Make sure you turn your front hubs manually about every month.

I had new front hubs put on my 2011 F-250 diesel this morning. This is the second time my hubs have seized up and couldn't be manually turned. First time it happened the dealership took them apart and greased them. This time I was told they needed to be replaced. Luckily it was covered by warranty and I am so close to my powertrain warranty expiring. I asked how much are those hubs to replace b/c I wanted to know for future reference. The 2 hubs are over $700.00 and so the bill would have been around $800.00 with labour. From now on I am making sure to turn those hubs regularly. They turn very easily now and I am thankful that it happened before the warranty expired. So make sure to turn those front hubs.

 

Thanks for the reminder. On previous trucks, I used to lock the hubs and then drive 20 miles or so before unlocking them. I figured that would circulate the oil around inside the axles, diff, etc. as well as keep the hubs free. With only the hubs engaged, but not the transfer case, I did not get driveline bind causing dry pavement driveability issues. By only doing it for 20 miles, I minimized the wear on the system and had a minimal impact on my fuel economy.

 

The system will lubricate even in auto hub mode by turning on the 4x4 system. That is as long as the vacuum system is working to engage the 4x4. In the very cold weather, or if there is tear or leak, the system will not engage automatically. That is why it is important to have the manual backup system of turning the hubs. So turn the hubs to help keep them from seizing up so when you need to turn them you are not stuck without 4x4.

 

Yes, that is true, but it also links the front end with the back end by engaging the transfer case, which causes driveline bind on dry pavement, and premature wear. We don't get a whole lot of snow in the Houston area and I don't want to take my truck mudding just yet, so I can't properly lube my front axle assembly any other way.

 

Turn mine every time I wash my truck which is once a week usually.

 

This is great info....

 

The seized solid on my 2001 and 2006.
There some good write ups on how to get them free but if you wait too long nothing works. Ended up with manual Warn hubs on both trucks.

I have an extended warranty on my 2012 just for issues like this. With my luck, If I manually cycle the hubs, they'll stay free just past the extended warranty. haaa

-Bobby

 

I agree with you. I turn mine once a quarter or so and drive it for a little bit with 4x2 selected .... no dry pavement wear here!

And this x-UT1 says thank you for your service! Can do!

 

Hey, Thanks! I figured someone out there would get my handle. Likewise to you: Thank you for your service!

 

I have engaged mine all the time in stop and go traffic as long as I was going straight. Won't hurt nothing till you turn.

 

Forgive my ignorance but what does turning them do? I know on old vehicles you had to turn them manually to engage the front wheels in 4x4 but my f150 had no such ability to turn the hubs. I think mine are in the locked position and my 4x4 works when I turn the **** on the dash. I assumed that if I turned the hub to the other position that the 4x4 would not work. Ive never tried it and had not planned on ever turning them because I don't want to get out every time I want to switch to 4x4. Can someone fill me in on their purpose on these new trucks? Thanks in advance.

 

EO2 Seabee - Good reminder on hub maintenance. I know a couple of guys who never engaged their hubs, we're takling several years here, and when they need 4x4 they were out of luck - big repair bill to boot.

I engage the hubs every month for a day or so. Did this on my last F250 and the front end is still working perfectly after 27 years - Fords are tough.

My new truck is the same as yours but a '13 and Tuxedo black F350 CC Plat. Love it! I used to worry about the big grades with my former F250 pulling my 5er, but not with this truck - hence my handle. The '13 Platty has eased up every grade I've pointed it at, nothing but smiles

I'm a former EO2 as well - NMCB 40 many years ago. Many Dets including Diego.

Greetings to UTI U235Fishin' Three Seabees on one thread - not bad.

Thanks to both of you for your service!

Construimus Batuimus and a big Can Do!

Cheers, Doug

 

I have also engaged mine in traffic as well, and you are correct, as long as you're going straight, there is no problem. I prefer to run for 20 miles or so though to spin the axles and gears to keep them coated in lube. I don't have any 20 mile stretches of straight pavement. I do this monthly. In order to exercise the switching mechanism in the transfer case, I will engage the system with the dash ****, but again, only for a few minutes, and only on straight stretches.


Sultan, on the F-150's, they had a strictly automatic hub that was actuated by vacuum when you switch to 4x4 on the dash. They aren't necessarily reliable, as in a lot of cases where you would want 4x4 are also places where a vacuum line could easily be ripped off by debris (sticks, rocks, etc.) With these newer hubs on the SuperDutys, we have the option of relying on the vacuum lines to provide the convenience of not having to exit the truck to lock the hubs, or the peace of mind knowing that when we manually engage them, they are in fact locked.

For my SeaBee friends out there, Thank you for your service. It was some of the most fun I've ever had in my life. I had a lot of great memories. Can Do!

 

It is auto in one position and lock in the other. In auto it is supposed to automatically engage and disengage. In lock it is just locked all of the time. There is no way to manually unlock it if the vac system fails.

 

I admittedly haven't completely researched exactly how the hubs work on the Super Dutys - whether they fail locked or unlocked - but on the F-150's, they failed unlocked. With no vacuum, you had no front hub engagement and no way to override. I assumed that these hubs worked the same with regards to vacuum availability, but we have an override in the form of a manual lock in case of failure.