I had to use four wheel drive this morning so I just dropped it in to 4x4. Nothing just 2 wheel drive.
Got out and locked the hubs and got 4 wheeel drive. So my question is with the locking hubs I apparently can't have 4x4 unless the hubs are engaged? Is this correct?

Thanks
Dale

<scratches head>









yes

Yep, Your front ends gonna last alot longer with manual hubs too.

So I have to get out everytime and lock them to have 4x4? Can I leave them locked without any excess wear?

leaving them locked will cause more wear and lower gas mileage.  best bet is to leave them unlocked until you need it.

Manual hubs are the best. They kick ass.

You just need to plan around it. If you are in muddy areas, have a pair of old boots in the cab. You will get muddy.

The auto hubs suck, break, fail to engage, fail at a critical time...

Welcome to the world of 4wd. Get over it and deal with the pain. Not everything is instant gratification and kills germs on contact. Sometimes you need to work for it, even if it means getting out of the truck to spin a lock mechanism on each front wheel.

You have a good truck and will serve you well if you keep on the maintenance. Next, you'll need a lift and 35's.

Good luck

If the weather's poor , road conditions are crap , or if you are going off road, lock the hubs BEFOREHAND and shift into 4hi as needed. If the weather is clear keep them unlocked. Lock them in once a month but do NOT shift into 4WD, just run a few miles, it will keep the front end seals from drying and the mechanism from freezing up. I would MUCH rather have manual hubs then the damn auto ones. Fords were especially poor, and I would immediately put on Warn lockouts as soon as I bought one. [You also do NOT want to know what auto hub replacements cost, as Ford obviously thought they were made out of solid gold, and not the pot metal POS they actually were made of.

Just do not run with 4WD locked in on dry roads or you will cause bind in the drive system and possibly end up with a $$$$$$$$$$ bill.

Where are you at in MI?

I guess I will have to live without instant gratification

FYI..I live in Howell.

Yeah, as others will said you will have to lock them.  I have a POS auto system on my 05 F350, I went through the proper procedure to go from 4LO to 2HI and after waiting 30 secs I hit the throttle.  All I heard was grinding.  No damage though.  Auto hubs are teh suck.

Manual hubs rule!!

-Dan.

Quoted: I guess I will have to live without instant gratification FYI..I live in Howell.

Dude, I've ran 4WDs for over 25 years, I'd MUCH rather have lockouts then auto hubs, it is a MUCH more robust positive system with way less to go wrong. You should be HAPPY that you have lockouts. Like I said, all you have to do in iffy weather is lock hubs first before you start out, if you need 4WD on the way just put the Xfer case in 4Hi. Whulla! Instant 4WD with no getting out of the vehicle. Of all the 4WD systems out there I have owned almost all of them and I would MUCH rather have plain oldfashioned Lockouts. [course I'd still want a NP205 case also]

Pot metal?  I replaced the autohubs on my Bronco with Warn hubs and saw a lot of plastic.  Plastic, in a frikkin hub.  +1 on the Warn hubs, they are very solid.  

By the way, you can run with the hubs locked and the transfer in 2 wheel drive.  Yes, you will eventually wear out the front end, but it will wear out at some point anyways, and the electrical system, paint, and a host of other nitnoid shit you'll get tired of replacing will wear out first.

Quoted: By the way, you can run with the hubs locked and the transfer in 2 wheel drive.  Yes, you will eventually wear out the front end, but it will wear out at some point anyways, and the electrical system, paint, and a host of other nitnoid shit you'll get tired of replacing will wear out first.

Um, no.  You will break and wear out stuff rather quickly if you drive around all the time with the hubs locked.  Your U-joints probaly won't like it either when you have the wheels turned all the way.

Just my $.02.

-Dan.