4 x 4 Question
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New User
Joined: Nov 2009
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4 x 4 Question
I traded in my old 1999 F-150 4 X 4 reg cab with 170k (4.6 L) for a newer 2003 F-250 4 door, 6.0 diesel with 80,000 miles.. The 250 is equiped with the electronic shift on the fly 4 wheel drive system and manual locking hubs that give me the choice of either "lock" or "auto". I found out today while putting hay out for the cows in a muddy pasture that I do not have 4 wheel drive with the front hubs in the "auto" position, but I do have 4 wheel drive with the front hubs in "lock" position. Question: is the "auto" position the same as "free" position on the old Fords? The owners manual is unclear and just states that the "auto" position gives better fuel economy.. Thanks
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 616
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From: Farms of Duplin County
When the hubs are in "auto" rotating the dash selector to 4Hi should give you 4 wheel Hi unless the seals on the hubs are leaking. My bet is you need to check your seals and the vacuum lines since it locks into 4 wheel when using the hubs manually.
Token Redneck
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 9,339
Likes: 350
From: Breckenridge, TX
No, you just are having vacuum problems with the auto hubs. Theoretically, in "auto" a vacuum pulse locks the hubs in when you flip the switch in the cab, but the system is very unreliable. Normally the internal seal goes, or the line going into the knuckle cracks. Hence Ford included the "locked" position to ensure that you can always lock the front axle in, even if the auto hubs fail. The manual says "better fuel economy" because ideally the front axle won't spin when the hubs are unlocked, but more times than not the system fails and the hubs don't lock/unlock like they're supposed to.
For your truck, I'd just buy some Warn Premium manual lockouts and be done with it. Manual hubs always lock in when you want them to, and won't fail like the vac operated auto hubs. You just plug the vac line and the port on the knuckle, then its six bolts and a few rings and you're pretty much set, they shouldn't fail again.
For your truck, I'd just buy some Warn Premium manual lockouts and be done with it. Manual hubs always lock in when you want them to, and won't fail like the vac operated auto hubs. You just plug the vac line and the port on the knuckle, then its six bolts and a few rings and you're pretty much set, they shouldn't fail again.
