4X4 front wheel engagement

[fourtenposi]

A friend of mine was telling me about his ford that had both manuel and auto locking hubs on his truck. He said that the chevy/gmc require the truck to be able to roll to engage the hubs, therefore if you where stuck in mud you would not be able to engage 4 wheel drive and that the ford you could manually lock the hubs and be on your way. Is there any truth to this? It doesn't sound correct to me, Why would ford put both manuel and auto locking hubs on there trucks? Unless my friend is misinformed.

Thanks

[trbankii]

Have never seen a manual/automatic combination - not to say that it isn't possible.

[DA BIG ONE]

Originally posted by fourtenposi:
A friend of mine was telling me about his ford that had both manuel and auto locking hubs on his truck. He said that the chevy/gmc require the truck to be able to roll to engage the hubs, therefore if you where stuck in mud you would not be able to engage 4 wheel drive and that the ford you could manually lock the hubs and be on your way. Is there any truth to this? It doesn't sound correct to me, Why would ford put both manuel and auto locking hubs on there trucks? Unless my friend is misinformed.

Thanks Those hubs do exist, however WARN makes a replacement that is their best seller because the manual/auto hubs are so troublesome. Not trying to say they are no good, but preventive maintence best applies to them.

The auto feature is controlled by vacuum and hub must be in auto to work.

They have one large snap ring on outside that can be removed to remove hub, very easy.

Front lockers make the IFS or standard front differential the best. I run an ARB front locker which does lock both wheels from inside cab so they get full torque making it true 4wd. Eaton makes an electric locker which does the same thing.

Most GM t-case's do not turn front drive shaft when in 2w hi, but the autotrac does, when 4wd is engaged a shaft engages the r/f axle in all IFS, however as reality has it, without a front locker 4wd is really 3wd and if wrong front wheel is catching air then its 2wd and stuck city.

Hope this helps!

[ 10-12-2005, 01:48 AM: Message edited by: DA BIG ONE ]

[Jim Brzozowski]

GM owners of 4x4's don't need manual locking hubs to engage once they get stuck because we can think fast enough when we feel the truck starting to get into trouble and push that little button in time for them to engage and not get stuck.

[DA BIG ONE]

Originally posted by SoTxPollock:
GM owners of 4x4's don't need manual locking hubs to engage once they get stuck because we can think fast enough when we feel the truck starting to get into trouble and push that little button in time for them to engage and not get stuck. So true!

All kidding aside, those WARN hubs to replace those troublesome FORD man/auto hubs are $500.+ and sell like hotcakes, so there are lots of FORD guys w/mud in them thar faces!