I have an 02 Ex V-10 with 27k on her. I rarely tow and rarely use the 4x4. I was told that I should engage the 4x4 high and low every week and manually turn the auto hubs back and forth weekly to keep everything lubed up. Is this true??

I have been told by numerous dealer, I should use wd-40 on the auto hubs to keep them lubed up...If this is the case, where do I spray the wd-40 at? I'm not to mechanically inclined...

Thanks,

Big Rig

 

Every week is a bit more often than you'll need to run your 4x4. Once a month would be fine, just to keep everything lubed and good to go. I'm not really familiar with the new 4x4s but are the hubs both auto AND manual? Typically I wouldn't recommend something like WD40 for lubing hubs. They should be packed with a good grease. WD40 can have a tendancy to actually take the grease lube off of an axle/hub. But for the most part all the lube should be internal, with the hub cap off.

 

> I should use wd-40 on the auto hubs to keep them lubed up

Never heard of that. I know some people use WD40 on auto vacuum hubs to prevent rust problems (doubtful if it works) to displace water that cause hub failures, but, lube it? I doubt that would work. WD40 is not really a lube.

> where do I spray the wd-40 at?

Using a straw and a rag to prevent overspray onto the wheels, I would guess around the line/seam between the **** and the hub.

I would put it in 4x4 once a month, that should be enough.

 

just wanted to throw in some input cuz im bored.

i dont know about chain driven t-cases, because they have thin atf in them.

but i know the older trucks with np205's, you dont have to worry about locking the hubs or putting it in 4x4 to keep the front carrier/pinion bearings and gears lubed. If you cut a hole in your floor, you can watch your front shaft spin from just the hevy gear lube in the x-case, just in 2wd. Since if twinsticked mine, i rode aorund forawhile without my homeade shifter boot and i could watch my front shaft turning just doing 10 mph, once the oil gets hot it hardly spins, i just thought i would throw that out there. as for lockouts....packing a bunch of grease in ther eaint good, it tends to get tacky and make things stick, from my exepriances with hubs sticking from that, ive found that every time i repack wheel bearings, its good to clean your hubs up with brake cleaner, then lightly oil them, that way they can operate smoothly and freely.
This also depends on the hubs design, i know the original spicer hubs on the 78-79 60's, it doesnt matter what you do to them, because of their design

the new style design can easily stick and you may turn the dial, but the gear in there that it supposed to slide can just stay, and that sucks when your front is welded and your trying to unlock your hubs

ill shutup now

 

If you are gonna grease something, then use grease.....not WD40.

 

The new fords do use vacuum to engage the hubs when in auto, maybe thats what they were talking about.

 

I am not familiar with the auto hubs on the new SDs and EXs. I have seen a few guys replace the factory Auto/Manual Hubs with Warn standard freewheeling hubs. I think if I owned one of those trucks I would install the Warn hubs. Here is what my 4x4 maintenance consists of on my 84 F150: Full chassis lube at every oil change, check/ fill diffs, Tcase, trans, inspect under carriage for damage. After serious 4 wheeling: change all fluids in diffs, Tcase, trans, clean inspect and grease all ball joints, tie rod ends, and u-joints. If I don't do a lot of off roading, I'll take it out on a gravel road and lock it in. I'll drive for a mile or so in 4 high, and then a few hundred yards in 4 low. As for my 95 GMC Jimmy, it has push button 4wd which I hardly ever use accept in the winter; and on the occassional two-track if it gets a little rough. The Jimmy never sees what I call off road, it's mainly a pavement pounder. My oil change and lube procedures are the same as the Ford. About twice a month I'll take it on a gravel road and drive for a mile or so in 4 high and again a few hundred yards in 4 low. I noticed that if I don't use 4 low for a while it doesn't like to lock in, so I make sure I use it. I haven't had this problem with 4 high however. A little maintenance goes a long way on 4x4, if you take care of it and use the 4wd on occasion; it will be there for you when you need it.