06 Front Axle Rating
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Unless you intend to install a snow plow and hangers do NOT get the plow prep or heavy front end package.
Mine has the 4x4, 4door, LB and Camper Package and the front end is very heavy duty. However, be aware that Ford has gone through a ton of grief with 2x4 coil sprung front ends that sag very badly. I am paying close attention and some days it looks like I have some sag in the left front. If I ever get the time to research this I will measure a new 06 and compare my 05 before I ask dealer for warranty replacement of BOTH springs.
My entire front end is still good and beefy well engineered Ford good stuff. ESOF works perfectly for me. Hubs engage by hand in less than 2 inches of forward or rearward revolution (I check them out every tire rotation) the brakes are flawless, however the puny steering stabilizer is a joke, with the front end in the air I can twist the hubs and rotors no tire wheels lock to lock with out straining.
Mine has the 4x4, 4door, LB and Camper Package and the front end is very heavy duty. However, be aware that Ford has gone through a ton of grief with 2x4 coil sprung front ends that sag very badly. I am paying close attention and some days it looks like I have some sag in the left front. If I ever get the time to research this I will measure a new 06 and compare my 05 before I ask dealer for warranty replacement of BOTH springs.
My entire front end is still good and beefy well engineered Ford good stuff. ESOF works perfectly for me. Hubs engage by hand in less than 2 inches of forward or rearward revolution (I check them out every tire rotation) the brakes are flawless, however the puny steering stabilizer is a joke, with the front end in the air I can twist the hubs and rotors no tire wheels lock to lock with out straining.
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Originally Posted by Fredvon4
But my wife got real grumpy when I used to make her jump out in the rain and mud to lock the front axles (I lied about having to hold in neutral with clutch out while playing with trasnsfer case).
RAH- if you've not ordered the truck yet, I also recommend ESOF. The only difference is the electric shift motor in the transfer case. Hubs, etc are all the same between lever & 'lectric. Plus, with ESOF, you get the cool driver's side glovebox. With the integrated trailer brake controller & upfitter switches, there's very little storage for the driver unless you get ESOF.
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#8
I like my manual transfer case. Hubs settings are " free " and "lock" with this system . ESOF gives you " auto " and "lock" . I don't think the ESOF shift motor gives as much trouble as the vacuum system that locks your hubs in the ESOF system and I had ESOF on my previous 2 trucks and after having the auto hubs fail a few times, I always locked my hubs with the dial. I always know when I need 4X4 and I leave my hubs locked in for weeks at a time in the winter. The new 05 hubs are much easier to turn than my 00 and 04 hubs. I had to spray a lubricant and turn those hubs pretty often in the winter to keep them free. Lot of guys on Diesel stop had to take there trucks back to the dealer because the hubs froze up. I do miss the little glove box but not enough to let a little switch replace my transfer case lever. We are all individuals and in my case, I would pay extra for the reliability and the fact that you can shift your transfer case into neutral and have your truck towed even with an auto transmission but I saved 200 bucks on my Canadian order by going to the manual transfer case. Good luck in whatever you decide. Wrench.
Last edited by Wrenchtraveller; 07-28-2005 at 10:26 PM.
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I had my shared of grief the last two years with ESOF hubs, I finally went to take one off the other day - imagine my surprise at the water inside.
The needle bearing was shot in the wheel bearing where the axle rides - I spent quite a lot of time refinishing that axle by hand, let me tell you.
Because of where the rust was and where the water wound up, the only way to get in there was a vacuum leak, sucking in water. Yeah, nature expansion and contraction can get it in there too, but it was really, only on the vacuum side.
And, yes, we had our share of 1-2 feet of snow episodes last winter, so I was definitely "ice bound" up front
One hub was questionable enough to make me go get the Warn premiums - they fit under the beauty-cover too
One of these days, and if my transfer case ever needs any work, out it goes and in goes the lever...
I wouldn't have gotten ESOF except it was the only V10 I could find locally on-the-lot, and it was the perfect configuration.
And, I was one of those "use it a lot to keep it moving" guys, but I'm starting to think that maybe the wrong thing to do - use it more, suck more water in
The needle bearing was shot in the wheel bearing where the axle rides - I spent quite a lot of time refinishing that axle by hand, let me tell you.
Because of where the rust was and where the water wound up, the only way to get in there was a vacuum leak, sucking in water. Yeah, nature expansion and contraction can get it in there too, but it was really, only on the vacuum side.
And, yes, we had our share of 1-2 feet of snow episodes last winter, so I was definitely "ice bound" up front
One hub was questionable enough to make me go get the Warn premiums - they fit under the beauty-cover too
One of these days, and if my transfer case ever needs any work, out it goes and in goes the lever...
I wouldn't have gotten ESOF except it was the only V10 I could find locally on-the-lot, and it was the perfect configuration.
And, I was one of those "use it a lot to keep it moving" guys, but I'm starting to think that maybe the wrong thing to do - use it more, suck more water in
#10
Yep, I'm with Wrench. Manual hubs for me too. I leave em locked in in the winter time as long as traction is a problem, and when pulling NH-3 tanks in soft fields, that way if slippage occurs, just stop, throw the lever back to 4-H or 4-L and go for it. They are easier to turn than the old '99 hubs. I had to use pliers on them.
#11
Just to defend the ESOF a little (I was not a fan of the system) I have never had an issue with it over the past 5 years and two Superduty. My first V10 was off the lot purchase and it had the system. I was very skeptical. I am a Clutch and transfer case lever kinda guy that is very slow to adapt to these new fangled modern technology devices.
So the vacuum operated hubs are NOT and issue with me. Plus the system still has the exact same operation as the manual only hubs. You can still select locked or auto(free).
I do have one serious beef with Ford and the electrically shifted transfer case. Why on earth is there no NEUTRAL position. The guts of the transfer case between manual and electric shift are part for part identical. There is a NEUTRAL position inside. Just that the Electric stepper motor may not stop there. Are you engineers ever going to listen?
So the vacuum operated hubs are NOT and issue with me. Plus the system still has the exact same operation as the manual only hubs. You can still select locked or auto(free).
I do have one serious beef with Ford and the electrically shifted transfer case. Why on earth is there no NEUTRAL position. The guts of the transfer case between manual and electric shift are part for part identical. There is a NEUTRAL position inside. Just that the Electric stepper motor may not stop there. Are you engineers ever going to listen?
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Wrench, you are probably correct.
If folks have ever seen the simple little light weight roll pin that is the so called "park" position lock inside a automatic transmission they would never rely on it as the only device to hold a 4 ton truck in a "parked" position on any hill or incline. There is a PARKING brake for a reason!
But you are right, some dumb *** would sue the bejezus out of Ford if the truck rolled back and kilt the family cat when the transfer was left in neutral.
If folks have ever seen the simple little light weight roll pin that is the so called "park" position lock inside a automatic transmission they would never rely on it as the only device to hold a 4 ton truck in a "parked" position on any hill or incline. There is a PARKING brake for a reason!
But you are right, some dumb *** would sue the bejezus out of Ford if the truck rolled back and kilt the family cat when the transfer was left in neutral.
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