Manual locking hubs VS Automatic

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Nov 14, 2003 | 07:46 PM

#16

3broncocrazy

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Joined: May 2003

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From: South Ga

I guess auto hubs are not the same on all fmc yr mods. The '96 auto hubs suck. The owners manual says something like "allow ~10' of travel to engage"

SO, if you are in the back yard on wet grass and start to spin w/open diff (auto hubs) and lock in 4x4 you have to go get the other 4x4 w/manual hubs to pull you out.........

Don't even think of rocking, 'cause they will 99.99999% of the time disengage when you reverse.......

just speaking for mine anyway.

Nov 14, 2003 | 08:05 PM

#17

RedneckF-150

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Joined: Sep 2003

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My 81 rides better and gets better mileage when the hubs are locked. It's wierd, but when I go down the road unlocked, the steering gets jerky and hard, and, there is an obvious lag. When I lock'em, smooth as silk. And yes, I know they are locked. I experimented with the hubs locked and unlocked for a week. Kinda backwards, huh?

Nov 15, 2003 | 09:21 PM

#18

Greasemonkeyjoe

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Joined: Nov 2003

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Once the weather gets bad I will lock the right hub and leave it and lock and unlock the left one as nesc. I notice some fuel mileage loss but its worth it , if the weather is bad i will leave them both locked in 2wd high adnit has no ill effects. Ford states you should lock up 1 hub and drive it that way for 30 miles a moth to keep everything lubricated... as far as man vs auto... no contest the manuals are far stonger with almost zero problems.. the autos are prone to not locking when you need them most and if you are already stuck your screwed as you need to move a few feet for them to lock.