Bypass Transfer Case With Driveshaft Coupler?

[Gerrit]

I have a ’96 Explorer sitting in a shop in Quintana Roo, Mexico near the Belize border with a transfer case problem. I am in California. I could just take down another transfer case (F57A-7A195-CA), but I would like to bypass the transfer case altogether with some kind of driveshaft coupler. Does anyone have any recommendations or experience doing this?

Some background…The mechanic who had this car before me removed the shift motor, effectively making the car 2WD at the time I purchased it. (I’m sure the transfer case already had problems in 4WD and he set the transfer case in a 2WD mode and left it there.) Since then, I’ve had the front differential go bad high up in the mountains in Chiapas, and my only choice was to have a mechanic remove the front differential’s 4WD components and the front driveshaft. I don’t really want to replace the whole 4WD system, part by part. If I can just bypass the transfer case, I’d be very happy with a functioning 2WD Explorer. The car is in beautiful shape, otherwise.

Thanks for any practical advice!

Gerrit

 

[IZwack]

No you cant really bypass the transfer case, it must be there for mechanical and electrical reasons such as the speed sensor on the back.

 

[410Fortune]

LOL you cant! the tailhousing and output shaft on the transmission are designed to have a t case bolted to them, not a driveshaft

Also I believe you would lose all your ATF right out the back of the trans

Now a dummy t case maybe, or limp home with the t case you have, maybe..but a driveshaft straight to your output shaft = no bueno

now you can rebuild your transmission using a 2wd output shaft and tailhousing, that would be your best bet if you want to lose 4x4

 

[Gerrit]

Thanks for the quick responses!

A mechanic friend in Mexico told me how he did something similar with a Bronco, but I'm not a mechanic myself (obviously), so I'm not going to experiment.

And I have to fly down there personally with the parts. One transfer case will be easier to transport than a bunch of 2WD parts!

Thanks for the advice - I guess I'll just start replacing 4WD components, one at a time. Who knows, we may actually need 4WD down there.

Gerrit

 

[Cobraguy]

A mechanic friend in Mexico told me how he did something similar with a Bronco,

That might have been with a divorced transfer case. You could make that work the way you are describing.