I really could use some help here. I am new to the forum and hope this is the right place for some experienced technical assistance.

I have a 2001 4X4 ES and want to add 2wd4 switch. I have added a 2004 front differential and drive shaft and have that mounted. I am unsure how to hook the 2wd4 switch up electrically. It appears I do not have to use the rear and front speed sensors (if this is a bad assumption let me know). I have created a 12v power circuit to the 2wd4 switch and the diff does activate and then blows a fuse. If anyone can assist me in resolving this issue I would really appreciate it. I am at a complete loss as to what I need to do next.

The best deduction I have made yet is that the '04 ECM (which I do not have since this is an '01 instead of an '04) sends a 12v pulse to the front actuator clutch and does not assert 12v constant to that activator. If this is so is there any way to create this same pulse from the '01 ECM?

I and a buddy are completely in the dark as to what to try next.

 

umm it shifts inside the transfer case. You can't hook that up to a 01 engine.

get a warn 424 AND IT WILL WORK.

 

ixRAZORxi

I have the new transfer case from an '04 installed. this is the transfer case that has the actuator. I have already got a fair amount of $ invested in the new front diff and drive shaft as well as the handle bar switch and need to understand the electonic hook up so I can complete the install. Thanks for your response.

 

Fill in the blanks here for me. The 04 Rancher 350 doesn't have selectable 2wd/4wd, so are you saying you got the transfercase off an 04 Rancher 400AT???

Like he said, the Warn 424 is $200 and a lot simpler fix, but it is an interesting project just the same.

 

yes, please clarify. none of the ranchers (besides the 400AT) had electric 2wd/4wd, the are full time 4wd. If you have the front end of a 400AT installed, i would double check the gear ratio!!! if the gear ratio is too much different from the rear you will have driveline windup hardcore, and you'll break something.

 

reconranger and quicksilver:

Thanks to both of you for your responses. To clarify:

I have placed an '04 Rancher 400 AT front differential and drive shaft on a '01 Rancher 350 ES 4X4. I have also installed a Dirty Howie front end locker in the differential. I had some pretty solid advise that this was doable from Dirty Howie and others before I got started. That surely does not mean that they were right but I know this same kind of changeover has been done on other Honda models (Foreman for example).

quicksilver - Your comment about the the front gear ratio is an interesting one. I am not sure what to check there to ensure correct gearing ecept looking at the two internal gears side by side (unfortunately one of those gears is installed on the bike right now) and that inspection would not give me the answer because the drive shaft is smaller on the engine side than on the differential side (both ends are the same size on the '01 drive shaft) so visual inspection will not tell the story. Any insight and guidance here would be helpful.

I did not select the Warn product during original poject planning because I thought the Honda factory version would be a cool upgrade versus what would look like an aftermarket upgrade. When I originally started this project shortly after the announcement of the '04 400 AT the Warn product was not yet in production although it was tobe released pretty quickly and I figured I would have the Honda version installed and ready pretty quickly. 2 years later I finally getting around to making the install. Time and other life obligations can get in the way of any hobby project. Besides there was a lot of riding and duck hunting to be done and that always came first.

To provide more information on the problem I originally described; I have +12V applied to one side of the 2wd/4wd switch and the other side goes to ground. I am sure the two connections are good (tested with a meter 12V+ on the one side and ground continuity on the other side.) The Honda wiring diagram shows a battery voltage being applied to the actuator coil. I have verified that the actuator coil in the differential has 5.1 ohm resistance (in spec) and when I apply power I fried the 2wd/4wd handlebar switch ( I was hooked on the wrong side of the fuse so switch and wiring acted as the fuse and melted down.) I rehooked things up on the cold side of the fuse and now blow fuses every time I activate the 2wd/4wd switch. I have reverified that all components are in spec and I did not destroy the actuator in the process of frying the switch.

reconranger - to your point this is certainly an intersting project and I hope this gear ratio issue does not become a show stopper. I am awfully far into the project to back out but if something is gonna break I will have little choice. I had this project idea when I first purchased my Rancher and began the research and planning over a year before I bought parts. I purchsed the parts in the fall of '04. This much time could have easily been replaced with the purchase of the '04 400 AT and the cost would have been minimal and I would have been done a year ago! The mechanics and the logistics were what drove me to do this.

I hope this fills in some of the blanks. If you ned more information I willbe glad to share what I know and where I am so far on this project. Thanks again.

 

ok, you just posted that you have +12v to one side of the switch, and the other side to ground????? There's your problem. The switch just connects the two terminals together. you are connecting 12v power to ground, which has no load so that's why you are toasting wires and blowing fuses. The same thing happens when you touch the positive battery cable to the frame (frame and engine are ground) you get lots of sparks!!!

neither of the wires from the switch should be hooked to ground. one should be a constant 12v power with the ignition key on, the other wire should go to one of the actuator terminals. the other terminal of the actuator should be grounded. That'ts how it should be hooked up.

 

Quicksilver,

You are right that is how it should be hooked and that was what I was trying to document in an earlier post. You said it correctly. What I believe I have deduced is that you can only energize (apply 12v switched battery power) to the actuator in one direction. If you reverse the 12v stimulus you blow fuses. The wiring diagram does not show which wire comes out of the ECU +12v and which should be the return line to the ECU to ground. It just shows two wires coming out of the ECU and no circuitry for the ECU is documented. It was late last night when we finally reversed the wires and I believe it worked correctly but I want to recheck it this afternoon before making a statement that that was the problem and it is resolved.

I am still concerened about the gear ration issue and will have to check the maintenance manuals this afternoon (CST) and see if the ring and pinion are the same tooth count on both the '01 and the '04 differentials. They are different part numbers from Honda but that does not mean they have different tooth counts.

I appreciate your quick and accurate responses. Your request for clarification helped me put into words what has been captured experientially in my head. Thanks again. I am surprsied we don't have a Honda technician that hangs around this forum and provides technical advise. Most of these boards have an OEM watch dog that keeps folks from getting too far off the beaten path.

 

Q,
I just reread your post and I do not have it hooked up the way you described! I will rewire it this afternoon and I amsure you are right it will activate correctly. Duh, I don't know how I did not see this. I am sure I got blinded by the mystery connections to the ECU. Good call and thanks for staying with me on this.

And now on to the gear ratio issue you raised.

 

I didn't know a 400at changed from 2 to 4x4 through electric junk in the front differential. It would have been better to have it manually engage in the case. Seems like alot of stuff to break and a very expensive front end to repair. I can see why you wanted to do it but I'm laughing at you pretty hard . I paid $219 for my warn 424 and had it in in 2 hours with no wires. Works perfectly.