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I hope this question does not get me flamed, but my wife and I just bought a new to us excursion and it has the auto locking hub system on it. This will be my sixth super duty platform, but my first one with the system on it. I am away for work until sometime in January and of course we are getting snow, or at least getting ready to.
So my question is, when the four-wheel-drive switch is turned on, does the vacuum system automatically rotate the hubs from free to locked?
Yeah this 2004 excursion only has one dimple in the hub, no writing that I can read anywhere. I understand the theory behind the way they work in the unlocked position (auto) they lock automatically in the locked position they are locked. What I don't know, because I've never seen or use them, is if you have them in the auto position, IE unlocked, when you engage the 4 wheel drive system from within the truck by the switch, do the hubs rotate on the exterior of the vehicle into the locked position?
If I was reading this question, I would say what a dumb question. But since I'm not home to help her with it, I have no idea to tell her what to expect.
The hubs don’t physically rotate when you engage the 4wd in the cab. They lock internally via vacuum lines.
If the vacuum lines fail, then you can simply physically move the hub dial yourself to “lock” so that the frint wheels have power.
Awesome, thank you for that! I didn't want to tell her the hubs move and then they don't, or they don't move and they lock in like you say, especially with this trouble prone system. She's more than comfortable getting out and locking the hubs, she's a good ol country girl, I just did not want to give her the wrong information.