When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
You have to get out and turn them before putting it in 4x4, assuming that they are manual locking hubs. I think they are. Just look and see if there is a "locked" and "unlocked" position and if you can turn them.
No they will not. If you have the switch on the dash, referred to as ESOF (electronic shift on the fly) then your hubs have a "lock" and "auto" position. Auto position should be used for every day driving and when 4x4 is engaged the hubs are locked internally via a vacuum system. If this fails you can still manually lock the hubs by getting out and doing it yourself. It's a backup feature for all the people (like myself) who hate auto locking hubs and all their failures.
what, ok, u must be talking about something else, on my 99 i dont have manuel locks to go to. what kind of truck has auto 4x4 and then manuel on the hubs? the older trucks?
No, the 99+ Superduties with ESOF. They have a vacuum actuated internal locking mechanism and a backup manual hub lock that can override the vacuum system.
Mountainman,
Do you have a Superduty (F-250/350?) If so you do have manual hubs to backup the Esof system. Unless someone changed them to something else. All Superduties came with either a t-case shifter and manual hubs or Esof with backup manual hubs.
If you have f-150 then I have no idea how they work. Sorry.
o.k. so how do you know if the hubs are locked if the **** stays in the auto position. I got in an argument(sort fo ) in Pismo this weekend because I went to pull this guy out and he says his hubs aren't locked and I told him if the front shaft is spinning then the hubs are probably locked.
Originally posted by cwb o.k. so how do you know if the hubs are locked if the **** stays in the auto position.
You are still going or the front tire(s) are spinning.
The front shaft will turn once the switch on the dash has been put in 4x4 but the front tires might not get power if the vacuum system has failed. If the front end doesn't spin then you get out and lock them manually. But yes the shaft will spin. Just like if I put my manual t-case shifter in 4hi the shaft will turn even with the front hubs unlocked.