Forum:
Has anybody achieved a retrofitting of Fourtrak (1998 F73) transfer box
from a Vacuum activated to a Lever activated?
(Button 4H+Lever 4L to Lever 4H and 4L?).
I would like to do that but don't know what it takes and if it's possible to do so (change transfer and change 4WD Lever?)
Would be interesting to know.
Cheers.
Quite easily done if you have
Quite easily done if you have a moderate engineering knowledge and capability, and access to the correct tools, to begin:
Locate and remove the valves, ensure the vacuum feed pipe is blanked off correctly, and remove the pipes to the actuating plunger housing. Drill, tap, and blank these off also to prevent dirt entering the transfer case.
Remove the cover from the transfer case, you will see the rubber diagphram which is connected to the H/L range actuation arm. In the centre of this large rubber disc is a bolt, this is the adjusting bolt, this hits the housing on the inside and marks it.
Locate the centre if this mark, drill a small pilot hole from the inside to the outside, 3mm is fine. Mark and drill the adjusting bolt with a 5mm hole, do this in steps moving up with the drill sizes, drill about 15mm deep. Tap an M6 thread in the hole.
Move to the housing, open up the hole to a suitable size very carefully and tap a thread into it. Machine a sleeve about 50-60mm long, reduce one end and thread it to the size of the hole in the casing. Screw this in and ensure it is no thicker than the case thickness. Drill a centre hole down the sleeve to fit the size of actuating plunger you are to make.
Make up an actuating arm with a 6mm thread on one end, make it longer tham the sleeve, but a tight fit inside. Screw this into the adjusting bolt and fit the cover plate with its sleeve fitted.
Ensure you use threadlock on the new arm and sleeve to prevent them unscrewing.
Make up a plate to fit the holes from the actuating valves and fabricate linkages to a lever inside the vehicle. Fit rubber sleeves over the sleeve to new actuating arm and assemble.
As this would be a bespoke application i have deliberately left most sizes off as these components would need making to fit each other.
You would need access to a pillar drill, small lathe, and have thread tapping equipment and fabrication equipment.
Just ensure the connection to the transfer case is sealed with a good rubber sleeve, and protect the linkages with a good guard.
Will look into it
Thanks for the reply Assassin.
Thought it would just be a swap, but I see it's a lil more complicated.
But now I have the instructions you wrote, and I will consult them when I'm ready to swap the transfer.
Cheers.
Its not actually that
Its not actually that complicated, and there are a number of other ways to do it, mine was merely a suggestion.
If you have a little trepidation then i suggest you access the diagphram so you can see it for yourself. You may be happy with fitting a cable, but the problem is when it is retracted. Cables will not push back with enough force.
If you do it, please take pictures for all to see.
transfer box swap
Hi
To swap in a manual box in place of a solenoid box is just a simple case of bolting it onto your gearbox, it doesn't need all the electrical connections and vacuum hoses so you can junk them. It will need the warning light connection if you still want it but it's there to find.
best regards
Dave
Blood Red Offroad Ltd
www.bloodredoffroad.com