F250 4WD Damage Prevention to Selection switch

Submitted: Saturday, Sep 30, 2006 at 03:16
ThreadID: 122960 Views:3649 Replies:1 FollowUps:0
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While travelling along the Gibb River Road, somehow the 4WD selection switch on the transfer case got damaged. I found out something was wrong when I went to select 4WD and no lights came up on the dash. On investigation where the end of the cable enters the switch on the transfer case was found to be hanging down. We removed it and Roger Bunny, an electrical engineer by trade, tried a bush fix by soldering up the printed circuit and we joined it all up again with fibreglass. Although all the broken circuits were repaired, the switching mechanism wouldn't work, so I was left to obtain a new switch when I was stopped somewhere long enough to get it sent to me, which is now in Melbourne.

The part is only a small plastic switch with a printed circuit in it, but to get that part you also have to get the rest of the switching gear as well, and the list price is $875.

It would appear that the cable may have been caught against the tail shaft and then this broke the switch as the cable became tight.

I think it would be worthwhile everyone with a 4WD F250, to get under their vehicles, remove the bash plate covering the transfer case and then you will have access to the switch that I have broken. It is on the passenger side towards the rear and close to the tail shaft. It is held in with 2 security screws and has a cable running to it.

I would suggest that you somehow try and secure the cable so that there is no way that it can get caught by the tail shaft and get damaged like mine has.

Also for anyone who suffers this damage or for some other reason the dash selector switch will not engage 4WD then you can still get high range 4WD if you manually go to the front hubs and turn them from Auto to Lock. I have had several mechanics tell me that it is not possible without then engaging 4WD by a lever as in the older 4WDs, but I can tell you that it works, and is described in the owners manual as being a method of engaging 4WD.

For the sack of some cable ties or similar it might be time well spent securing this. I think this is the same switch that Bob Pollock had damaged on his old F250 a few years ago, but he was in the warrantee period.
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Reply By: Noosa Fox - Tuesday, Oct 03, 2006 at 21:41

Tuesday, Oct 03, 2006 at 21:41
I have just fitted the new 4WD switching mechanism that is only available as a complete unit with a retail price of $863.

After fitting I used a zip tie to secure the 2 wires together so that there is no chance of one of the wires getting caught in the tail shaft.

The 2 wires are on the left side of the transfer case next to the tail shaft and can be accessed without removing the bash plate.

Brian
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AnswerID: 569447

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