and that might be the issue? Not sure anymore, between the transfercase and Transfercase motor Im out 370$ Which isn't a big deal considering I now have newer parts but my issue is still not resolved lol. Please help and thanks in advance.

 

[franklin2]

I would look at the front axles. All you have to do is lose one on one side and you no longer have 4x4. I would check the cv joints and make sure the axles are all the way home with the retainer and have not slid out a little bit. Make sure the mounts for the front pumpkin are good and not broken.

 

[06DangerRanger]

Wouldn't there be a noticeable noise along with that? 4WD works sometimes and then just instantly kicks out along with a clunk or could that be the axle skippin on wherever it broke.

 

[franklin2]

Try to think of a way to load up the front only when in 4x4. Do you have a spot where you could put the frontend on pavement and have the rearend in the grass? Then power brake it a little bit and see if you can get it to clunk. If you could repeat the failure, then maybe someone could carefully watch the frontend with a flashlight and see something going on when it did it.

 

[ConfusedAgain]

Hi, did you get it sorted out?
Iwent thru the same thing and found some transfere case internals worn and did a small mod to fix the issue.