2004 ranger 4x4

[b1mechanic]

i have an 04 ranger 4x4 that doesnt want to disengage what could be the cause of the problem
Thank you for any and all help

 

[camodown]

are you stuck in 4hi, 4lo or what

but you can try reversing, or if you have been running around in 4wd awhile and the transfer case got hot, then it might need to cool before it will shift, spraying a little water on the case helps.

or you could try the cresent wrench trick

 

[b1mechanic]

it doesnt matter how long its been in 4x4 a few secs or mins or it doesnt matter if its hot or cold i thought shift on the fly meant exactly that but it will sometimes go back in if i do it at a stop

 

[camodown]

so is it stuck in 4wd and won't shift out or does it just not work right sometimes

 

[gribly]

Even though it is "shift on the fly," don't.

My dad's '05 Level II wont even go from 2wd high to 4wd without putting it in neutral first, and it has to be at a dead stop.

 

[b1mechanic]

i can usaually get it out it just takes some time of some driving and steering from side to side and or flipping the switch back and forth

 

[camodown]

Even though it is "shift on the fly," don't.

there is nothing wrong with shifting into 4hi while driving. That is what it is made for. He has live axle so everything is already spinning.

Your shift motor might be going out. I would probably inspect it or give it a little tap and see if it will shift

 

[b1mechanic]

i hope not the truck only has 45,000 miles on it an the 4x4 doesnt really get used a whole lot just when it snows here in the midwest or when im in mud which isnt very often and we havent had much snow in the last 6 years and the amount of mud that it has been through isnt much just when im in the grass and dont want to tear up the yard

 

[b1mechanic]

if anybody else has any thoughts i would like a few more opinions just curious if anybody else has had this problem also

 

[adsm08]

it doesnt matter how long its been in 4x4 a few secs or mins or it doesnt matter if its hot or cold i thought shift on the fly meant exactly that but it will sometimes go back in if i do it at a stop

Your user name tends to indicate that you have at least SOME mechanical inclination, so I find it hard to believe that you can't understand or accept that heat or the driveline windup that can happen from driving it in 4x4 on a dry road would affect the system's ability to shift.

Now no shift to or from 4 low should be possible when not moving, and sometimes it will even wait to move back into 2wd until it has slowed past a certain point, but that usually indicates a wheel speed sensor issue.

if anybody else has any thoughts i would like a few more opinions just curious if anybody else has had this problem also

Ditch the ESOF 4x4 and go manual. Some things are just better manual.

Shifting issues are common on the electronic 4x4 systems, no matter who made them. The ultimate fix is to ditch the crappy electronic system and replace it with a manual one.

 

[b1mechanic]

i accept the heat and drive line wind up i just don't know much about the electronic part of it more the manual stuff and im trying to sell the truck and am trying to fix the issue at hand

 

[adsm08]

Well, the switches break, the motors go bad, there are all sorts of issues. Off hand, I'd guess switch just because if you flip the switch back and forth it will work sometimes.

 

[camodown]

the shift motors are notorious for going out and you should engage your 4wd periodically to keep things moving around

but here is a write up on checking your shift motor if you want to look into it
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/TCaseshiftmotor.htm

 

[bcost882]

just get a shifster haha and take out the electronic crappy part of it

 

[snake]

From my limited 4x4 experience, it kinda sounds normal. If the driveline is in any kind of bind it will act this way, driving with the rear and front tires with a little different tread depth will cause this, or anything else that could bind it up even a little. Letting off the gas and getting back on it when on the fly can sometimes unbind it enough to let it shift back. That motor is only so strong and it has to get in a "happy place" before it has the strength to unhook the front end. As long as it shifts back when you stop and back up a few times it is probably working normally.