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Hubs
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2012
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Hubs
I just traded up from a 2009 6.4 to a 2011 6.7 F250. My old fx-4 had the manual shift in the floor for the 4x4, the new one has the electronic shift on the fly on the dash. My question is...do you still have to lock out the hubs manually with the electronic one or does it do it internally. Logic states you should still have to get out of the truck or do it before driving, but if I don't have to get out in bad weather or a tough spot, I don't want to. Great forum by the way, Ive been on here for hours since I found it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 35
From: North of Salt Lake City
Welcome to the FTE. No need to manually lock the hubs. They should be turned to the AUTO position on the hub and the truck will engage the hub with placed in 4HI or 4LO. The manual lock is there to allow for full manual engagement if the automatic ever failed for some reason.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 35
From: North of Salt Lake City
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2010
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My poor OEM ContiTrac racing slicks that came with the truck that I haven't replaced yet didn't help.
Always have a shovel with you (which I did).
You never know when you'll have to dig yourself out!
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 110
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From: Oregon
and putting it in 4h didn't make it much better either.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Colorado foot hills
super cold, no 4x4
My personal experience with sub 0 temps are negative. My shift on the fly is a 2wd truck when the temp is below 0. Seems like the xfer case is not shifting into 4wd and at least one of the front hubs does not lock up.
Just before Xmas, temp was -8, backed into the street (shifted into 4wd before putting into reverse) promptly got stuck. Rear tires spinning, no front drive!
Dealer could not duplicate the issue last spring, said all was okay.
I have tried leaving in 4wd when parking, but backing up seems to unlock the hubs. Sometimes takes a block or two before the thing actually goes into 4wd. Until then, have to be careful. Don't want to be spinning the rears and suddenly have the fronts lock in!
just saying
jammer
Just before Xmas, temp was -8, backed into the street (shifted into 4wd before putting into reverse) promptly got stuck. Rear tires spinning, no front drive!
Dealer could not duplicate the issue last spring, said all was okay.
I have tried leaving in 4wd when parking, but backing up seems to unlock the hubs. Sometimes takes a block or two before the thing actually goes into 4wd. Until then, have to be careful. Don't want to be spinning the rears and suddenly have the fronts lock in!
just saying
jammer
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2010
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Just want to make sure I have been understanding this right. I understand the "auto" position. But if you put the hubs in "lock" that just locks the hubs, you still need to actually shift into 4hi or lo to get 4wd. Being locked though prevents you from having to move forward to get into 4wd like when they are in "auto".
Only disadvantage of leaving in "lock" would be slightly lower mpg? Any extra wear and tear?
Only disadvantage of leaving in "lock" would be slightly lower mpg? Any extra wear and tear?
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 35
From: North of Salt Lake City
Someone can correct me, but I think the 4wd switching occurs in the transfer case. Which means that if you run the hubs in the locked positon, the front axle and driveline are turning. That would negatively impact mileage and wear. Anyone?
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
[QUOTE=EpicCowlick;11226045]Someone can correct me, but I think the 4wd switching occurs in the transfer case. Which means that if you run the hubs in the locked positon, the front axle and driveline are turning. That would negatively impact mileage and wear.
That's the way I've always understood it too.
That's the way I've always understood it too.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 35
From: North of Salt Lake City
Here's a little more info. Locking the hubs manually engages and turns the axles and the front differential. It does not turn the front drive axle. That happens when the 4wd selector **** is turned and engages the transfer case. We should all manually engage the hubs occasionally to keep the system lubricated. It's been said that a lot of locking hub failures are due to non-use.
Guess what I'm doing tomorrow?
Guess what I'm doing tomorrow?
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: Spokane, WA
Just want to make sure I have been understanding this right. I understand the "auto" position. But if you put the hubs in "lock" that just locks the hubs, you still need to actually shift into 4hi or lo to get 4wd. Being locked though prevents you from having to move forward to get into 4wd like when they are in "auto".
Only disadvantage of leaving in "lock" would be slightly lower mpg? Any extra wear and tear?
Only disadvantage of leaving in "lock" would be slightly lower mpg? Any extra wear and tear?
The wear is mostly on the backside of the ring gear, so not a big deal. On a Jeep Wrangler running with locked hubs (or equivalent) amounted to about 1 mpg, not sure what the mileage effect is on a SuperDuty, as I leave my hubs in auto. Worse case, using auto, is getting muddy/wet to lock in the hubs if you wait too long to shift into 4x4
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: Spokane, WA
Here's a little more info. Locking the hubs manually engages and turns the axles and the front differential. It does not turn the front drive axle. That happens when the 4wd selector **** is turned and engages the transfer case. We should all manually engage the hubs occasionally to keep the system lubricated. It's been said that a lot of locking hub failures are due to non-use.
Guess what I'm doing tomorrow?
Guess what I'm doing tomorrow?
Actually the forward drive-line will spin with the hubs engaged, but it's dis-connected within the transfer case, so there's no real load on it.