The recent snow caused me to use the auto 4x4 in my f-250. It had been awhile. In any event, it didn’t seem to be engaging. I tried a number of combos to get it to work; 2 HI 4 HI, 4 Low, Stop the truck shift to neutral, step on brake, switch to LOW 4x4. I could hear my transfer case kicking in.

Jumped out and manually twisted the hubs. I had no idea what I was doing. Naturally, whatever I was doing, was not engaging the 4x4. I found the .pdf manual on the Internet and started reading. Sure enough, I had a misunderstanding of what the automatic hubs do, and how they work. Page 124 provides a drawing of the hub and how it should look for the automatic hubs to work. The arrow on the hub must be pointing directly at the mark on the hub to be set in AUTOMATIC mode.

Once I did that, my hubs were working fine. I think maybe whoever worked on it last must not have the arrows and marks lined up correctly.


http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Fo.../00f23og1e.pdf

 

What you learned is what every new and older 4x4 sd owner should review on occasion.


Every 4x4 should also manually turn the hubs once a month (unless you use the 4x4 system) to ensure proper operation and lubrication.


You can manually turn the hubs and leave them locked and then just turn the switch when really cold outside.

 

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but for the manual, non-ESOF hubs, it is clockwise, or "clock to lock", on BOTH sides (hubs), right? My hub labels have worn off and so has my memory.

Don't know why I have a sort of a faint deja vu of it being reversed on one side.

 

 

Just like a bolt.

Righty tighty (locked)

Left Loosey (unlocked)

 

I make it a habit to check the hubs and make sure that someone goofing around hasn't turned locked the hubs in or one on and one off.

 

can we really do this....not trying to be funny....I thought that locked front hubs bind on asphalt during turns like pulling out of a drive way....

 

locking the hubs without turning the switch or locking in the transfer case does not bind the driveline.


You are only turning the front driveshaft and front axle at this point.


May cost a 1/10 or two in mpg to turn the components as you go down the road but that is all.


Run them manually on occasion to keep it working well.

 

Same here, especially if I take the truck in for service.