Many years ago, my parents owned several full-sized Bronco 4x4's and they all had manual locking hubs. The last one they owned was a 1988. Since then, they bought a 2WD '96 Explorer LTD and subsequently have owned 5 Land Rovers. Since my driving career started, I personally have always owned a VW commuter and a Land Rover / Range Rover as my 4x4.

However, due to a side venture business I have expanded, I began to have a need for a pickup truck. As such, I traded in my VW for a new F-250 XLT CC 4x4...and it has fully manual locking hubs and a manual 4x4 shift. I am used to the Land Rover way...permanent 4WD via a third, center differential; either a viscous or manual center diff lock, and either a manual or electric shift between 4 high or low.

I have done some reading online and the manual. The manual basically says "when you need 4x4 get out, lock the hubs in, shift into neutral, and shift the t-case into 4 high or low." It says when the need for 4x4 is over, it's advisable to not leave the hubs engaged even with the t-case in 2-high.

I have read some posts where members say "they don't like leaving the hubs locked in on pavement for too long..." like something bad will happen. However, it seems to me that you could lock the hubs when the vehicle was new and never unlock them, and nothing bad would ever come of it. When in 2-Hi, the t-case is completely disengaged and therefore no cornering issues will ever be felt...only the axle shafts, U-joints, diff gears, and drive shaft will be turning. As for "wear and tear" the only thing the front axle has that the rear doesn't is the axle u-joints...

I can remember my parent's Bronco's were constantly needing new axle joints and other front driveline work and most mechanics said this was due to infrequent 4x4 use. In my opinion keeping those u-joints spinning would keep them in better shape longer than 325 days a year of disuse. The permanently-engaged Rovers rarely had driveline problems.

So, my questions:

1. Is anything really harmed by leaving the front hubs locked in for, say, 50% of all my driving?

2. What type of maintenance needs to be performed on the hubs and / or linkage of the shifter...and what interval?

3. When the hubs are unlocked, what damage, if any, might result by using 4x4Lo for extra pulling power?

4. With the hubs locked in, can the manual-shift 4x4Hi be engaged on the fly? If so, up to what speed?

 

1. Should not be a problem
2. Clean and lube yearly
3. Don't know never done that
4. Older models can. Don't know about newer.

 

I leave my hubs locked, for months at a time, in the winter. That way when I need 4 wheel drive, I can just pull the lever back a notch, into 4H. I've done this going as fast as 65 MPH. It causes no issues, but you do hear a little more drive-line noise.

Some say it negatively affect fuel mileage, but not that I notice.

Shifting into 4L without locking the hubs is a trick a lot of us use to slowly back trailers up steep hills without overheating your transmission. It hurts nothing.

 

I shift from 4x4 to 4x2 on the fly also butnjust make sure all the wheels are going the same speed!

 

I leave mine in at the first snow and then all winter. I leave them in alot during the Summer as well.

Never an issue.

 

Thanks for the replies. I'll probably leave my hubs locked in a fair amount, then...and not worry about the occasional use of low-range with unlocked hubs. And, apparently, no worry about engaging 4x4-Hi 'on-the-fly' so long as the road wheels are turning at the same speed.

 

Ford is actually the only company that offers locking hubs on their 4x4 trucks (well except for the 2013 HD Rams now have auto hubs). I had 2 Dodges and they both ran the front end full time. I had 189,000 on one and 156,000 on the other and both trucks drove like they were new when I traded them. I have auto hubs on my SD and I lock them when winter hits as I hate the thumping when you engage 4wd.

 

no worries with leaving your hubs locked in all the time, you might loose a little bit of mileage but I can't see that it would be much. There will be a little more wear & tear on the front end but you'll never notice it unless you keep your vehicles and extremely long time. The manual says not to shift into 4hi unless speed is under like 10mph, but I've done it up to 35 and never had any weird noises. I was always told that as long as the hubs were locked in and all the tires were spinning the same speed you could shift into 4wd at any speed.

There are some grease zerks on the front axle shaft U joints that need to be greased. I can't remember the intervals, but I remember seeing it in the manual.

I've never tried the 2wd lo range because I was always told that it was hard on the t case. If I need low range I just automatically use the 4wd.

 

1. None. There may be a TINY mpg hit since the road will be turning the front wheels, which will be turning the front driveshaft but is not connected at the transfer case since you would be in 2 wheel drive.

2. Probably no real maint. Manual hubs are pretty bullet proof.

3. There shouldn't be any damage. If your transfer case is locked and the front hubs are unlocked, the transfer case will just be spinning the front end free at the wheel. I have done it a few times.

4. Yes. I leave my fronts engaged all winter. I can shift it effortlessly. I have done it up to 50 mph you may even be able to go higher.

Good luck!

 

only damage that could EVER happen is if your back tires are spinning and you pull the lever back to 4 high and BANG! Busted t-case gears. Ive seen guys do this at the boat ramp i go to in the summer, during low tide the ramp is very slick from slim and mud and guys try to pull their boat out and the trucks slides back wards a little so they panic slam on the accelerator and flip the 4wd switch and all you hear is BANG followed by grinding from the t-case. I crack up every time i see this.....

 

Good info, thanks.

 

Mine stay locked all winter as well (ESOF system here though). In fact, I think they're still locked, oops..