Hi guys we got the snow that I have been wishing for. This mourning I went out
and tried to pull off in 4HI and 4LOW and the 4wd would not come on so I went and switch hubs to lock and I was able to get out of the snow. When I turned hubs back to auto they got stuck and I had to play with the switch in the car for the hubs to unlock. What I wanted to know is my switch going out and how do I check to see if it is gone out, and how do I know if im in 4wd when I put it in from the cab. The light did come on but was not in 4wd.

MrFixit~

 

Your hubs need some attention. It's not the switch.

http://guzzle.rbmicro.com/allube.html

You can just keep the hubs locked though the snowy season. The MPG hit is minuscule. Your AC probably makes a larger dent in MPG.

 

just got the oasis report back both front hub assmy was replaced july of 06. by the way truck has less than 2600 miles on it since. tried to turn hubs to lock and nothing happened. no light came on nor did it engage. dealer said to bring car in but because car is out of warrenty said he will have to charge me to look at it even though they replaced it 2600 miles ago but over one year

 

The light won't come on when you turn the hub selector to LOCK.

It usually takes about 1/4 wheel rotation to lock the hub.

 

I am in agreeance with Monsta on this. I currently cannot use my ESOF. I need to engage tyhe hubs manually and then use the switch. It is possible you may have a vaccuum issue with the ESOF. I am going to leave my hubs locked and use the switch that way. The whole process of taking the hub out right now seems too much withmy schedule. Will have to wait till spring. There is another thread on here about this also from today. Good luck and if you do attempt to clean and lube your hubs let meknow how long it took.

 

If you leave hubs locked will it not be in 4wd all the time?
and can i put hubs on lock and use switch in the inside? Also
when you put in 4 low do you hear a little clunk in the transfer case?
thanks so much

 

It won't be in 4WD unless you switch the transfer case. The hubs will be locked to the axle shafts but not to the transfer case. Basically that is how Chevys and Dodges are; hubs always locked and the switch activates the transfer case.

You should hear that clunk when it goes into 4LO. Make sure you're stopped and in "neutral" with your foot on the brake when you do it.

 

I had thought that on the Fords it was ill-advised to keep the hubs locked all the time? This is a question for me, as I need 4x4 to get up my driveway every morning (at least until this snow and ice melts), and so I find myself starting the truck, locking the hubs, getting back in the truck, flipping the switch to 4x4, and going up to the top of my driveway, stopping, getting out, unlocking the hubs, flipping the switch back to 4x2, and then go. While it's really not a big deal (certainly a lot better than having to walk to the top of my driveway or some other means), my Jeep and Suburban that I used to own both had auto hubs, and it was nice to just pull the lever and have that be it. Of course, the Excursion is superior to both in terms of its ability to just pull me up the driveway like nothing (due in part to the limited slip diff, I'm sure), and is just a better truck.

The switch on the dash, as Monsta said, is for the transfer case. I don't know how the auto/lock hubs work, but my guess is that when you flip the switch they're supposed to engage. One thing I'll note is that many people I know who've had auto hubs have complained in some way, shape, or form about how they always fail to automatically engage at exactly the wrong moment, i.e. when you're stuck a mile or so from the main road.

My Excursion has fully manual Warn hubs. They came with the truck, courtesy of the previous owner. I don't know how the auto hubs work on the Ford, but I will say that on the Jeep and Suburban I had generally I would "rock" the truck back and forth, go forward in drive a foot or two and then back in reverse a foot or two before they would actually lock and engage. Remember that these hubs are mechanical, and so things need to be lined up properly for them to engage. Having to move a little bit is fine. Yesterday morning, my hubs didn't want to engage either (it was really cold out!), and I had to move the truck around a bit. This morning, though, I just needed to roll forward under a foot before they engaged (in my case I can tell because the truck starts moving forward freely with the 4x4 as opposed to the 4x2 with my driveway in its current state).

Someone else can give better advice here, I'm sure, but it's been my experience that it can sometimes take a bit for the hubs to engage.

I need to get a friend of mine over to my house with my video camera to take a video of what it's like getting up my driveway.

 

Keep one thing in mind, my x just went through this, if the transfer case motor is gone the dash lights will NOT come on. The 4x4 and low range lights on the dash get power from a return feed from the motor. If the motor is shot the lights won't come on. I had the same issue, turn the switch and nothing happens but in my case my X was stuck in 4wd and I had no low range. Took it in yesterday and the case motor burned up, $150 for new motor and it's back up and running.

 

When the ESOF is working perfectly fine you do not have to get out of your truck to lock your hubs. That will happen after the tranfer case engages the vacuum will lock the hubs for you. But as stated many people have had this issue of the ESOF failing and having to result in getting out to lock the hubs. Now as for keeping the hubs engaged that is not a big deal and then use the switch. This will not ruin the truck and some may say it will kill MPG. I have not had a problem with my hubs being engaged nor have i seen a difference when it comes to MPG becuase they are engaged. I think someone stated earlier how AC will decrease MPG more and even then AC should not kill your MPG that much either.

 

My X the previous owner and already swapped to Warn Hub's. Will it still auto lock or do i need to lock them in and out manual. Which is no biggy.

 

From what I read on here the warns are lockers only. You block off the vacuum lines when installing them.

 

Yes, exactly. If you have aftermarket hubs (Warn, Milemarker) you can no longer use your auto function. The T-case will still engage when the dial is turned, but you will have to manually turn the hub to lock in the axle.

 

A number of years ago I did this "test" with my 2000 4x4 Excursion. Not scientific mind you but I went through 3 tanks with them locked and saw maybe .3 less per gallon. That was close to the margin of error when I calculated! If a person is having issues now, I say leave 'em locked all winter or at least until you can service them.

 

but when I locked the hubs it felt like only one was locked in. the hubs was locked and 4X4 was not engaged and the truck would shake when i made a turn like 4X4 wax engaged