Manual hub question.

[JCFindley]

I replaced my auto hubs with manual lockers. the question is this.

If I get stuck in two wheel drive will the hubs lock without rolling like in the old time stuff or do i still need to roll forward to get it in 4x4?

JC

 

[Krafty]

the answer to that simple question is no. usually the hubs will lock up 100% as soon as you turn them to lock. when ever the splines on the locking hub do not line up, the smallest movement from letting out the clutch, or pulling it down into drive or reverse is enough to line everything up. and the rest is up to you and the mud, or snow, or whatever you get into.

cheers.

I have only used auto hubs in my brothers s10 blazer and what I understood was the driving forward or back was to start to engage the hubs, ie turning them to lock, without leaving your vehicle. so by being able to go out and lock them yourself you don't need to look like a goofis driving forward and back till your satisfied that your hubs are locked( also eliminating the 4x4 part most prone to failure...the auto locking hub)

 

[miesk5]

SO FAR SO GOOD!

"...Manual Hub OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS: ONLY use fingers to turn dials. DO NOT USE PLIERS. Set the hublock dials to

 

[JCFindley]

SO FAR SO GOOD!"...Manual Hub OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS: ONLY use fingers to turn dials. DO NOT USE PLIERS. Set the hublock dials to

 

[Broncoholics]

Auto hubs are weak bt they are always engaged and rotating the axle. Once stuck with manual hubs you're hanging from the hood reaching thru the goo to turn the hubs. If you are wheeling and its mild or inbetween trails I keep my hubs locked just in case.

In fact I find I run all over town sometimes with them locked and don't realize it. Its just rotating the works but the shifter is in 2wd so its not engaged.

 

[Krafty]

I would have to disagree with the auto hubs always being locked if that were true then you would not have to roll front or back to engage them, if you put it in 4hi it would be ready to go right away, like keeping manual hubs locked. but the weak point of the auto hubs are that at a point they will not engage, and not rotate with the axle.

unless you have a push button transfercase, when you pull the lever to 4hi or 4 low, the transfer case will always immediately engage. with auto locking hubs, a signal then goes to the hubs to lock up the front end which is finalized by the rotating of the front axle when moving forwards or back. the only times that the front end is locked with auto hubs is when in 4wd, the only times a front end can be locked in 2wd is with either with manual hubs or the auto hubs malfunction and fail to unlock.

I am referring only to the auto hubs used by ford in the late 80's and early 90's not any kind of newer technology where the front end is always locked.(like the 2000 and up 4x4's)

 

[JCFindley]

Once stuck with manual hubs you're hanging from the hood reaching thru the goo to turn the hubs. If you are wheeling and its mild or inbetween trails I keep my hubs locked just in case. In fact I find I run all over town sometimes with them locked and don't realize it. Its just rotating the works but the shifter is in 2wd so its not engaged.

When I am wheeling I keep them locked as I do if there is snow on the road. I once pulled off the road to get a picture of my 79 Bronco next to a train. The grass was mowed nice and even including the four foot ditch that was hidden within the manicured grass. Well, THAT is a good time for manual lockers. That and driving dirt roads, not heavy stuff, but fun in 2x4 shooting some roosters