I know this is going to sounds lame, my wife can't turn them, they have cover over it that has to be unscrewed to get at 'em. It would be nice to shift in and out "on the fly" as weather condition change.

Is it a difficult change?

 

are you sure you don't have auto locking hubs?

The auto locking hubs still have the dial.

Options on the hubs are "auto" or "lock"

 

I dunno, how does this work?

I thought an auto locking hub was smooth and could not be turned?

And a manual hub it was "open" "free" "unlocked?" I would have to get out of the truck turn then shift into 4X4.......................

Sorry my truck didn't come with an owners manual, thanks again for everyones help............... handin out the reps

 

do you have a 4x4 **** on the dash, or a 4x4 lever on the floor?

 

I have a lever on the floor

 

OK, so i'm not that familiar with your setup, i've seen them, but not familiar enough to give advice.

I'm going to say that no, you can not switch, but i may be wrong.

 

You can not switch them to the auto hubs as your truck does not have the vacumn parts needed to make it work. You dont want them anyway, there junk for the most part.

Just lock the hubs when snow flys and unlock them later. Wifes excursion has the hubs locked for months on end.

 

LOL thanks guys, so it is OK to leave them locked in for months. Any extra repacking needed?

 

nope, just service the diffs as you would anyway.

She has the auto hubs on the excursion but they went out and I just have not gotten around to fixing them in two years...

 

So if I am reading this right ford had an optional "turning" hub like a manual but you could turn it from auto to lock, this option would have the dial and not the stick? I have some small lines going into the back of my wheel (not the brake line LOL) I looks like it could be a small air line size, or a very thick wire.

 

Probably the ABS sensor.

 

yup... ABS...

 

Thanks ABS would make sense

 

Yes you can convert from manual to auto locking hubs.


It is not a easy job because you have to add a few things.




Why oh why would I want to do this. It is simple. Down here in south Texas we can get around mostly in 2x mode. But sometimes, look out the storms happen and you need 4x4 mode. When that is happening auto locking hubs are nice. For those of us who don't have the option, you can install them. Most importantly. The wife factor. If she is driving it, auto locking hubs will save you a lot of grief later. Think about it. Do you want your wife getting out and locking the hubs in a hard rain?
here is what I did.

Ford auto locking hub use a 30 second vaccum pulse to lock and unlock the hubs. It uses 15psi to lock and 6psi to unlock. The trick is getting the vaccum solonoid to work. If your truck came with manual hubs and a shifter on the floor you will need to basicly simulate the GM and 4x4 moduel opperation.
Special tools needed: a MYTIVAC they are very useful.


1. you need to by the auto locking hubs
2. Install them and do a vacuum check to.
a. See it they work.
b. See if the hub leaks.
3. You need to buy from FORD the vacuum control solenoid and the upper and lower vacuum lines.


4. Four feet of vaccume or fuel line from a automotive shop. This is to connect the hubs to the vaccum line in the wheelwells.
This is the hard part, You need to be able to control the vacuum solenoid. You will have a 3 wire plug where the solenoid should go. Pin 1 and 3 are grounds. Pin 2 is always hot with key on.


5. you cut the plug leaving slack to add new wires to it.


6. Go buy two PAC TR-7 relays. You need these to control the vacuum solenoid. You will need to set them to provide a 40 second hold time.


7. A three position momentary switch.


8. You wire each of the TR7 white wire to the ground wire of the solenoid.

NOTE: you must have a diode in line because one of the TR7 will ground both wires. the vacuum solenoid provides 15psi by grounding both pin 1 and 3 and 6psi is created by grounding pin 1. The diode will prevent the back flow grounding.


9. Wire the momentary switch so it will toggle one of the TR7 to lock the hub and the other to un lock the hub.




If you put it all together correctly. you should be able to put it in Neutral. Shift into 4x4 and toggle the locking. and be in 4x4 mode. You can test by jacking up the back wheels on a stand and seeing if the front wheels pull you off.

I will try to add diagrams and pics later.

 

So you replied to a 6 year old thread??