Leaving Hubs Locked?
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 100
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From: Pensacola, Florida
Does locking the hubs for a few miles each month help with lubrication?
Years ago when I was selling trucks we would often trade in 4x4's that wouldn't go into lock without being torn down and lubed. These were vehicles that hadn't had the hubs engaged for a long time.
Jim Brazil
Years ago when I was selling trucks we would often trade in 4x4's that wouldn't go into lock without being torn down and lubed. These were vehicles that hadn't had the hubs engaged for a long time.
Jim Brazil
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
Originally Posted by JimBrazil
Does locking the hubs for a few miles each month help with lubrication?
Also just locking it into 4WD for a few miles will do the trick. I know it's not kosher on hard surfaces, but if you have a stretch of dirt road it wouldn't hurt anything.
Either way.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: NC
I used to live in the rust belt years ago. we never had 4wd, it's not needed if you know how to drive in it, "I'm not calling anyone here a bone head", but the majority of people today drive like idiots!! these soccer mom's in 4wd suv's think, hey I have 4wd I can drive like it's summer time. I used to live on top of a mtn. in up state NY. all the years I lived there, I got stuck once that was in an 81 olds cutlass driving through 16'' of snow, I made it 30' from the top and she stoped.
don't get me wrong 4wd is nice, but about the only time I use it in the snow is to play.
don't get me wrong 4wd is nice, but about the only time I use it in the snow is to play.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
Originally Posted by Turbo Indian
I used to live in the rust belt years ago. we never had 4wd, it's not needed if you know how to drive in it, "I'm not calling anyone here a bone head", but the majority of people today drive like idiots!! these soccer mom's in 4wd suv's think, hey I have 4wd I can drive like it's summer time. I used to live on top of a mtn. in up state NY. all the years I lived there, I got stuck once that was in an 81 olds cutlass driving through 16'' of snow, I made it 30' from the top and she stoped.
don't get me wrong 4wd is nice, but about the only time I use it in the snow is to play.
don't get me wrong 4wd is nice, but about the only time I use it in the snow is to play.
It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. - quote from Captain Woodrow F. Call -- Lonesome Dove
I didn't get a 4WD vehicle until around '78. After that I could stick a 2WD tractor on a dirt road...
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: NC
Originally Posted by Big Orn
Turbo,
It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. - quote from Captain Woodrow F. Call -- Lonesome Dove
I didn't get a 4WD vehicle until around '78. After that I could stick a 2WD tractor on a dirt road...
It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. - quote from Captain Woodrow F. Call -- Lonesome Dove
I didn't get a 4WD vehicle until around '78. After that I could stick a 2WD tractor on a dirt road...
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 10,600
Likes: 3
From: Carhenge
I agree, the proliferation of 4wd vehicles have not been good for driver habits on bad roads. Take 4wd and antilock brakes away from a lot of drives and they wouldn't make it around the block on slick roads.
These trucks come with lock out hubs on them for a reason. If you leave them locked in all the time for a lot of miles you are eventually going to see increased wear in the front drive system, don't let anyone convince you differently. You are going to have (sometimes significantly) lower fuel economy, and increased front tire wear. I'm sure there are guys that leave them for years and never have a problem. There are also guys that run 100hp chips with stock exhaust and no gauges and never have a problem. It doesn't mean either one is a good example to follow. If you need your truck to last a long time, it is bad advice. Lock them in when you need them, lock them out when you don't.
Remember the golden rule: do unto your Ford as you would have it do unto you. If you abuse it, later on it may abuse you.
These trucks come with lock out hubs on them for a reason. If you leave them locked in all the time for a lot of miles you are eventually going to see increased wear in the front drive system, don't let anyone convince you differently. You are going to have (sometimes significantly) lower fuel economy, and increased front tire wear. I'm sure there are guys that leave them for years and never have a problem. There are also guys that run 100hp chips with stock exhaust and no gauges and never have a problem. It doesn't mean either one is a good example to follow. If you need your truck to last a long time, it is bad advice. Lock them in when you need them, lock them out when you don't.
Remember the golden rule: do unto your Ford as you would have it do unto you. If you abuse it, later on it may abuse you.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
Originally Posted by clux
Take 4wd and antilock brakes away from a lot of drives and they wouldn't make it around the block on slick roads.
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