4wd question

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Dec 3, 2006 | 04:13 PM

rockstate45

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4wd question

Hey guys, I got a quick question for all of you 4wd experts out there. Currently I drive a '98 Expedition and am looking to upgrade to a diesel Super Duty in the near future. But as the comfort of 4wd is important to me for snow and rain, I was wondering if with the manual-locking hubs I could drive it on the pavement with the hubs unlocked and not have the typical problems with auto-locking hubs. I guess my question is with the hubs unlocked, do you still have all 4 wheels pulling but leave the front end to follow its own track without doing damage?

Thanks for all your input
-rockstate

Dec 3, 2006 | 04:18 PM

ColtM4

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From: Central WA USA

With hubs unlocked and in 4wd, no power will be delivered to the front tire. Hubs unlocked means no 4wd.

Dec 3, 2006 | 04:20 PM

rockstate45

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Thanks for the quick reply. That's pretty much what I saw on the internet after doing some research on it, but I figured I'd ask in a group of people who can answer my question directly. Thanks!

-rockstate

Dec 3, 2006 | 04:59 PM

BigRyanKP

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why would you want to keep in in 4wd with the hubs unlocked anyways seems like a good way to have worse fuel ecconomy

Dec 3, 2006 | 09:41 PM

Jspafford

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Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRyanKP

why would you want to keep in in 4wd with the hubs unlocked anyways seems like a good way to have worse fuel ecconomy

I think he was asking a question.. Not everyone knows it all.. Although some claim too.

Rockstate, You can leave the front hubs locked and then switch into and out of 4x4 high when you need it. Otherwise you will have to get out to lock them, and then switch into 4x4. If you think it will be slick, or plan on going offroad it is always better to just lock them and go. Then when you start sliding or get stuck just grab the lever and pull. Will not hurt anything except maybe your fuel mileage

Dec 7, 2006 | 10:02 PM

rockstate45

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Well, I was hoping that by leaving the hubs unlocked it would drive all four wheels but allow them to follow their own path so it wouldn't have to "slide," for lack of a better word, to make a turn where there is a high coefficient of friction. I think part of it is that I'm used to having the safety of A4WD and was hoping that leaving the hubs unlocked would be simliar to the A4WD that has saved my @$$ a few times.

JSPafford - I'm not to worried about gas mileage lol. I get about 10.4 in city driving with a "light" foot in 2wd. And that's with keeping it below 2-2.5K during the week and a few WOT on the weekends when I'm messing with my friends.

Last edited by rockstate45; Dec 7, 2006 at 10:05 PM.

Dec 7, 2006 | 10:08 PM

Jspafford

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The A4WD on the expeditions and stuff is a totally different setup. The transfer case on those vehicles has a viscious coupling that lets the front and rear drivetrain spin at different speeds when needed... IE: going around a corner. With our truck, we don't have that option, when we go around a corner in 4x4 and it's not slippery, the truck jumps, jerks, pops, etc.... Not good.

So in review

Putting the truck in 4H or 4L with the hubs UNLOCKED will still leave you in 2WD

You can leave the hubs LOCKED and drive without worry. Shift in and out of 4x4 when necessary.

NEVER shift into 4-H when moving with the hubs UNLOCKED.