4wd switch mod for 4eat forester

shotgun willie

Forum Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
55
Location
Tampa, Florida
Car Year
2000
Car Model
Forester
Transmission
auto
I heard about this mod in some forum a while back and was thinking of giving it a try on my forester.

https://www.rs25.com/forums/f8/t99075-4eat-diff-lock-switch-handbrake-mod-torquemada-lite.html

That link is probably the best description of it that I've found but there seems to be a least one huge thread on just about every forum with people trying to figure it out.

Has anyone on here had any experience with this mod. Just wanted to know if it's worth the effort and whether anyone has had any issues with it.
 
Yep, had it for years and works just fine! Very handy in wet, slippery conditions on-road as well.
 
I've never put a multimeter across mine, but I reckon i've got the 50/50 when the gear lever is on "1" or "2"...

Back in the dry, loose sand at Robe, I kept it on "2" with the snow switch activated, so effectively locking in 2nd gear and never had any probs.

I seem to recall this was the case on MY06 or 05 onwards, am I delirious?
 
I'll probably get this done after I get paid and get back from spring break.
Pezimm, I'll test it with multimeter, but there seems to be a lot of conflicting information on when it actually gives you 50/50. The most consensus seems to be that in the SF forester you only get true 50/50 in 1 or 2 when the throttle is at 75%.
This mod seems easy enough that it would be worth giving it a try.
 
Seems like overkill, as all we do on the USMB board is interrupt the circuit a switch in the circuit. It doesn't affect driveability BUT should never be used on blacktop that is dry.
 
pezimm said:
I've never put a multimeter across mine, but I reckon i've got the 50/50 when the gear lever is on "1" or "2"...

Back in the dry, loose sand at Robe, I kept it on "2" with the snow switch activated, so effectively locking in 2nd gear and never had any probs.
Click to expand...

shotgun willie said:
Pezimm, I'll test it with multimeter, but there seems to be a lot of conflicting information on when it actually gives you 50/50. The most consensus seems to be that in the SF forester you only get true 50/50 in 1 or 2 when the throttle is at 75%.
This mod seems easy enough that it would be worth giving it a try.
Click to expand...

Look forward to your multimeter results, Willie! I really would like to know about this for my '06 EAT. I make liberal use of "3" as engine brake, and use "2" when I go slowly in slippery conditions (e.g. in snow in Vermont last week).

Shifting down, even with the 4EAT, appears to help with traction. But I'd love to know for sure! No point in adding a switch if I can achieve the same effect with the gear lever. :) OTOH, if down-shifting with 4EAT is only placebo, then I would like to do the switch mod. :twisted:
 
Escher said:
Shifting down, even with the 4EAT, appears to help with traction. But I'd love to know for sure! No point in adding a switch if I can achieve the same effect with the gear lever. :) OTOH, if down-shifting with 4EAT is only placebo, then I would like to do the switch mod. :twisted:
Click to expand...

I second this! My outback is the 4sp auto and have always wondered if locking it in 1st or 2nd actually helps with traction or not.
 
Things have been moved around a bit so I'm not sure if this is the thread to post this in anymore, but I took the multimeter to the wire in question and the voltage remained the same in D, 1, 2, and 3 but changed with the throttle open. I'm thinking that this means that at least in my 2000 Forester simply selecting 1 or 2 does not change the torque split compared to D but opening the throttle completely would bring you closer to 50/50 split.
 
Its not a voltage. It is a duty solenoid. By definition a duty solenoid cycles on and off very quickly. If you do not have a meter designed for this pulse you will not see it.

You really need a osciliscope to see it better, preferably an analog one.
 
shotgun willie said:
Things have been moved around a bit so I'm not sure if this is the thread to post this in anymore.
Click to expand...

Your post in here is fine. Information directly associated with the switch goes in here, general stuff about torque split goes in the other thread. We need to keep the switch & torque split discussions apart otherwise the switch thread can become overwhelming to navigate (just as it has on other boards).
 
nipper said:
Its not a voltage. It is a duty solenoid. By definition a duty solenoid cycles on and off very quickly. If you do not have a meter designed for this pulse you will not see it.

You really need a osciliscope to see it better, preferably an analog one.
Click to expand...

I wish that I had access to one of those to test that. Thanks for letting me know about duty solenoids, I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to electronics. I'm pretty much just searching around on the internet trying to make sense of all this stuff.
 
pezimm said:
I've never put a multimeter across mine, but I reckon i've got the 50/50 when the gear lever is on "1" or "2"...

Back in the dry, loose sand at Robe, I kept it on "2" with the snow switch activated, so effectively locking in 2nd gear and never had any probs.

I seem to recall this was the case on MY06 or 05 onwards, am I delirious?
Click to expand...
Yes, you are delirious.
 
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