Is there anyway that i could convert my Push button activation into a manual locking activation?
Reason being is that my 4 wheel drive cut out for the second time in a month today when i was trying to pull my buddy out of a hole he dropped his f-150 into and then i got stuck when i tried to get him out.

 

like manual lock outs? not without a good amount of work.


*so your 4wd locks in then disengages? mine did that also. there is a sensor on the front of the axle, about in the middle. mine was out of the connector just enough that when you were in a field it would pop out. not sure what the sensors called but i'd check that first.

 

Spectre, while your willingness to help is commendable, you should stick to responses you are confident are correct.

While we are all here to learn from each other, bad information that sounds good is worse than outright wrong information.

Sharing from your own experience is great. Giving the general location of the sensor to check is helpful as well. A name for the sensor would be even more helpful. Did you just push yours back in or replace it?

To the OP, there is a member who did a How-To on converting the sometimes unreliable vacuum switch to a manual cable, which is what I think you originally meant.

CLICK for How-To

 

well thats what mine was. i thought it be better then making up a name. its whatever holds the 4wd locked in. i looked for a picture but its hard to find a pic when your not exactly sure what to search for. if i get it on the lift monday i'll take a pic of mine. best way to describe it tell then. its on the front axle, just about smack dab in the middle. it has a plastic tab holding the sensor into the front axle. mine was popped off the plastic tabs, so i just reattached it. its simple and doesn't cost anything to check before you go tearing into it. to the op>could of popped off when you were trying to pull your buddy out too.

 

In order to really help here, we need to know what it is you have for a transfer case. The year of the vehicle would help too. These are questions that need to be asked first rather than just stating the first (only) thing that popped into your head that may not even apply to the OPs vehicle...

So to Druubin, from past threads of yours, I see that you have a 2000. Please help us out by providing that information in every thread which you ask for help in. This can easily be done by creating a garage or by putting the information in your signature and attaching it to each of your posts.

Now.. How many buttons are on the switch? For the 2nd gens, the 3-button switch is the NV233(NP233) transfer case and the 4-button switch (98+) is the NV236 transfer case.

To answer your question... The How-To that Gary posted will work great for the NV233(NP233) transfer case, however, there is a lot more going on in the NV236. So if you have the 4-button switch and you try the posi-lock setup, you may have the TCCM complaining about things.

 

I know that it didnt pop out when i was trying to get him out because thats what dug my front tires deeper,and when i was getting pulled out of my hole i could see my front wheels spitting up lots of dirt, they didnt stop until i was getting wenched out again.

Its a 3 Button switch

2 Hi

4Hi
4Lo

 

The switch that spectre mentioned will have nothing to do with the engagement of your 4wd system. It is an indicator switch only and will not prohibit the completion of the shift in the transfer case.

If your transfer case was in 4wd (4HI or 4LO) through all of this, your problem was likely with either the vacuum supply to the front axle actuator, the actuator itself, or a problem with the cable to the diff.

Because you have the 3-button system, the link that Gary posted above will work on your truck with no adverse effects.