4x4 Hubs on 2004 SD
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Senior User
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From: arizona
4x4 Hubs on 2004 SD
Maybe somebody can help me I have a 04 SD on the hub is says "lock" and "free" I have the 4x4 switch on the dash not the floor shifter. So i have heard that if I leave these hubs in free and select the switch to 4x4 they will auto engage? However one guy said that he saw a set of Ford hubs that had a "auto" function on the hub itself? I am looking into a set of new wheels and would like to run a closed front center cap. I would think that my truck being a FX4 Lariat would pretty much have every bell and whistle available on it..
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: northeast
my f250 xlt has the auto / lock function if you have the switch in cab it does not make sense to me that your hub would have free/ lock on them maybe they forgot to install correct hub when they installed options. one thing for sure someone on this web site will have the answer
Posting Guru
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For an ESOF (electric shift-on-the-fly) 4x4 truck, the hubs should have LOCK and AUTO on them. In AUTO, engaging the ESOF from the truck should lock the hubs in via vacuum. However, should something fail, or should you want to lock in manually, you still can.
My $.02? Run an open center cap so you can still manually lock the hubs. Otherwise, you might end up walking a long way out of some mud hole regretting your decision!
My $.02? Run an open center cap so you can still manually lock the hubs. Otherwise, you might end up walking a long way out of some mud hole regretting your decision!
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From: Lynden, WA.
Yeah, I'd check with the dealer/manufacture. If you've got ESOF, you should have the automatic hubs. I've never seen an ESOF truck without the auto hubs. dudn't sound right!
Correct me if I'm wrong. Somebody!
Correct me if I'm wrong. Somebody!
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Houston
Yeah that doesn't sound right. They should say auto and lock. But go with the open hub caps because the auto locking hubs will fail some day down the road and that kinda stuff always happens to me when I need it the most. So ya have to beable to get to the hub so you can lock it manually.
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From: arizona
So I must have got the old switcheroo from the dealer it sounds like. What do you guys think my chances are going back to the dealer and getting the correct hubs put on ? I bought it with 17k on it and was still like brand new.
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From: Hattiesburg, MS
Looks like the folks that owned the truck before you installed manual will locks, there are people that do not like the automatic feature, and I am not one of those people for sure.
I would say go ahead with the closed center hub cap or wheel cover, as for walking out of a mud hole, just keep a lug wrench or a big screwdriver to pop the cover off and lock the wheels if the automatic function does not work.
I would say go ahead with the closed center hub cap or wheel cover, as for walking out of a mud hole, just keep a lug wrench or a big screwdriver to pop the cover off and lock the wheels if the automatic function does not work.
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From: Norco
Originally Posted by tankd72
Maybe somebody can help me I have a 04 SD on the hub is says "lock" and "free" I have the 4x4 switch on the dash not the floor shifter. So i have heard that if I leave these hubs in free and select the switch to 4x4 they will auto engage? However one guy said that he saw a set of Ford hubs that had a "auto" function on the hub itself? I am looking into a set of new wheels and would like to run a closed front center cap. I would think that my truck being a FX4 Lariat would pretty much have every bell and whistle available on it..
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From: arizona
Well I called the dealer and they checked into it. They did find out that the package as the the truck was ordered did indeed have the auto feature on the hubs.. But some how the factory messed up...I will be gettting the auto type as soon as they get the paper work all done...Thanks to everyone. Dago I would suggest you contact your dealer and pursue the same...:-)
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What do you mean by disengage when going into reverse? Auto hubs with ESOF in 4x4 should stay in 4 wheel when going in reverse. The reason I make the comment is that on my 04 I had some problems with the auto hubs not staying in 4x4 and reversing was one of the things that disengaged the hubs. Took it in and there was a TSB on some of the 04 hubs, mine was built in Jan 04. The hubs were replaced and now they seem to work as they were intended. Prior to that I could drive down the road and it would come out of 4x4, I could be stopped at a light and when leaving it would be out of 4x4 etc. Now it stays locked until I switch it out without fail, yet anyway.
Last edited by 04-HD4U2NV; Mar 17, 2005 at 07:51 AM.
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From: oklahoma
I was told by Ford service that for true four wheel drive, the hubs had to be turned manually to ensure that it would not disengage under certain circumstances and reverse was one of them. I discovered this while driving in the sand at a hunting lease, I was in auto 4x4 high and missed my turn, when I backed up and started to go forward again, I buried the back end. My friend hopped out and said "your center hubs are turning but not grabbing the wheel." Manually turned the hubs and it crawled right out. We repeated this process several times to see if it was just a fluke but it happened everytime.
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Who ever Ford Service is, they are full of doo doo. My guess is your hubs may be bad, I'm on my 7th Ford with ESOF and my 04 was the first one I had problems with when reversing and it does not come out after the hubs were replaced. I believe they also had to drill a hole somewhere as part of the Ford fix. The ESOF when working properly should work just like turning the hubs to lock but that is the backup. Take it someplace else and have it fixed and be happy getting to and from hunting camp with ESOF working properly. I can do now so you should be able to too.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 1999
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With properly operating ESOF, there is no difference between manual locking and auto locking the hubs, they both do the same thing. They should not unlock when you switch to reverse and there is no difference in "strength." Now having said that, their vacuum hubs and sealed hub assemblies just plain suck. For all that can go wrong, it's a miracle that they ever work properly. IMO, the old design was way better than the stupid set up they have now. With that design the hubs did disengage and reengage every time you switched from forward and reverse but at least it worked for several years until the hubs wore out.
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