4WD question
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2009
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4WD question
I have no 4WD right now..
Just thought I'd ask before I go and spend money..
I removed and rebuilt my front drive shaft this summer..
I have original autolocking hubs..
Its now winter in Canada
When turning switch to 4WD my front driveshaft turns .
But I have no 4WD with hubs in both auto and lock position..
Does this indicate it can only be a hub issue ?
I did service these hubs at some point last winter (I think)
And I believe I had them working..
Who knows maybe I put something back together wrong..
I was debating about buying warn or the like anyhow
Thoughts ?
Kyle
Just thought I'd ask before I go and spend money..
I removed and rebuilt my front drive shaft this summer..
I have original autolocking hubs..
Its now winter in Canada
When turning switch to 4WD my front driveshaft turns .
But I have no 4WD with hubs in both auto and lock position..
Does this indicate it can only be a hub issue ?
I did service these hubs at some point last winter (I think)
And I believe I had them working..
Who knows maybe I put something back together wrong..
I was debating about buying warn or the like anyhow
Thoughts ?
Kyle
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 17
From: Jacksonville, FL
If your driveshaft is spinning with 4wd engaged, then I would think it is a hub issue. I changed mine to manual hubs (mile marker premium) a while back after the factory hubs failed, I have had no issues so far with them. If I think I am going to need them at some point in the trip I am taking, I lock them in and then I can just use the switch on my dash to turn 4wd on and off as with the auto hubs.....
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,767
Likes: 58
From: East Tawas, MI
I'm just below you in Northern Michigan.
I run Mile marker premium hubs just to make sure I'm not out plowing and get hung up.
It is the cheapest and easiest way to take that "risk" out of the whole picture.
I hang a small flag on my shift handle to remind me when they are locked.
Warn or Mile marker hubs are very high quality. I have no preference on either. I run a 9 ft western plow and put my truck thru heavy service all winter. I've been running this way for 5 seasons and have not had any failures.
As a side note: I believe unless you have added a positrack differential up front.... if you have 1 hub inop, it will default to the free spinning side because of no resistance.
To check that theory, you can place a screwdriver thru the u joint on one side of the axle with the hubs manually locked (clock is lock), rotate your front driveshaft and see if it locks the opposite side. If not, switch the screwdriver to the other side and try it again.
IIRC my truck had to actually roll a few feet before the auto locks would engage. But if manually locked, they were instant.
My wife tells me I'm wrong all the time, so I won't take offense if I'm corrected. Just trying to help.
Denny
I run Mile marker premium hubs just to make sure I'm not out plowing and get hung up.
It is the cheapest and easiest way to take that "risk" out of the whole picture.
I hang a small flag on my shift handle to remind me when they are locked.
Warn or Mile marker hubs are very high quality. I have no preference on either. I run a 9 ft western plow and put my truck thru heavy service all winter. I've been running this way for 5 seasons and have not had any failures.
As a side note: I believe unless you have added a positrack differential up front.... if you have 1 hub inop, it will default to the free spinning side because of no resistance.
To check that theory, you can place a screwdriver thru the u joint on one side of the axle with the hubs manually locked (clock is lock), rotate your front driveshaft and see if it locks the opposite side. If not, switch the screwdriver to the other side and try it again.
IIRC my truck had to actually roll a few feet before the auto locks would engage. But if manually locked, they were instant.
My wife tells me I'm wrong all the time, so I won't take offense if I'm corrected. Just trying to help.
Denny
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,093
Likes: 147
From: San Diego, CA
Since they don't manually lock either it definitely sounds like you have an auto-locking hub problem. You can try and clean them:
Welcome to guzzle's 4x4 Autolock Hub Lubrication Maintenance Web Page
It may take a few feet for the splines to engage/disengage. Going into 4wd I give it about 10 feet before I assume they're locked. When going to 2wd I always back up about 10 feet then go forward to "rock" the hubs back and forth to make sure the splines disengage.
Welcome to guzzle's 4x4 Autolock Hub Lubrication Maintenance Web Page
It may take a few feet for the splines to engage/disengage. Going into 4wd I give it about 10 feet before I assume they're locked. When going to 2wd I always back up about 10 feet then go forward to "rock" the hubs back and forth to make sure the splines disengage.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,760
Likes: 27
From: Hampton, Maryland.
I originally replaced my manual hubs with Warn Premiums, and very quickly started having issues with them. They have a very weak activation spring. I switched to a set of Superwinch and they don't have a spring, they have a wedge design, so no question of whether they are going to lock or not, and they are cheaper than Warn.
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