BW 44-44 to BW 44-45 Swap

[Moparman16]

Agree it is a low cost swap. For my use, the 44-45 is perfect. You'll feel so much more confident in your trucks ability once complete.

100% agree. I feel much more confident in my truck's ability after I did the 44-45 swap.

 

[Ken226]

Will do. Thank you.

 

[Ken226]

Chrisbh17,

Youll be happy to know that you wont even need to take apart the switch modules. The front panel of the switch module can be swapped out in 10 seconds with no tools.

 

[chrisbh17]

Haha well that was easy!

I will keep that in the back of my head for future use.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[Ken226]

Another successful 44-45 swap just finished.

I took it to an iced over parking lot to test. All 4 wheels spin, at the same time, every time. It scrubs like a ***** turning on dry pavement. It never did that before. 4lock and 4 low work great, and it goes back to 2wd perfectly.

Moparman16,

I greatly appreciate you taking the risk of buying a 44-45 and figuring out how to make this work, knowing full well that you couldve been screwed out of the cost of a t-case and software, and all the time involved.

If you hadn't done the initial work and testing, most of us wouldnt have bothered trying.

 

[Moparman16]

Another successful 44-45 swap just finished.

I took it to an iced over parking lot to test. All 4 wheels spin, at the same time, every time. It scrubs like a ***** turning on dry pavement. It never did that before. 4lock and 4 low work great, and it goes back to 2wd perfectly.

Moparman16,

I greatly appreciate you taking the risk of buying a 44-45 and figuring out how to make this work, knowing full well that you couldve been screwed out of the cost of a t-case and software, and all the time involved.

If you hadn't done the initial work and testing, most of us wouldnt have bothered trying.

Glad to hear another swap went off without a hitch and that I'm able to help out some of you guys!

 

[Ken226]

I spent most of the day out in the mountains out east of Maple Falls, WA, out near Glacier driving in snow and ice about 1ft deep.

The 44-45 works great, shifts into 4lock, 4low and back to 2wd perfectly every time.

After 8 hours of exploring back roads in the Cascade mountains, on various types of surfaces from dry pavement to 1ft+ snow, i spent all day shifting between 2wd and 4lock, and occasionally 4low just to test it.

This conversion works great. No issues whatsoever.

 

[Swissarmyknife]

Hi guys,
I am from the 1500 Diesel forum and we had a thread there started for the same swap, but nothing to the detail described here. Very nice write up.

So I am in the same boat wanting to swap my 44-44 to the 44-45. I have the 8speed with the rotary dial switch and the 4 button transfer case switch with the neutral button in the center. I have attempted all sorts of searches here and on google (autoparts stores as well) to find the part # for the 3 button transfer case switch without luck.

Would appreciate someone posting either the PN or a link to an ordering page where I can get the switch.

Another question: Is the neutral button still working after the swap. We plan on pulling our truck 4 down behind our RV and that implies that I can switch the transfer case still into neutral if this is not the case I might have to rethink my options.

Thank you.

 

[chrisbh17]

Hi guys,
I am from the 1500 Diesel forum and we had a thread there started for the same swap, but nothing to the detail described here. Very nice write up.

So I am in the same boat wanting to swap my 44-44 to the 44-45. I have the 8speed with the rotary dial switch and the 4 button transfer case switch with the neutral button in the center. I have attempted all sorts of searches here and on google (autoparts stores as well) to find the part # for the 3 button transfer case switch without luck.

Would appreciate someone posting either the PN or a link to an ordering page where I can get the switch.

Another question: Is the neutral button still working after the swap. We plan on pulling our truck 4 down behind our RV and that implies that I can switch the transfer case still into neutral if this is not the case I might have to rethink my options.

Thank you.

I believe the part number you need is: 68171965AH

It has been superceded with 68171965AJ but you might be able to find either of them. Note that it is the complete shifter control assembly (transmission *and* transfer case)

 

[Swissarmyknife]

I believe the part number you need is: 68171965AH

It has been superceded with 68171965AJ but you might be able to find either of them. Note that it is the complete shifter control assembly (transmission *and* transfer case)

Cool, thank you. Do you happen to know the difference if any and if the neutral works after the swap of the transfer case and switch?

 

[Ken226]

Used:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/312479760850

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/173778556529

New:

https://www.moparpartszone.com/oem-parts/mopar-gear-shift-assembly-68171965aj

 

[Ken226]

I never thought to try the neutral switch after swapping transfer cases.

I just went out and tried it. It took a minute to remember how.

1. Park brake on
2. Transmission in neutral
3. Foot on brake.
4. Hold neutral button for 5 seconds.

Works perfectly.

Shifted into neutral with a little clunk. I put the truck in drive to make sure it was actually in neutral. It was.

Shifted out of neutral silently.

But, mine is a 6 speed with a console shifter. Has a rotary dial for 4wd modes and a button for neutral.

 

[Swissarmyknife]

I never thought to try the neutral switch after swapping transfer cases.

I just went out and tried it. It took a minute to remember how.

1. Park brake on
2. Transmission in neutral
3. Foot on brake.
4. Hold neutral button for 5 seconds.

Works perfectly.

Shifted into neutral with a little clunk. I put the truck in drive to make sure it was actually in neutral. It was.

Shifted out of neutral silently.

But, mine is a 6 speed with a console shifter. Has a rotary dial for 4wd modes and a button for neutral.

This sounds very encouraging that the transfer case switch is not impacting any of the original functionality. Good to know.

I think I am ready to take the plunge and order the TC, the TC panel, the MX+ and AlfaOBD. I don't have a lift but I have steel ramps and the 4 corner suspension. Should give me enough ground clearance to climb underneath and wrestle the TC ;-)

Thanks everyone.

 

[mikey517]

Silly question perhaps...

Would a 44-45 transfer case from a 2015 Ram fit a 2016 Big horn?

There are listings on eBay for the 44-45's but upon checking the compatibility guides, shows it's NOT compatible with the 2016 Big Horn. Is this simply because the stock Big Horn trim uses the 44-44 only?

 

[Hemi395]

Silly question perhaps...

Would a 44-45 transfer case from a 2015 Ram fit a 2016 Big horn?

There are listings on eBay for the 44-45's but upon checking the compatibility guides, shows it's NOT compatible with the 2016 Big Horn. Is this simply because the stock Big Horn trim uses the 44-44 only?

I would say the answer to that is yes, the 44-44 was put in the higher end trucks. AFAIK the 44-45 is the same throughout all the years but I'm not positive of that...

 

[crash68]

Would a 44-45 transfer case from a 2015 Ram fit a 2016 Big horn?

There are listings on eBay for the 44-45's but upon checking the compatibility guides, shows it's NOT compatible with the 2016 Big Horn. Is this simply because the stock Big Horn trim uses the 44-44 only?

I would say the answer to that is yes, the 44-44 was put in the higher end trucks. AFAIK the 44-45 is the same throughout all the years but I'm not positive of that...

The Laramie and above trims came with the BW44-44 transfer case with the exception of the BigHorn and Sport versions. There was also a few 2014 CCLB Outdoorsmans that came with the BW44-44 also dispite the BW44-45 being the standard option(some Outdoorsman also didn't come with 3.92 either).

from everything I've read, the two transfer cases are interchangeable with the exception of the DTCM programming(changeable with AlfaOBD).

 

[chrisbh17]

IIRC the 44-45 only came on Tradesman and Express. "Higher end trims" in this case were Big Horn and up.

If they would have just kept it with the fancy trims (higher than Big Horn) I wouldnt have this issue

 

[Hemi395]

The Laramie and above trims came with the BW44-44 transfer case with the exception of the BigHorn and Sport versions. There was also a few 2014 CCLB Outdoorsmans that came with the BW44-44 also dispite the BW44-45 being the standard option(some Outdoorsman also didn't come with 3.92 either).

from everything I've read, the two transfer cases are interchangeable with the exception of the DTCM programming(changeable with AlfaOBD).

The Bighorn and Sport trims got the 44-44 as well. The SLT was the highest trim you could get the 44-45 in until the Rebel came out.

 

[Hemi395]

IIRC the 44-45 only came on Tradesman and Express. "Higher end trims" in this case were Big Horn and up.

If they would have just kept it with the fancy trims (higher than Big Horn) I wouldnt have this issue

Yup exactly I wouldn't either. You could have optioned up a Big Horn or Sport if you wanted the 44-45 with some creature comforts. But no, they decided to put the "premium transfer case" in the Big Horn and up...

 

[chrisbh17]

Yup exactly I wouldn't either. You could have optioned up a Big Horn or Sport if you wanted the 44-45 with some creature comforts. But no, they decided to put the "premium transfer case" in the Big Horn and up...

I liked this post because of your answer, surely not because of how they trimmed out the trucks!

Another winter is basically done and the 44-44 never let me down....mostly because there was little or no snow this year, again!