Ok , Truck is a 2001 XLT 4 x 4, auto, with the 2wd,4wd,4lo button in cab and on hub has Auto and Lock positions ( Just in case some that year are different) I had a bad drivers side wheel bearing. So took it to local mechanic, as its way too cold here to work on it myself in the driveway. Well Ford only sells the front hub assembly as one unit. Cant buy wheel bearing seperate. Ok ...so shell out about 400 bucks installed for that and wheel bearing play and problem solved.

Well it snowed here about a week ago and been using 4wd on adn off. Well teh other day when gf was driving truck in driveway, i noticed the front Driveshaft spinning and it was in 2wd. Now i am 99% sure that sure not be spinning when the **** is in 2wd...right???


Well i checked the hubs and the arrows on both hubs are on Auto position and the black hub handle i can spin back and forth from auto to lock with pair of pliers no problem. So she put in it 4wd with them in auto and DS spins as it should. But still spins in 2wd as well and auto position on hub. So i put the drivers side hub ( that was just replaced with wheel bearing) in the LOCK position just to see ...and when she drove around now, the Front DS stopped spinning. So my question is....what the hell is going here....lol Somone please tell me how this should all operate and what could be my problem....As i dont want to keep driving around hurting something either way. As i can take it back to mechanic if something is wrong...just need to know what it is. Right now i am in 2wd, drivers side hub in lock, and passenger side in auto and DS doesnt spin.


Thanks for all the help in advance.

 

Driver's side in lock and passenger's side in auto, and the front driveshaft is free???

Just to get this out of the way, the letters for lock/auto haven't worn off have they? The reason I ask is that mine wore off a long time ago like so many others, and some people forget which way is lock and auto positions. Remember you have to turn the hubs to the left for auto, and to the right for lock.

That being said, there shouldn't be any reason that locking one hub would actually free it up. I've personally never heard of that happening before on these trucks.

 

I was just wondering, dont you have to back up to unlock the auto hubs? I have manual hubs on my truck so I dont know. But I do know some people that had to back up like 10 feet to make sure the hubs were unlocked.

 

Pocket,
I can still see the auto and lock letters and the arrow. And as i said if i put both hubs on auto and its in 2wd in the cab....the front DS spins. I know that is not supposed to happen . So i am not sure on what could be the problem or is there as totin_tools said to have to go in reverse to unlock hubs etc. Just would like to get an idea before i take it to get checked out. It may have noting to do with the wheel bearing replaced...just kinda noticed it all at the same time. So anyone have any ideas?????

 

Try to back up and get on the brakes hard,do this a couple of times.Mine are hard also to unlock.I have to do it several times before it unlocks for me.