OT- 87 ford ranger 4x4 pickup

KirbyandLugnut · Oct 29, 2014

My pop has an old 87 ford ranger. It has a 4x4 with an electric control right over the mirror above the windshield. the drive seemed to work fine until a few weeks ago, where now when you punch the button(s), one say 4wd, the other says low range, nothing happens. the buttons have small led lights on them that used to glow red, and I used to here an electric "click, click" sound, but now nothing. I'm guessing that it's not getting any power to the switch, but when I checked the fuses, there is no fuse for the 4x4. Does anybody know where the fuses, or fusible link is located for this system, or have any other idea what could be wrong?

Bob · Oct 29, 2014

Fuse locations will be shown in the owners manual, and, likely on the fuse panel or cover.

Likely failures are the actuator motor on the T-case, and the little 'puter that goes between the pushbuttons and said motor. Or, even the pushbutton unit itself.

KirbyandLugnut · Oct 29, 2014

owners manual doesn't show the fuse, and the main fuse panel under the dash doesn't have any fuse for the transmission, or 4x4. Im guessing it's not the button itself as neither button is working. Is the actuator motor accessible from the outside of the transfer case?

ypop · Oct 29, 2014

check for a grounding cable as well
Ypop

Bob · Oct 29, 2014

Yes. Looks sorta like an old-fashioned windshield wiper motor.

To look at some pictures, and get an idea of prices, go to www.rockauto.com.

If you want detailed service information, for about $25 bucks you can get it on-line at https://checkout.alldatadiy.com/adecomm/diyecomm/ymme?execution=e1s1.

onefarmer · Oct 29, 2014

I had a '96 ranger. The actuator mechanism is on the back of the t-case. If I remember right it's attached by three bolts. There is a triangle stem that sticks out of the t-case into the gear box of the actuator.

In mine the motor worked ok and would go into 4wd, but not come out. Some how the sensors that told the computer what gear it was in was messed up. I couldn't afford to fix it right so I figured out the wiring on the motor and added some push buttons on the dash. Farmer fix but it worked

Jiles · Oct 29, 2014

That's what we get when some people are too lazy to move a lever and the company wants to cut manufacturing cost!
Anyway, we have it and have to deal with it.
Don't know if this is the same setup as when this first started, but when this happened, a few years ago, you could activate the solenoid, crawl under and TAP the solenoid lightly.[b:4537870860] This has to be done safely, so best to have someone in drivers seat![/b:4537870860] In most cases this worked.
I found that if you activate the four wheel drive once weekly, you don't have to drive it, it would work when you need it.

TomA in CA · Oct 29, 2014

Interesting ....my '94 is manual. These push button
setups must come with autymatics.

Jiles · Oct 29, 2014

(quoted from post at 02:14:02 10/30/14) Interesting ....my '94 is manual. These push button
setups must come with autymatics.

I think it may have been a choice--back then.
I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee that had the floor lever and I had trouble selling it because everyone wanted "push button" especially the women.

calf · Oct 29, 2014

On a mid nineties for with the 4.0 v6, the actuator was on the outside and looked kind of like a starter. Anyway they would quit working because a plastic bushing/stop would give out and the actuator would turn to far, get out of range so to speak, and just lock up.....So, you may want to take it off and open it up.

MartyinVa · Oct 30, 2014

I had a 90 with the button on the dash that did the same thing. I too thought it was the switch, but it didn't help. It's like calf said there is a motor on the side of the transfer case (looks almost like a wiper motor). Have someone push the button while you crawl under and tap on this motor with a hammer and see if you can get it to work. Brushes or bushing probably bad.

merlynr · Oct 30, 2014

Have a 97F250 HD with the lever in the floor and it wouldn't go into 4wd so I took the boot cover off and all the linkage was rusty and after an hour of scraping,wire brushing and pb blaster and oil it finally came loose. Even mechanical needs exercising every so often.

SparepartsTN · Oct 30, 2014

This may help, Clymer repair manual, I used to have an 86 Bronco 2 with Electronic Shift.

OT- 87 ford ranger 4x4 pickup

KirbyandLugnut

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Bob

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KirbyandLugnut

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ypop

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Bob

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onefarmer

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Jiles

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TomA in CA

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Jiles

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calf

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MartyinVa

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