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Originally posted by blownbronco The electronic junk are for yuppies that should be driving Cadillac Escalades!! Manual stuff all the way!:-X12
LOL, hell yeah
it's gonna suck when your truck gets a short in it in the middle of a mud hole and you can't lock your 4x4 in just buzz me on my cell phone and i will come drag your butt out
-jason-
Last edited by fishmanndotcom; Jan 7, 2004 at 08:58 PM.
electric t-cases suck, cause the motor goes out when you really need it, and the less you use it, the more prone it is to screw up
old auto hubs sucked for the reasons above, the auto hubs on the new SD's kick butt, they are the same design of the manauls, but you have two selections, auto and manual, if for somereason the hubs wont lock automatically, just get out and lock them yourself
I think that the lever should be the only system available. I have found that the only people that like electronic controls do not really need a four wheel drive in the first place. Since they buy more pickups than the people who use them for hard work these days, the dealers will supply vehicles with this crappy option. I can't see why a lever is so much harder to use. As others have said, it seems to fail at times when it is needed the most. As for the lockout hubs I can see why people do not like them, but many do not understand that they can be locked in at all times and It will only cause slight wear over time. Keep in mind that many 4X4s including newer jeeps do not have CAD or hubs and they run into no trouble.
When I went to replace my 90 Ranger Xlt Supercab 200k 4x4 Manual everything, the salesmen at 3 different dealerships told me " They don't make manual transfercases anymore, everything is electronic." Well my buddy had a 92 xlt like mine except he had auto hubs and pushbutton 4x4, which happened to fail twice when we needed it the most, I never had a failure with my manual system with 200k of driving. We drove both vehicles to the same places for a period of 10 years. So it came time to replace the old Ranger with a new one, and I have these know nothing salesmen telling me all the new 4x4's are electronic Transfercases. I could not belive it. So I went around to a few lots when they were closed, and sure enough there it was, a 03 Fx4 Level II with a manual transfercase. I also found out that this truck does not have locking hubs of anykind. Are all the new fords like this? I haven't heard anyone mention anything about the constant engagement system, it sure seems reliable.
Lots of vehicles hubs are locked all the time. All newer (or in the past 5 years) Dodges, Jeeps, Chevys, Toyotas, etc etc have their fronts locked always (I'm sure there are one or two models from each make listed that still has manual hubs, so don't go beefing me on that.)
It seems to be pretty reliable from what I can tell, though I do remember reading somewhere that the Toyota Tacoma's were a pain to modify (by lifting) because of their hub system.
The only difference in the Manual vs electric BW1356 tcase is that damn motor that reduces the reliability. My Bronco has all button (I didn't put in there or it would be a dang Atlas) and the F250 has manual TCase and HAD autohubs. Both TCases are just as good but that motor can be a PITA. Its just something additional to go wrong, the motor the relays and some other pos part. We go on and off the pavement on the job to. Just lock the freakin hubs ahead of time. Unlock them when your done for the day or going a long way. If all else fails, give it more throttle!
SD's come with manual hubs and either esof or a shifter. If they have esof they have vacuum lines that lock the hubs and an electric selinoid/actuator that shifts the t-case. If the vacuum system fails you can still get out and lock the hubs manually. If the electric shift motor fails on the t-case you are stuck. I have a right arm shift actuator for the t-case and I know it will work when I need it. So I'd say for the hubs the guys with esof have a convenience advantage over me because they can lock their hubs from inside the truck without getting out and still lock them the old fashioned way if that fails but I have the durability advantage because, while I have to get out to lock the hubs, I know my t-case will go into 4x4 when I want it to.
I have 120,000+ miles on a completely stock '91 explorer. Unlike many people I most definitely take my SUV off-road! I've given it about as much as a stock truck can handle and even some stuff I thought it couldn't! Sand, snow, mud, rocks, washed-out trails...much of it towing a 16' fiberglass fishing boat on a specially modified trailer through the bush in northern Ontario! From stem to stern it has been the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned (except for a pesky flywheel that keeps breaking...I'm on my 4th one)!
I'll be the first to admit I don't maintain the truck properly. I've never changed shocks, springs, or any driveline component and I've never had the hubs off. The hubs are just now starting to give up the ghost. After all those miles and all I've put them through, I'd say that's pretty tough and reliable!! I'll probably be replacing them with rebuilt auto hubs...that push button is just too great to give up! If a rebuilt set holds up half as good, I'll be thrilled!
Mr Scary
God watches over fools, children and Explorer owners!