can you PM me or give me some more information on that. I have a 2000 F250 v10 4x4 super duty and i have a rotating squeak (the squeak sounds like an old rotating playground thing) It never really speeds up but it definitely starts when i am rolling. Its a constant speed and I believe its just the front axle spinning like you said when you were talking about the automatic on the fly 4x4s. Id like to pick your brain a little bit about this so I can find this squeak and deleting the vacuum automatic switch line saving gas is interesting.
PS i may have just rambled but contact me and Ill explain it more clearly.
Originally Posted by
jgoedker
The lockout hub is very easy to change. Remove hub cap. Use a pliar tto remove the large snap ring. Pull hub off. Reverse procedure to reinstall. You don't even have to take the wheel off but it may need some tapping with a rubber hammer to loosen.
The automatic function on these trucks use vacuum to engage. Most likely the inner wheel seal is shot. You really don't want to tackle that unless you are a purest and want everything working like new. My advice is to disconnect the vacuum line to the front axle and manually engage the hubs when necessary. No other changes are required. the dash switch will still engage the front axle at the transfer case, but not the hubs. Don't leave the manual hubs engaged as this causes the front axle and drive shaft to spin constantly making for poor performance and lousy gas mileage.
If you do leave these vacuum hubs operational, sooner or later your vacuum pump will burn out. You will know this by the defroster operating at all times as it is about the only other thing uses vacuum. And with no vacuum it defaults to defroster mode.
One other point that may interest you. If you are like many others and seldom require 4 wheel drive, find another hub to go with your bad one, disassemble and remove the inner gear of the the lockout hubs. Install on both sides. This will completely eliminate any drag from the front axle. I get an extra 3 MPG by doing this. I carry the functional hubs and a pair of pliars along and when necessary they can be change out in less then 5 minutes. Believe it or not, even with new hubs disengaged they still produce enough drag to keep the front axles and shafts spinning along. Remove those gears, and that don't happen.
Hope this all helps you out.