Doesnt seem like you understand the entire point to locking hubs though. Leaving them locked while in 2WD will have no negative effects.I would recommend you leave your hubs locked while in 2WD during bad weather seasons. The auto locking hubs have been around since the early 80’s. The only downside in leaving the hubs locked is a little worse gas mileage. The transfercase hasa viscous coupler that is not functioning right, so it is remaining in awd, Iwas wondering if I dont lock them if I can keep from replacing the transfercase for now and keep the hubs unlocked to have it in 2wd mode. In the beginning, Ford used manual locking hubs on their 4WD vehicles. Always change to 2H for bitumen roads. google_ad_width = 160; With heat treated gears, all-metal cap and dial, and corrosion-resistant stainless steel hardware, you get performance you can count on. Pick up some Dana 44 locking hubs from our online catalog to suit your needs - manual hubs are more robust, while automatic hubs can be engaged or disengaged without leaving the vehicle. On the other hand, if this accessory was switched appropriately, it will enable the front wheels to turn independently to the drivetrain. You'll achieve a quieter ride on pavement with less vibrations with hubs unlocked. Never drive in 4WD on sealed road. Yes. Hmmmm... expect high wear on the lock out hubs/spider gears/front diff as the full time xfer free spins the axles that are locked and un locked in the very end of a locking hub stub shaft. You need the transfer case and hubs locked in to acheive 4wd, without either or both, you're stuck in 2wd. This will allow you to shift in and out of 4WD whenever the need arises. 99 Leaving your hubs locked will cause no damage to your vehicle and will not influence it's handling. Just lock the front hubs and drive around once a month for the day in 2 Wheel Dr. that will spin the front axles, turn the diff, spin the front driveshaft that connects back to the transfer case, and will stir up the transfer case. The process to this is complex, yet simple in explanation. When 4WD is engaged, the locking hubs lock in the front wheels to the front axle allowing them to get torque from the engine. Good news is that you will not need to stop for shifting into 4WD - with the locking hubs engaged the drive lines are synchronized. 99 if you "just" add lock out hubs to a full time 203 case you have to run it in high-loc or low-loc when the hubs are UN-LOCKED to cancel out the built in diff in the xfer. Cost maybe a mile per gallon Penalty to your fuel economy for that day. Rotate the wheel forward again and it … More than 60 years later, this still applies to WARN 4WD Hubs. When in the "auto" position, though, the hubs will not engage. Good idea but the savings are extremely minimal. The auto locking lub was a revolutionary design.....enabling the driver to shift into 4wd without locking in the hubs.....and at the same time, while in 2wd.....nothing in the front axle was engauged/turning. Buy online, pick up in-store in 30 minutes. Do you have a 4wd with manual hubs, but have always wondered what witchcraft allows them to get power to the wheel? We will provide you with best prices on top name brands! Newer 4x4 vehicles are manufactured with automatic locking hubs. This enables you to be able to "shift on the fly" into 4WD. An often overlooked draw back is that hubs stick out and can get damaged when off-road. For more than 60 years, WARN has been offering manual hub conversions - it's how we started. locking hubs on ford i have a 2003 f250 and when the hubs are in auto what you have is a limited slip, not true four wheel drive, and when in manual you have all four wheels turning at the same time. Either way, you get more freedom and performance from locking hubs … When the 4WD is not engaged, the locking hubs disconnect the axle. You should only put the vehicle in 4wd when it’s needed. Disconnecting the front drive shaft was something I had considered, I would like to have it in case I need it, but leaving it disconnected and stored somewhere in the rig isnt an awful idea. With the hubs UNlocked if you shift into 4wd lo you will be in "2wd lo" since the front end/hubs are disengaged from the front axles. //-->, contact me What else would you expect from the company that invented the locking hub? JavaScript is disabled. Front tires are pulling - rear tires are pulling. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Once done can you then engage 4H from inside the cabin. Our hubs provide increased durability and fuel economy, and are easy to install. They spin freely, and the rear wheels of the car do all the work of moving the vehicle. A broken hub could leave you stranded in the back country. I have a project that has a jeep quadratrac transfercase and ford front axle with locking hubs. You should hear a click as the locking mechanism slides back out and disengages the hub. Take note of these symptoms of a bad locking hub to avoid any problems. Then in the late 1980’s, Ford began offering automatic locking hubs that did not require you to lock them by hand. … Front tires are rolling along (since connected to the axle, they make the front drive line parts rotate) - only rear tires are pulling. Thank you for the reply, I know it sounds like a dumb question, I am not very well educated in 4x4 things and didnt want to have a problem if I were to drive ittthis way. They ensure proper operation of the front wheels when the 4x4 drivetrain is engaged. Lock them as needed for 4WD operation (doesn't matter whether you lock them before you shift into 4WD or right after) and unlock them when going back to 2WD (again, doesn't matter whether you unlock them before shifting out of 4WD or right after). Driving with a badly-damaged locking hub could affect your vehicle’s 4WD performance. In 2WD with locking hubs engaged front drive shaft, front diff and front axle, rear drive shaft, rear diff and rear axle are rotating. To check release, hold the axle shaft steady and rotate the wheel backwards. Most if not ALL 4wd systems have that. If you drive allot of dirt and sealed roads then leave in lock position and select H4 for dirt and 2H for sealed roads. I cant turn the hubs by hand, but using a pair of channel locks I was able to get them to go into the "lock" position in which case the 4wd works fine and the front wheels turn. Hub components are usually cast aluminum that break easily. Front tires are rolling along (the transfer case makes the front drive line parts rotate, but since the wheels are disconnected the power flow does not reach the tires) - rear tires are pulling. LoL. On a rear wheel drive vehicle (most 4wds) the rear hubs are constantly in a locked position and cannot be unlocked, also the diff is constantly engaged to the axles. I know what locking them does, I was just concerned if there was going to be any issues or damage from having the 4wd engaged without the front hubs lock. When in 2wd (on a 4wd vehicle) with the front Hubs locked, 4x4 need to be selected for any drive to be … google_ad_client = "pub-7925388112603986"; This will allow you to shift in and out of 4WD whenever the need arises. If the hub fails to lock, the hub will have to be disassembled and inspected or replaced. So if you’re stuck in the mud without four-wheel-drive engaged, you might be out of luck. Locking hubs, also known as free wheeling hubs, play an important role in four wheel drive systems. I would recommend you leave your hubs locked while in 2WD during bad weather seasons. From the company that began the off-road performance revolution more than a half-century ago. This is done to reduce the mechanical resistance of the front-portion of the drivetrain when four-wheel drive is not in use. It is said that without the help of locking hubs, the front wheels would turn the front half shafts which would also turn front driveshaft and differential. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. When you have the hubs in Lock position the front axles are locked at all times.When you put in auto the hubs use vac to apply when you turn on the switch.The relays were bad about failing on the F250 that allow the hubs to engage. © 1996-2010 Harald Pietschmann. 1982: AUTO LOCKING HUBS, this was introduced alongside the 700R4 tranny.....both were seen on 1982-up GM 4x4s. Save on 4-Wheel Drive (4WD) Hubs with great deals at Advance Auto Parts. In 4WD with hubs engaged front drive shaft, front diff and front axle, rear drive shaft, rear diff and rear axle are rotating. //160x600, created 12/11/07 This required you to get out and physically turn a knob on the front wheel hubs to lock the wheel and the axle shaft together. A forum community dedicated to custom off-road vehicle owners and enthusiasts. Just a quick tip, as the title says; Manual Hubs to lock or not to lock while in 2wd visit. The 4x4 Hubs on a vehicle is the device which engages the axle to the differential. Your drive shaft will still be turning due to the case. google_ad_height = 600; 4WD Auto Locking Hub Link Front Left or Right Compatible with Ford F250 F350 F450 F550 Super Duty 99-04, 00-05 Excursion, 01-02 Expedition & Lincoln Navigator 4WD Front Auto Locking Hub 1C3Z-3B396-CB $36.99 $ 36 . google_ad_slot = "5528904166"; Locking hub were invented to engage/disengage the front wheels from the front axle shafts. Yes, running unlocked on the front axle would make it 2wd. If the hubs lock and not the transfer case, you get nothing but the same as if you manually lock the hubs in 2wd.