Manual Locking Hubs

[chrisr217]

Hi. I just bought a 1970 Bronco. I have never owned a 4-wheel drive with manual locking hubs. So here's my dumb question(s).

Should you lock the hubs before or after you shift from 2H to 4H or 4L or does it even matter?

And when shifting back to 2H, do you unlock the hubs before or afterward?

I haven't put it in four wheel drive yet and just want to make sure I don't tear anything up.

Thanks.

Chris

 

[Bully Bob]

"----Should you lock the hubs before or after you shift from 2H to 4H or 4L or does it even matter?----"

You can do it either way

"----And when shifting back to 2H, do you unlock the hubs before or afterward?----"

When the hubs are freshly serviced, (clean grease, etc.) you can unlock the hubs 1st if you like....BUT sometimes they'll stick so just go to 2wd first.

Then sometimes you'll need to go forward & reverse a couple bumps, then the hubs will un-lock with ease.

Mainly, don't drive on hard-surface locked in 4wd.

 

[S_bolt19]

Mainly, don't drive on hard-surface locked in 4wd.

Yeah, I have seen guys trash a front end from running around with the hubs locked in.

 

[Big Country]

i had to run mine in four wheel drive all the way from Corpus to SA about 200 miles but my rear drive shaft was in the back next to the beer cooler. )

 

[S_bolt19]

I had to do it once too. Only mine was the winter of 97 here in Colorado when I-25 was closed from Raton, NM to Cheyenne, WY. That was a blizzard that had some people get stuck in their cars and die and I was on my way back to college. I was stuck in the middle of it going about 10 mph for about 70 miles. I actually stopped traffic because my rear driveshaft went ka-put, stopped and took it off then "caught up" to traffic about 2 miles ahead and no one could pass because the snow was about 5 feet deep and the plows only made one lane going up the highway.

 

[Seabronc]

Like Bully bob said don't make it a practice to drive on hard dry surfaces in 4X4 with the hubs locked. You can however leave them locked in the winter on snow covered roads so you can pop into 4X4 when necessary. On bad snowy days I leave my hubs locked and drive in 4X4 but I keep it down around 25 to 35 MPH.

>-

 

[Bully Bob]

SNOW....?

WHAT is that....? ) )

 

[77Bronco_Minnesota]

I know a few people here in MN that leave there hubs locked all winter. If you have an open diff it would be less of a problem than if you had a locker. If you hear the tires chirping while turning you probably shouldn't be in 4X4. I would not shift in to 4X4 on the fly and always drive in reverse a couple feet when you unlock.\\Have fun!!

Larry

 

[Jayson5150]

SNOW....?

WHAT is that....? ) )

I'm with Bob....could someone send a pic? what is snow? we dont get that in Phoenix.

 

[lukeyboy60]

I'm with Bob....could someone send a pic? what is snow? we dont get that in Phoenix.

Is that what the people up north call that dirt and water mixture we have so much of here in Louisiana? >- /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Seabronc]

SNOW....?

WHAT is that....? ) )

That pile of white stuff behind me is a Bronco ) . Plus a picture after a light overnight snow fall :blink: .

>-

 

[wilcom]

Hi. I just bought a 1970 Bronco. I have never owned a 4-wheel drive with manual locking hubs. So here's my dumb question(s).

Should you lock the hubs before or after you shift from 2H to 4H or 4L or does it even matter?

And when shifting back to 2H, do you unlock the hubs before or afterward?

I haven't put it in four wheel drive yet and just want to make sure I don't tear anything up.

Thanks.

Chris

Cant remember where I got this...maybe my bronco manual....

First thing to do is lock the front hubs and then put in into 4H or 4L. When you are done wheeling, stop, unlock the the front hubs and put it into 2H....just the reverse.

I when hunting on dirt roads and rough country I always lock the front hubs so I can stop, and shift to 4L when needed and then back out again when I dont. I always unlock them when just driving around.

Been doing this for over 20 years and never failed yet.

Good Luck with the Bronco