EVERYBODY: If I had full manual hubs, that would mean I would always have to carry somebody with me to lock them in when I needed them. I would sure hate to get my feet dirty I never really liked that ESOF stuff really, I like the manual hubs MUCH better. However, my '97 has the ESOF and if would lock no matter if you are moving or not......hence my waiting 'till I got stuck to lock the ESOF on my S/D. Maybe it works just a little different.....being a different front axle and such. I guess I'll have to find my manual and read up on it Well guys, I guess I don't have a real problem (with the truck...that is), I'll check the book and then make sure I am doing it right (with that truck...that is)

 

I have the ESOF in my '01. I was towing my brother-in-law's Suburban
(hah!) into my backyard, unhooked and pulled the SD into the corner
of my yard. Whoops! Left front sunk into the ground so bad the axle
was laying on the ground!

Put the tranny in neutral, clicked over to 4x4LOW and reversed right
out. I have only 2500 miles on it, and not much 4x4 use, but every
time I needed it, it went into 4x4 no problem.

Turns out someone had a garbage pit right where the SD sank, about 30
years ago.

Putting the tranny (auto) in neutral helps the ESOF go in easily.
With 4x4LOW, you have to go to neutral with your foot on the brake
before it will go in. Of course, 4x4HIGH can be "on the fly" but
even then, I have had it refuse to go in until I stop, put it in
neutral with my foot on the brake. Then, it goes in every time.

art k.
--
'01 F250 SD 4x4 V10 SC SB
'74 F250HD 4x4 FE 390 LB

 

> I'd really like plain old 4x4.


I'm also dusting off my 8 track tape players to sell to you guys after you remove those new fangled CD players too

 

>> I'd really like plain old 4x4.
>
>
>I'm also dusting off my 8 track tape players to sell to you
>guys after you remove those new fangled CD players too
>


You hit the nail right on the head with that one! Shift-on-the fly is sooooo convenient, I can't imagine why you wouldn't want it? OK, as with any convenience, more complicated means more chance for failure, but that's why we have the option of manually locking them from the outside. Right now, all I can think of are those times when I needed 4x4 to climb on pitched/slick/snowy terrain, but had to drop back into 2x4 for some tight maneuver when I got to flat ground, only to go back to 4x4 to continue my adventure. All this just for getting my truck up the driveway & backing in (at my vacation house in the boonies)!!! I wouldn't even want to have attempted all that without ESOF. Manualy hubs? They're a failsafe.

As far as trouble locking in 4x4 mode, this is not uncommon given the variables you posed. I've always been able to get around it just by changing gears (automatic tranny) from Drive to Reverse, back to Drive (changing gears "forces" the transition).

BTW -- I was driving in the snow last weekend going downhill. I had the truck in 4x4 and dropped it in 2nd gear on the automatic tranny. My driving buddy mentioned I was doing it all wrong, and he had been taught that to go downhill (slightly curvy roads) on snow, you put it in 2x4 and keep it in "D" rather than lower gear. This sounded way too absurd, so I didn't even consider trying it. Any thoughts on the subject? This will be the first winter my 2002 F-250 Super Cab Long Bed 5.4 V-8 has seen, and I want to make sure I don't wreck her for lack of winter driving capability.

 

When snow hits, I hit my remote start, walk out in 10 minutes turn my hubs and thats it. Come spring, I turn them back.
I may spend $12.78 more on fuel, but I've been know to waste a few bucks now and then.
Like I said a long time ago, it seems when you really need the ESOF to work is when it doesn't.

If you want convienence you should of bought something other than a TRUCK!!!!!

So when you push your little button or turn your little switch, and your ESOF doesn't work and you freak out and spill you fancy coffee all over your fancy pants, and it drips down on your little shoes, just cry here, I love reading it!!!!

 

>So when you push your little button or turn your little
>switch, and your ESOF doesn't work and you freak out and
>spill you fancy coffee all over your fancy pants, and it
>drips down on your little shoes, just cry here, I love
>reading it!!!!
>


So when you wear out your front driveline prematurely, spend more for fuel, then I'll send YOU the 8 track tapes

P.S. 2 1/2 years of using ESOF now (usually at least once a week) and it's been FLAWLESS

 

>
>So when you wear out your front driveline prematurely, spend
>more for fuel, then I'll send YOU the 8 track tapes



20 years 17 4x4's and never wore my front driveline out prematurely,
I replace my joints every 3 years weather they need it or not.
Preventative maintainence, I don't wait till they fail and take it to the dealer.
I have 2 $30,000+ dollar trucks, Im not gonna whine about spending more on fuel.
If ya can't afford it, shouldn't of bought it.
Had 1 ESOF failed when I really needed it. I'll Never buy a chick truck again!! Knocked the hubs off the next day for manuals.
I can spend the 7 extra seconds turning the *****.

Send me the 8tracks!! people on Ebay love that stuff!!!

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Nov-02 AT 09:19 PM (EST)]>When snow hits, I hit my remote start, walk out in 10
>minutes turn my hubs and thats it. Come spring, I turn them
>back.
>I may spend $12.78 more on fuel, but I've been know to waste
>a few bucks now and then.
>Like I said a long time ago, it seems when you really need
>the ESOF to work is when it doesn't.
>
>If you want convienence you should of bought something other
>than a TRUCK!!!!!
>
>So when you push your little button or turn your little
>switch, and your ESOF doesn't work and you freak out and
>spill you fancy coffee all over your fancy pants, and it
>drips down on your little shoes, just cry here, I love
>reading it!!!!
>


Having a rough nite, Yetti? Just trying to figure out where this hostility comes from.... Besides, you tryin' to say a TRUCK is not convenient? Because my F-250 Lariat suits me just fine. Maybe you should reconsider your vehicle choice if you find your truck inconvenient. As far as leaving it in 4x4 all winter, that's not an option for me. My terrain in the winter can range from clear-as-springtime roads to 2 feet+ of snow (I LOVE those days). 4x4 is not meant for dry pavement, nor am I willing to abuse my truck by beating on it the way you suggest. Put things in prespective -- I put so many miles on my truck, I get the oil changed MONTHLY! I'll stick to the ESOF, thank you very much. Knock out as many hubs as you want, I'm confortable enough with my masculinity to keep my ESOF regardless of WHO tries calling it a "chick" thing. By the way... if ESOF is a "chick truck" feature then what do yo call remote start? Remember, these are your words, not mine Yeti.

I'll never understand why you would have such a hatred for ESOF because it failed you once. Was it so difficult to engage them manually that one time? To each his own... personally, I'll keep my ESOF. 3rd truck I've had with it, and NEVER had a problem. Maybe your ESOF failure is related to the same type of behavior as keeping a truck in 4x4 mode for half a year?

Anyway, to each his own. If it makes you happy, keep it up.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Nov-02 AT 09:35 PM (EST)]>Having a rough nite, Yetti?

Actually, yes


Just trying to figure out where
>this hostility comes from...

Peolpe whinning that their auto hubs don't work right.

. Besides, you tryin' to say a
>TRUCK is not convenient? Because my F-250 Lariat suits me
>just fine. Maybe you should reconsider your vehicle choice
>if you find your truck inconvenient.

No, I'm saying auto hubs and ESOF are a convenience

As far as leaving it
>in 4x4 all winter, that's not an option for me. My terrain
>in the winter can range from clear-as-springtime roads to 2
>feet+ of snow (I LOVE those days). 4x4 is not meant for dry
>pavement, nor am I willing to abuse my truck by beating on
>it the way you suggest.

Leaving your hubs locked and driving in 4x2 doesn't mean I'm driving around all the time in 4x4. I to have them days.



Put things in prespective -- I put
>so many miles on my truck, I get the oil changed MONTHLY!
>I'll stick to the ESOF, thank you very much. Knock out as
>many hubs as you want, I'm confortable enough with my
>masculinity to keep my ESOF regardless of WHO tries calling
>it a "chick" thing.

Glad to hear it. The chick thing was a joke.


>I'll never understand why you would have such a hatred for
>ESOF because it failed you once. Was it so difficult to
>engage them manually that one time?


One time??? if they failed then, that means there is a problem, which means more work to fix than the good old fashioned manual hub and manual lever T case.
At the time I had full auto hubs, grant it, they finally figued out to put a manual overide on them.


To each his own...
>personally, I'll keep my ESOF. 3rd truck I've had with it,
>and NEVER had a problem. Maybe your ESOF failure is related
>to the same type of behavior as keeping a truck in 4x4 mode
>for half a year?

Doub't it, I don't keep my truck in 4x4 half a year, I do however keep my hubs locked for that period of time.

>
>Progress -- get used to it, or get run over by it.

I build race cars for a living, I have tools you wouldn't know what to do with, eletronics you would find in a nuke plant, please don't assume I'm some old guy stuck in the stoneage.
Heck I'm probably younger than you!

My only point is, ESOF is a convienence, plain and clear, manufactures put this on their trucks so people who ordinarily wouldn't but a 4x4, will.

 

>20 years 17 4x4's and never wore my front driveline out
>prematurely,


How about 30 years and 12 4x4's. All were manual except this one. My NEXT one will be ESOF too.

AS far as your feminine remarks, you should know better than to start up with that

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Nov-02 AT 09:53 PM (EST)]>AS far as your feminine remarks, you should know better than
>to start up with that


It was a joke, settle down, my wife loves hers too

 

Aww, you (guys) getting a little over defensive arn't you?? I wouldn't have bought a truck with auto hubs. Every vehicle I have ever had to deal with that had them I had to work on them. Be it my dads Jeep my ex-girlfreinds ford ranger etc. etc.


Justin
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/sizeimage.php?&photoid=9313&.jpg
http://66.179.41.42/gen1/build/realgeneral.jpg

2002 F-350 SC LB 4X4 6SPD PSD. 3.73 gears. 2.5" leviling kit. K&N air filter. Rhino lined Bed. Prodigy trailer brake controler. 35x12.5x16.5 BFG A/T. 16.5x10 ultra wheels. pop up gooseneck hitch and firestone airbag spring helpers. Reese fifth wheel hitch for my new toy hauler

 

"Real Trucks have Levers and Manual Hubs!"!
8 tracks gotta lovem!
but esof does nothing for me! I had too many break ! never go back!
I have fixed them too ! too expensive when replacing shift motors!
As Yeti! said Chicks dig um!':P'':P'did yeti! say that ?
yes his wife likes her's
well when your esof fails you ,bring it over we will fix it!!!!!!

Rich

 

As to leaving hubs locked all the time, it does put the pressure on the other side of all the gears, but that's probably no big deal.

As to the very icy downhill in 4x2 or 4x4, 4x4 is the right way. You have far less chance of locking the wheels up on either axle if it would mean one or both wheels on the other axle has to lock too. The axle with the best traction helps keep the other axles wheels from locking up, since they're all tied together (or at least one wheel on each axle). I have been going down a long very icy overpass 10 years ago in a 3/4 ton 4x4 Suburban (that was then), with cars WAY behind me (just cresting), and decided I wanted to turn right at the bottom of the overpass. I braked and shifted down, not expecting to be able to stop, and half planning to just continue until the next right. Well, that thing hunkered down almost like it was on pavement. As I looked in my mirror, the cars went out of control trying to slow down, and a big pile up happened. I just went on my merry way.

 

>
> Just trying to figure out where
>>this hostility comes from...
>
>Peolpe whinning that their auto hubs don't work right.
>

I was not whinning. I was just stating the facts...I don't really like ESOF but I bought my rig off the lot. Around here not alot of people want a manual T-case. I noticed that the "soccer bus" have not been in on this thread. He is probably outside your house yeti, looking to turn your hubs back.