Dreaded BW 44-44 transfer case

[RamFP620]

So, in away, one of my fears came true while pulling my boat out of the water. The ramp was concrete up to a certain point and then goes to packed gravel. The minute my rear end hit the gravel, I lost traction. Some guy at the ramp yells to put the truck in 4WD....if he only knew. I kind of got out of the habit of putting it in 4WD because of the "unadvertised" feature. So what the heck, put in 4WD and gave it some gas. Rear end broke loose and I kept my foot on the gas....yeah...you could tell when the TC engaged/disengage/engaged/etc.... The wife mentioned that the rear tires were starting to smoke.

Sorry for the long story....needed to vent I'm sticking to all concrete ramps now.

Back when I learned about the "nice" features of this TC, there was a member who developed a harness you could install inline with the TC harness and with the flip of a switch the TC would lock in. I found him on here and tried to send a message to him but I don't know if he received it.

Anyone have any info on how to get this harness?

 

[pacofortacos]

Have you tried starting in 4WD and using 4Lo to pull out of the water?

 

[Ricks Ram]

So, in away, one of my fears came true while pulling my boat out of the water. The ramp was concrete up to a certain point and then goes to packed gravel. The minute my rear end hit the gravel, I lost traction. Some guy at the ramp yells to put the truck in 4WD....if he only knew. I kind of got out of the habit of putting it in 4WD because of the "unadvertised" feature. So what the heck, put in 4WD and gave it some gas. Rear end broke loose and I kept my foot on the gas....yeah...you could tell when the TC engaged/disengage/engaged/etc.... The wife mentioned that the rear tires were starting to smoke.

Sorry for the long story....needed to vent I'm sticking to all concrete ramps now.

Back when I learned about the "nice" features of this TC, there was a member who developed a harness you could install inline with the TC harness and with the flip of a switch the TC would lock in. I found him on here and tried to send a message to him but I don't know if he received it.

Anyone have any info on how to get this harness?

Try contacting @Brandon-w. I'm pretty sure he was the one making the harness for the clutch lockup on the 44-44 T case. Hopefully you didn't do any damage to the clutches when it kept disengaging. He may be able to tell you whats involved even if he isn't making them anymore and you can build your own.

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[RamFP620]

Have you tried starting in 4WD and using 4Lo to pull out of the water?

I've thought about it but I've been afraid that would send to much power to the rear end. But I believe the same issue exists...TC won't lock in the front until the rear starts to slip.

 

[RamFP620]

Try contacting @Brandon-w. I'm pretty sure he was the one making the harness for the clutch lockup on the 44-44 T case. Hopefully you didn't do any damage to the clutches when it kept disengaging. He may be able to tell you whats involved even if he isn't making them anymore and you can build your own.

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Yeah, he was the one. I posted on his profile page along with many others since my post, but haven't heard back.

Is there a way to send a message?

 

[Brandon-w]

Hey guys I see all the tags in this post. For some reason I have not received any messages from you guys tho. Not sure if I'm having technical issues over here[emoji848] if you want you guys can contact me at [email protected].
I have 4 harnesses ready to ship.

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[pacofortacos]

I've thought about it but I've been afraid that would send to much power to the rear end. But I believe the same issue exists...TC won't lock in the front until the rear starts to slip.

You could probably just idle up the ramp in 4 LO.
I don't know if the programming for the TC is different in 4 LO or not.
Maybe Brandon does. His stuff makes an easy fix though and a lot more functional overall.

I am not much help since I have the 44-45 TC.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I've been up ramps made from everything from dirt to gravel to concrete, some pretty steep ones too.... and have never had a problem with this....my 44-44 doesn't behave that way even in auto, let alone locked.

If I'm giving ANY gas pedal it stays in 4wd when in 4 lock.

4 auto it might come unlocked if I was idling, can't say, because the truck won't idle up the ramps I use unless maybe its in 4 low and I don't use 4 low on boat ramps... boat/trailer only weighs about 4,000 pounds.

If I'm understanding it right, the OP is saying in 4 auto and under decent pedal the truck was disengaging when it got rear traction for a second.... which should be considered normal with 4 auto, but NOT in 4 lock....if he was in 4 lock, something in either his truck or mine isn't working right.

Mine has never disengaged in 4 lock under power...I use 4 auto on concrete ramps except in winter, 4 lock at all other times.

I have, on more than one occasion, noticed the LSD rear grabbing on wet concrete in 4 auto (comes in pretty quick and solid, you can feel and hear it)...I guess that helps some, but mine does fine in auto on paved ramps.



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[Brandon-w]

I've been up ramps made from everything from dirt to gravel to concrete, some pretty steep ones too.... and have never had a problem with this....my 44-44 doesn't behave that way even in auto, let alone locked.

If I'm giving ANY gas pedal it stays in 4wd when in 4 lock.

4 auto it might come unlocked if I was idling, can't say, because the truck won't idle up the ramps I use unless maybe its in 4 low and I don't use 4 low on boat ramps... boat/trailer only weighs about 4,000 pounds.

If I'm understanding it right, the OP is saying in 4 auto and under decent pedal the truck was disengaging when it got rear traction for a second.... which should be considered normal with 4 auto, but NOT in 4 lock....if he was in 4 lock, something in either his truck or mine isn't working right.

Mine has never disengaged in 4 lock under power...I use 4 auto on concrete ramps except in winter, 4 lock at all other times.

I have, on more than one occasion, noticed the LSD rear grabbing on wet concrete in 4 auto (comes in pretty quick and solid, you can feel and hear it)...I guess that helps some, but mine does fine in auto on paved ramps.



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It just means. That your clutches and ramps in the t case are closer tolerance making them hold better. It's literally a game of roulette and luck finding one like yours! There are few and far between like that.

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[RamFP620]

If I'm understanding it right, the OP is saying in 4 auto and under decent pedal the truck was disengaging when it got rear traction for a second.... which should be considered normal with 4 auto, but NOT in 4 lock....if he was in 4 lock, something in either his truck or mine isn't working right.


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Yeah, I should have said 4WD Lock. I don't even bother with 4 auto. I guess I'm a little from the old school for my age. When I hit the button for 4WD Lock, I expect all 4 wheels to be locked in. When I learned how these 44 TC's work, I was dumb founded.

My boat/trailer is somewhere around 6500. I can't wait to get @Brandon-w "fix".

 

[Tim Garceau]

Probably have a peg-leg open rear end, one front and one rear tire spinning won’t help much locked case or not.