'01 4 Auto locking hubsX
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'01 4 Auto locking hubsX
My, new to me, '01 F250 has the shift on the fly electronic 4WD. In the manual, it says my hubs lock automatically, & they should say Auto/Manual. Most of the writing on my hubs is gone, but it looks like my say free/lock, which is the configuration for the floor shift 4X4. Did they mix & match? Do I need to manually lock the hubs to go to 4WD? Any help will be appreciated.
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From: Stephensville WI
No, they do not mix and match the manual case and the automatic hubs. If you have a shifting lever in your truck you also have manual hubs from the factory. If your truck has a dashboard mounted switch for 4 wheel drive, it came with automatic hubs from the factory.
ESOF hubs are very troublesome. It is a common modification to change them out for aftermarket manual hubs
ESOF hubs are very troublesome. It is a common modification to change them out for aftermarket manual hubs
Last edited by redford; Dec 2, 2007 at 11:15 AM.
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From: Long Island USA
Could be that someone already took out the auto locking hubs and put manuals in there.
If they say "free/lock" they are manual.
If they say "auto/lock" they are auto.
Do you have the switch on the dash, or the lever on the floor?
If they say "free/lock" they are manual.
If they say "auto/lock" they are auto.
Do you have the switch on the dash, or the lever on the floor?
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From: Spring Lake
Originally Posted by krewat
Could be that someone already took out the auto locking hubs and put manuals in there.
If they say "free/lock" they are manual.
If they say "auto/lock" they are auto.
Do you have the switch on the dash, or the lever on the floor?
If they say "free/lock" they are manual.
If they say "auto/lock" they are auto.
Do you have the switch on the dash, or the lever on the floor?
I have the ESOF auto hubs. On them, them it says "auto --->" and then "<--- manual" and each arrow points at a divot drilled into the metal hub housing. Can i manually lock these buggers in for the winter driving season? how would i go about doing this?
Only reason i ask is i am pretty sure that I have a vacuum leak in one of the hub seals. I will put it in 4 wheel and they lock in just fine, but they unlock within 5 minutes every time. Up here in MI we got about 6 inches of snow topped with freezong rain last nite, it wasnt much fun praying the old girl would lock in every time i came to a stop sign.
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Putting the hubs in Lock will manually engage them, then the ESOF switch will engage the transfer case when in 4X4. Be aware that if yoiu have a leaking seal it will allow the vacuum pump to draw water, dirt, etc. into the hub and bearing assembly which can lead to spindle bearing failure. I'm going to be changing one of these seals out on mine later today, need to go get the pipe to make the seal driver. See page 3 on the post linked below...
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...-joints-3.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...-joints-3.html
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The lettering is obliterated. I can only make out a portion of "lock" on one hub. The arrow points clockwise. The hubs were not "locked". If they are Auto hubs, they should engage by the dash switch. I don't know if the previous owner swithed them out. Short of getting stuck, is there an easier way of knowing they are locked? Thanks.
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From: Spring Lake
Originally Posted by Keepitrunnin
The lettering is obliterated. I can only make out a portion of "lock" on one hub. The arrow points clockwise. The hubs were not "locked". If they are Auto hubs, they should engage by the dash switch. I don't know if the previous owner swithed them out. Short of getting stuck, is there an easier way of knowing they are locked? Thanks.
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Originally Posted by Keepitrunnin
The lettering is obliterated. I can only make out a portion of "lock" on one hub. The arrow points clockwise. The hubs were not "locked". If they are Auto hubs, they should engage by the dash switch. I don't know if the previous owner swithed them out. Short of getting stuck, is there an easier way of knowing they are locked? Thanks.
Start with the dash switch in 2wd. Spin the front driveshaft, it will spin free. Then turn both lockout dials all the way clockwise, and regardless of which type of lockouts you have, they will then be locked. To verify that they are engaged, attempt turn the front driveshaft by hand. Since the switch in the dash is still in 2wd, the driveshaft that once was free to spin will not longer be able to since the hubs are now engaged, and the tires are on the ground. The hubs are now locked.
From this point on, when you engage the switch on the dash, you will have positive engagement of the front end regardless of vacuum pulses, provided the t-case engages.
To verify that the hubs are free, turn the dial on the hub full counterclockwise, and turn the inner axle (located just behind the steering knuckle) by hand to verify axle rotation (again with the switch in the 2wd position so the front driveshaft can spin free). Do the same for both hubs. An axle that can't spin has a stuck hub.
You will become very familiar with this procedure. For this reason (and a few others) many opt for the positive locking and unlocking reliability of the Warn (or other) manually locking hub.
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New User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 15
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From: Washington state
My understanding with the auto locks is that the vehicle must be moving
for the hubs to lock in. I thought the manual hub locks on the auto lock system where for if you were stuck and could not move to lock the fronts in.
Is this not correct?
for the hubs to lock in. I thought the manual hub locks on the auto lock system where for if you were stuck and could not move to lock the fronts in.
Is this not correct?
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 162
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From: MN
Heres my take on the ESOF hubs...
They wont lock so i do it manually, and when i want to unlock
them, they rarely unlock themselves and i have to pull the snap ring
and hub assembly OUT and putz with it, get it unlocked, and reinstall
it.
My seals are good, i tested the vac.
-> I put a BB in the line to keep the hubs from pulling vac since they dont
lock anyway. Should keep the dirt/water out in the event of a leaky seal...
They wont lock so i do it manually, and when i want to unlock
them, they rarely unlock themselves and i have to pull the snap ring
and hub assembly OUT and putz with it, get it unlocked, and reinstall
it.
My seals are good, i tested the vac.
-> I put a BB in the line to keep the hubs from pulling vac since they dont
lock anyway. Should keep the dirt/water out in the event of a leaky seal...
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Joined: Jul 2007
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Originally Posted by 75F350
Start with the dash switch in 2wd. Spin the front driveshaft, it will spin free. Then turn both lockout dials all the way clockwise, and regardless of which type of lockouts you have, they will then be locked. To verify that they are engaged, attempt turn the front driveshaft by hand. Since the switch in the dash is still in 2wd, the driveshaft that once was free to spin will not longer be able to since the hubs are now engaged, and the tires are on the ground. The hubs are now locked.
From this point on, when you engage the switch on the dash, you will have positive engagement of the front end regardless of vacuum pulses, provided the t-case engages.
To verify that the hubs are free, turn the dial on the hub full counterclockwise, and turn the inner axle (located just behind the steering knuckle) by hand to verify axle rotation (again with the switch in the 2wd position so the front driveshaft can spin free). Do the same for both hubs. An axle that can't spin has a stuck hub.
You will become very familiar with this procedure. For this reason (and a few others) many opt for the positive locking and unlocking reliability of the Warn (or other) manually locking hub.
From this point on, when you engage the switch on the dash, you will have positive engagement of the front end regardless of vacuum pulses, provided the t-case engages.
To verify that the hubs are free, turn the dial on the hub full counterclockwise, and turn the inner axle (located just behind the steering knuckle) by hand to verify axle rotation (again with the switch in the 2wd position so the front driveshaft can spin free). Do the same for both hubs. An axle that can't spin has a stuck hub.
You will become very familiar with this procedure. For this reason (and a few others) many opt for the positive locking and unlocking reliability of the Warn (or other) manually locking hub.
kinda confused here
