4 x 4 on the fly?
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Chicago USA
4 x 4 on the fly?
Hi All,
I just purchased a 2003 7.3 super cab s.b 4 x 4. I'm pretty excited about it because I have been waiting for 4 years to do it. Anyway, I am a bit confused about the four wheel drive system on it. The original sales person told me that the "locking hubs" on the front were for snow plowing purposes and that I could still switch into four wheel drive without having to lock the hubs. Well, I went to a different dealership and bought my truck there since they had what I wanted. This other sales person told me that I had to lock the hubs in order to use the 4 x 4. The sticker on the window said "shift on the fly". I am not sure what to believe at this point. Can anyone help me with this? Can I shift on the fly without having to get out and lock the hubs?
I just purchased a 2003 7.3 super cab s.b 4 x 4. I'm pretty excited about it because I have been waiting for 4 years to do it. Anyway, I am a bit confused about the four wheel drive system on it. The original sales person told me that the "locking hubs" on the front were for snow plowing purposes and that I could still switch into four wheel drive without having to lock the hubs. Well, I went to a different dealership and bought my truck there since they had what I wanted. This other sales person told me that I had to lock the hubs in order to use the 4 x 4. The sticker on the window said "shift on the fly". I am not sure what to believe at this point. Can anyone help me with this? Can I shift on the fly without having to get out and lock the hubs?
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,153
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From: Roseburg OR.
4 x 4 on the fly?
If you have a switch on the dash versus a lever on the floor you have what's called ESOF for electronic shift on the fly. You have vacuum lines that go to the hubs that are supposed to lock them in when you flip the switch. If this system fails you have the backup option to get out and lock the hubs in.
PS make sure your hubs are in the auto position and not the lock position. Many times users have reported bringing their new truck home and finding that the hubs are locked in.
PS make sure your hubs are in the auto position and not the lock position. Many times users have reported bringing their new truck home and finding that the hubs are locked in.
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
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4 x 4 on the fly?
You should only need to use the shift on fly and with your hubs in the auto position they will engage. If you are going to be doing some "intense" four wheel driving, I would recommend manually locking out your hubs. They are primarily a backup if the vaccuum lines go out, which has happened to me. I was out at my neighbors farm in a rainstorm and was slopping through the mud when I went to use SOF 4x4 and got no engagement. I found our later that one of the vaccuum lines had melted and was not engaging the hub.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 194
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From: East Hampton, NY
4 x 4 on the fly?
Nice to know that the people who are selling these high ticket items to us don't know what the hell they are talking about, right? I like dealers less and less.
To reiterate...the hubs should stay in the "auto" position and should lock in automatically when you turn the **** to 4x4. The "lock" position is there as a back up cause the esof system is junk and doesn't always work. At least mine (01 f250) doesn't. If I want 4wd, I get out and lock the hubs and switch the ****.
-Shawn
To reiterate...the hubs should stay in the "auto" position and should lock in automatically when you turn the **** to 4x4. The "lock" position is there as a back up cause the esof system is junk and doesn't always work. At least mine (01 f250) doesn't. If I want 4wd, I get out and lock the hubs and switch the ****.
-Shawn
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,628
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From: Baileyton, TN
4 x 4 on the fly?
It is a pretty safe bet that anyone selling you a truck knows nothing whatsoever about the thing. I have spoken with a number of vehicle salesmen who have admitted to me that the only reason they sell cars is that they couldn't find any other work. They all admit to not knowing the first thing about the vehicles, and say it doesn't matter, because the buyer doesn't either. I NEVER speak to a sales person if I am buying - I have actually told some to shut up, and let me be. I go to the dealer, look for the vehicle, take it for a drive, stop somewhere and go over it carefully, take it back, and either buy it, or leave - the only one I did not do this with was the '96, which was not on dealer's inventory anyway.
Theo
Theo
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 284
Likes: 5
From: Mena, AR
4 x 4 on the fly?
Dealers know nothing and will lie about anything to save their own skin. I bought a '01 PSD and after a couple of days discovered that the engine had sucked the air filter up into the top of the air box and was basically eating dirt. It also appeared to have eaten some of the foam rubber off the filter. The vanes on the turbo were bent and chipped. The dealers response when I took it back and said that I did not want the truck was, "It's a Super Heavy Duty diesel, it's made to take that kind of punishment." It took a week to finally unwind the deal and go elsewhere to find a truck. Yes, dealers know nothing and will lie when they don't have an answer. Unfortunately, someone else has that truck now.
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