Control Trac Frustrations!! Help!

[khardrunner14]

Here are the stats:
1996 Explorer Sport
Control Trac 4x4
3.08 Open Diffs

I'm about to toss the dang thing off of a cliff. There's something goofy with the 4x4. Here's what I've done so far:

- I've read the tech section for the electronic shift rebuild and did that.
- transfer case flush with new fluids
- tranny flush with new fluids
- several times at a very good garage for them to look at it

The problem... the 4x4 is very, well, useless. I hear the hubs lock and in 4x4 low I hear the transfer case engage. On turns, the outside wheel slips a bit indicating the hubs are locked. I've had it on a lift to show that all 4 wheels are turning in Low. BUT if I use it all it takes is one rear wheel to loose a bit of traction and there I sit. I'll spin that wheel till the tire smokes and not move. It's like I'm back in 2 wheel high. It's no better in 4x4 high. Little hills with any loose terrain and I sit there and spin. I only ever spin one wheel.

I've never had a 4x4 do that. It renders the truck basically useless. I can't figure out what else could be wrong or how in the world to get my 4x4 back.

HELP!!

 

[khardrunner14]

Do you guys need some more info, am I just to rare of a case, or am I just impatient? Let me know what you need and I'll do what I can to provide it.

Does this sound like a faulty hub problem?

 

[tanbuddy]

i dont think your explorer has hubs, it doesnt make sense if all 4 spin in the air, when your stuck at least 1 front and 1 back should spin

 

[khardrunner14]

I only get one rear to spin when I'm stuck. I use "stuck" loosely here as really it doesn't take much at all.

 

[Bent Bolt]

Do you hear a ratcheting noise when this happens ?? Betcha the t-case chain is slipping.

 

[Mosinman76254]

I think I can diagnose this one... First off the control trac SUCKS!!! With that being said I need to know if your 4WD selector switch has 2hi, 4auto and then 4low. If it does you may have one hell of a problem. There is a clutch inside of that t case and that is what will make the front driveshaft engage. Even tho u said u had it on a lift and all 4 spun it doesn't mean that it is going to work under a load. Mine had done the same thing. My problem is the stupid clutch inside of the t case. There is NO aftermarket clutch for it and when I called the dealership for the part he just laughed and said, umm, nope! If you knew that the t case motor was in working condition but it didn't shift the t case it could be a GEM module problem. But I think you're having the same issue as I am. I have went thru (2) t cases already and the both of them had a bad clutch. I'm going to go to a manual shift one from a ranger... hope this helps!

 

[khardrunner14]

Is there any truck I can pull manual hubs off of at a junk yard to start with?

I might have to try the xsfer case as well later.

 

[Mosinman76254]

Ask Allan D, he's the man with that sutff and I believe he may have the parts you need.

 

[tanbuddy]

IM almost positive your truck doenst have hubs, just axles bolted solidly to your front wheels

 

[Mosinman76254]

Tanbuddy you sure are right, there are no hubs on that truck. It's a CAD, center axle disconnect, system.

 

[khardrunner14]

Yeah now that I think about it I don't remember seeing hubs when I did brakes. I think I have the 2 hi, 4 auto, 4 low deal if I remember right.

SO, seems the problem would be the xsfer case clutch then?

If it is, what xsfer case would I be looking for in a JY if I wanted to swap to manual?

 

[Mosinman76254]

A b/g 1354 t case will fit. By chance do you have the full center console, if so that'll be more changes.

 

[feellnfroggy]

His selector for the 4wd shouold have auto4wd, 4hi, and 4 lo. The type of trac ocntrol it has is the same as my expedition, when he loses traction it kicks into 4wheel. If you lose traction with one wheel and everything stops, mash your brake pedal until the brakes grab and that wheel stops spinning. It will "trick" the 4wd system into thinking it has traction and engage the rest of the wheel (differential only) This is called Brake acceleration modulation or somehting like that. The army special forces teaches it in their driving school. Used to be it was only possible with a humvee, because the humvee was the only vehicle with fulltime locked form hubs, ( the expedition, exploere current setup) now that our vehicles use this fulltime setup we have the modulation ability when offroad. If thisw dont work, then I would look into the friction plate problem inside the t-case ike was said above. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[khardrunner14]

I don't have the full console, I only have the sport model so it shouldn't be an issue.

I'll see if I can find one...thanks!

 

[RangerSVT]

The clutch inside your tcase is slipping...your fix is to swap your tcase with a 1354E from 93+ rangers...this will bolt right up to your trans...you will need to grab a front dshaft as well. You will no longer have auto 4WD, so if you need it, you will have to select 4HI...You may or may not have an issue with the plug on the tcase matching your vehicle's harness. If it don't match up, just replace it with the harness on your original tcase. This will solve your problem for good. Depending your your selection of junkyards, you should be able to do this swap for less than $100...
SVT