4X4 Remidy for stupid encodor motor

[detectingcoins]

Well,,after much time and money put into changing the OTF dash switch and vacuum switch, encoder motor, vacuum thinggy under battery, 4X4 STILL WAS NOT WORKING,
So lying in bed ..POOF, I had a thought.
What if I removed the encoder motor. Took out the gear that slides onto the transfer case, welded and adapter,(short 3/8 socket extexsion) and weld it on the gear purpendicular to the ground. then I could take a 3/8 stock rod (from the hardware for $3.00) put in a few bends and such, run it just behind my right inside leg, cut it to a short 3 inch length, made a handle and seal with rubber,
I thought.
OK, mental check list,,If I manually shift the lever would that engage the front axles? Well they are activated by the vacuum switch on top of the transfer case. So when it is engaged into 4x4 hi, it would allow the vacuum to let the vacuum thinggy under the battery to engage the front axles.
The only thing that should not work is no lights would come on to let me know if the 4x4 is engaged,,,,,I could live with that.
So the next day I set out to try my idea,,,,,,,

It took about 1 1/2 hours to complete everything.....Oh, I bet you are wondering how I held the gear from the old encoder motor in place so it would not slide off,,,,I took a piece of 1/2 wide 1/4 thick and maybe 6 inches or less in length, I bent it so I could bolt it to the front encoder motor bolt hole and the other end would put slight pressure on the gear to keep it in place.

IT WORKS GREAT, I can still shift on the fly. I dont have to worry if it will stop working or not.

Any guestions or If you want pictures let me know.

[Chris Stewart]

I want pics!!!

[DINO55]

I thinik it's a great idea you came up with, and also a cheap fix...

[detectingcoins]

This is how I did it, try to click on pic to view better.

Brad

[DINO55]

Brad, Nice Job, Can I assume that it all works for you OK?

[detectingcoins]

I have been engaging and disengaging it over and over. At a stop,,while going 50 mph down the road. No problems at all.

[DINO55]

Brad, Your information should prove to be very helpful to others who may want to choose the same route you took. Especially if they are having Encoder motor, Vacuum or Switch problems on their 4X4's. Glad it worked out for you. Nice Job...


Dino.....

[s10468]

Brad, a few questions. I assume you have the 3 button (2HI,4HI,4LO) 4x4 system. How are you able to apply vacuum to the frt actuator to engage the rt frt wheel or do you engage it manually? Can you shift to 4LO with your setup?

[Chris Stewart]

Gonna need a photo pal.

[detectingcoins]

Great question, I have the rocker switch, 2 position, if I want to put into 4 low I will have to lengthen the slot for my shifter to be able to push it further.
I am only using the 2 hi and 4 hi at this time.
To answer you question about how it engages the front axle.
The transfer case on my 1994 jimmy has a vacuum switch located on top of the transfer case. when the lever is switched into 4 hi it automaticly detects it and sends vacuum to the front vacuum thinngy under the battery that engages the front axles.
When I switch it back to 2 hi again it detects this and releases the vacuum and shuts off the front axles.
The good thing about this is that the fron drive shaft also engages and disengages.

I hope this answerd your question.

Brad

[hausdok]

That is so cool! I have to replace the front diff in my awd astro, it died. I noticed the 4wd did not work a while back and really didn't care too much but now it's snowy and would be nice to rely on it. I'm stripping a bravada for the front diff and testing. If I have to take the transfer case the astro has a different setup so I'll be borrowing your idea. Thanks for posting!

[exalteduser]

I am doing this on my blazer(2 button switch), all i have left is a few things like putting the driveshaft back on and whatnot.

all in all it works well, i used a straight 3/8" allthread rod welded to the gear from the encoder motor, then it just slides on the shaft.

i will take some pictures and post them for you guys, just promise you dont laugh at my amateur welding job lol

[rprough]

I like this idea alot. Im wondering, how are you able to keep any moisture (rain, etc), out of transfer case where encoder motor was? How has the support for the rod that goes through the floorboard been? Have you thought about a piece of maybe notched aluminum plate (kinda like a floor shifter), to give you a visual indication of what mode your in? With the removal of the encoder motor, has this affected any other systems?, ie speed sensor buffer?


All in all I love this idea

[exalteduser]

the tcase is pretty well sealed off where it was, including the shaft.
that allthread rod is holding up fine.
knowing what gear your in is pretty obvious,
2wd=florida
4hi=wash d.c
4low=canada? theres like 6 inches of move between each one lol after you add that long rod. the better way would be some clever bending of the rod so 2wd isnt pressed all the way up against the seat, good thing i drive seat back all the way. to avoid that you would have to get more clever on the linkage. by the time you shift up to 4lo all thats sticking out of the floor is the knob, whereas in 2wd its about 6+ inches above the floor, again, clever linkage.

[rprough]

Again I like your yankee inginuity here. I wonder if you could get the linkage and floor shifter from a model that had the selection lever on the floor. Imagine it would be cheap at a junkyard.