I woke up to 6 inches of snow this morning and went to the store. Well on my way up a hill in 4H, auto hubs in the manual position, My rear tires started to spin. I put it back in 2 then back in 4H and it started working. I never shut off the truck and in the 7 miles I drove I had to reingage it 5 times. I just had new bearing assemblies put in and new o-rings. Thank you for your help.

 

I perfer the part-time hubs over the auto hubs. Go with the better Warn hub or multi mile hubs. The auto hubs if not greased properly will not engage. And can easily get damaged if the truck is engage in 4x4 and the hubs did not engage and suddenly engage.
-Buck-

 

With the auto hubs in the manual "LOCK" position...I am thinking this is a transfer case issue. Because going from 2hi to 4hi will not re-engage the front hubs...since they are already in the manual "LOCK" position.

Looking at the internals of the hubs, I do not think it is possible for them to go back from the manual "LOCK" position...into the "Auto" position. Of course...it could be that the hubs are stripped. But they usually still work if you put the hubs in "LOCK".

I recommend having the hubs in "LOCK" and check the axle knuckle area if the axle rotates. If it does...then the hub is malfunctioning. If not...then it is ok.

biz

 

Thank you for the info. I have not gotten a chance to check it out further do to snow and no garage. Will inform as soon as possible.

 

On the auto hubs, need to use proper grease on the hubs or they will have a hard time engaging.

Here is some additional info https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...25&postcount=6

 

Ok, yesterday I raised my truck off the ground everything seems fine, except when I turn on the 4x4 iget vaccum to my hubs for about 30 seconds then I lose vaccum, and my hubs disengage. thanks for the link. T-case shifts fine.

 

What year and model are you working on?

 

From this descprition, you had the hubs locked, right? You manually moved the hubs from AUTO to LOCK...correct?

I can't see what switching the dial would have done unless you didn't get them fully locked to begin with.

At any rate, the hubs seem to be bad.

 

It is an 01 PSD with an auto. Yes when I was driving with the hubs in the lock position it would disengage but still show 4x4. When I raised it off all fours I forgot to try manually locking them. My drivers side hup won't engage rught away, as sson as I start to move it crunches and pops rear bad then works fine. I think the four wheel drive is disengaging when I lat off the throttle. (an after thought)

 

With the open diff, you won't get one wheel pulling up front. If one hub fails, the other axle is useless...no load.

Also the hubs are energized via the vacuum solenoid and is independent of the transfer case. When you said, "four wheel drive is disengaging" you meant that you were losing power to the hubs I suppose. Or did you actually see (get under the truck)if the front drive shaft had disengaged with the 4WD lights still on?

 

I was heading up a snow covered paved road had to let off the throttle for another car when I got back on it rear tires spun 4wd light still on hubs manually locked. Turned the switch from 4h to 2h and back just fine.

 

You had me confused when you mentioned Auto hubs on your original post.
Manual hubs, Maybe to much grease on hubs, either way the hub will need to be inspected and cleaned or maybe replaced.
-buck-

 

they are the auto/manual hubs

 

Once you lock a a auto /manual hub to the manual lock position, unless the hub is bad internally it will stay locked in, no matter what you do with the 4x selector sw.
Now remeber that a 4x4 is really only a 3w drive truck 1 front 2 back (if you have a ls unit )
Now all bets are off if you have aftermarket lockers installed.

Only thing that may have happened is transfercase shift motor got a eroneous signal from the relays and 4x control module somehow.bad wiring loose gnd somewhere corrosion in the connectors or water intrusion in connectors.

Rich

 

part-time hubs