Auto locking hubs, not!!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Warren, MI
Auto locking hubs, not!!
Last winter one of the hubs failed to engage on my 97 Ranger but either that day or the next "did" engage! That may have been the last time I used it in 4x4. Yesterday after above 6" of snow, one side didn't engage.
All I've read here by searching the subject, is to replace them with manual locking hubs. Hasn't anyone been able to fix one that fails to engage by cleaning and regreasing the mechanism? Seems kind-of a drastic measure a bit too soon!
All I've read here by searching the subject, is to replace them with manual locking hubs. Hasn't anyone been able to fix one that fails to engage by cleaning and regreasing the mechanism? Seems kind-of a drastic measure a bit too soon!
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Joined: Jan 2002
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Auto locking hubs, not!!
How did you know one side wasn't engaging? Just a thought...If its because one side spun in the snow and the other didn't that because you have an open differential in your front axle.
-Cope
97 F-350 PSD ZF 5 Speed 4x4
-Cope
97 F-350 PSD ZF 5 Speed 4x4
Thread Starter
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,534
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From: Warren, MI
Auto locking hubs, not!!
Two reasons! It's a 5 speed manual shift and being that every time you back up because of the clutch the drive stops turning, the hub disengages. I can hear the left side disengage and in forward motion the right side buzzes.
I haven't really looked at it other than that but as long as the right axle is rotating, it would be the hub.
I had a 86 Ranger with manual shift that would go KaBoom sometimes when it rolled back a bit at a traffic stop and buzz too!
I haven't really looked at it other than that but as long as the right axle is rotating, it would be the hub.
I had a 86 Ranger with manual shift that would go KaBoom sometimes when it rolled back a bit at a traffic stop and buzz too!
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 242
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From: Dodgeville WI
Auto locking hubs, not!!
not an Expert on the auto hubs either myself but I did have a Winter where my Hubs on my 87 Ranger STX 4x4, didn't work, was carful drivning around that winter, to lazy to check into it and just added some weight in the back, Never went out of town with it and was fine,
Any way next time I had a chance I change out the Front Axle Differential Oil and the Transfer case oil, heck I even did the Rear end and Tranny while I was at it, and my hubs have been working fine since I might not be ice in the hubs but Ice in the Differentials or the Transfer Case, or Maybe that little Electric motor that runs the transfer case has a bad spot in it, My brother's 88 Ranger he has to push his button like 10 times sometimes to get the thing to go into 4 wheel drive,
just my $.02 on the matter,
good luck,
Any way next time I had a chance I change out the Front Axle Differential Oil and the Transfer case oil, heck I even did the Rear end and Tranny while I was at it, and my hubs have been working fine since I might not be ice in the hubs but Ice in the Differentials or the Transfer Case, or Maybe that little Electric motor that runs the transfer case has a bad spot in it, My brother's 88 Ranger he has to push his button like 10 times sometimes to get the thing to go into 4 wheel drive,
just my $.02 on the matter,
good luck,
Thread Starter
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,534
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From: Warren, MI
Auto locking hubs, not!!
Well, one side locks up and it's worse than having two wheel drive. I may not get into it this weekend but should be able to work on it next weekend. Kind-of cold out too! 
