Has anyone ever had experience with these types of 4x4s?
Its a red **** with a push button in the center with the cable ran down to through the cover on the front axle. this one you twist then pull to engage and push back to disengage. This is the first one ive seen or used. Im just looking for some info and if im using it coerrectly. This weekend was the first time ive used it and I didn't figure it out til I really needed it and it took a while to figure out. Any help is appreciated thanks
01 F-150 4.6L 4x4 super crew

 

I don't have any personal experience with it, but it's called a posi-lok. The site should have instructions. I've heard you can use them like the old manual hubs. It's not an instantaneous engagement, so I'd lock it in before I needed it, then engage the transfer case.

 

It appears that instead of a vacuum cylinder to engage the front end, you use a pull cable and do it manually. That is not a "locker". Just a different way to engage the factory front axle. I guess i dont really see the point of it ?

 

Well Im sure its not factory and I did buy the truck used so why would someone install it if its not a locker? Kinda weird don't you think?
I got it from a dealer who had no clue what it was so im sort of going blind.

 

The person that bought it either A) lost vacuum in the solenoids that control the front diff B) he had a bad experience or did not feel confident that his front diff was engaged C) He turned off his truck, lost vacuum, then got stuck when the front diff did not engage when it came back on.

The posi-lok just gets rid of a faulty part on the truck, why trust a vacuum when you can have a mechanical engagement. But then again ARB does the same thing but with a locker.

 

As stated it just pulls the lever on the front diff which slides the collar over the 2 piece axle shaft, "locking" the front together. However its still an open diff.

 

The best way i can explain it is like this



If you notice only the driver side of the front diff is connected to the front drive shaft. When 4X4 is engaged a vacuum solenoid is activated and the diaphragm on the front diff pulls the lever sliding the collar over the spline shaft that is connected to the passenger side CV shaft thus connecting the passenger side and differential. The problem is that the differential still contains spider gears like a normal open differential so when you are stuck in mud, snow, or on a rock that lifts one corner of the truck all of the power is going to go to the tire with least resistance.

Now this is where even i am confused. If i were to add lets say a True-Trac i would still need that vacuum system to connect the passenger side CV to the rest of the driveline but i can be wrong. I will be adding an ARB to my truck next year with income tax but i am still researching this idea.

 

Yes u would. But I would swap in the diff from an awd expedition or atleast the pass side axle shaft as its a one piece shaft.