4WD with Hubs locked or not. What's the difference?

[Corellian Corvette]

Sorry for the dumb question but I'm new to the whole 4x4 thing.

My 74 has the Spicer locking hubs, and I realized tonight that I have no idea how they work.

When I put the transfer case into 4WD mode, do I have to lock the hubs to actually be using 4WD? Or do locking the hubs serve some other purpose?

Thanks!

[Russell]

Yeah, locking the hubs locks your front wheels to your front axles, 4x4 doesn't work without

[ghetto_superman]

so does anything bad happen if you just leave the hubs locked with the t-case in 2hi on a daily basis? (not that ive done it.. just wondering..

[Corellian Corvette]

I was going to post the same thing, I'd like to know too

[blaserman]

I used to run my 86 durning the winer with the front hubs locked and then when I needed them I would just put the shifter into 4h and be on my way. I did not have any problems with it like that except I used more gas.

[1969 GMC]

Originally Posted by Corellian Corvette

I was going to post the same thing, I'd like to know too

not to mention every GM, Ford, and Dodge truck that rolled off the assembly line in the 70's with a NP203 transfer case (full time 4 wd) all have drive flanges instead of locking hubs, which is basically like having hubs locked in all the time. it does not hurt anything.

[Russell]

Nope, I do it all the time with my trucks!

Only thing the hubs do is make a mechanical link between your wheel, and the axles that run back from your diff. leaving your hubs unlocked allows your wheels to turn without turning the diff, or the front driveshaft.

Locking them in just makes your front driveshaft turn in speed with the rear, which can add some vibes if your front driveshaft isn't balanced.

Also means the truck will be a bit tougher to steer, but it won't hurt anything as long as the vibes from the front driveshaft arn't too bad.

I typically lock my hubs in if I know the roads are bad in some places, so I can come in and out of 4x4 at the pull of a lever without getting out of my truck, but leave them unlocked any other time as turning the front diff + driveshaft does have a noticeably negative impact on your mileage.

[ghetto_superman]

allright well that answers it! thanks guys!

[49studebaker]

The only time it hurts anything is when you pull up to the gas pump. It also causes a bit of extra wear on the moving parts. I have many miles on my 85 Chevy, so even though I do run to work at 60 mph with the hubs engaged, I try not to make a practice of it.

[Corellian Corvette]

That's great to know. Since the weather has been unusally nasty up here in Washington lately, I was hoping I didn't have to get out of the car every time I wanted to use 4WD, so this is good to know that I won't hurt anything by leaving them on for a brief spell.

Thanks!

[wedgemon]

Originally Posted by Corellian Corvette

I was hoping I didn't have to get out of the car every time I wanted to use 4WD, Thanks!

With that said. I know there's Manual Hubs and Automatic Hubs - I there a Automatic/Manual hub?? So that when you engage the Transfer Case it locks, and when the weather ends, you manually un-lock??

HHHmmmm.... Am I on to something??

- Dave

[wedgemon]

Originally Posted by Corellian Corvette

I was hoping I didn't have to get out of the car every time I wanted to use 4WD, Thanks!

With that said. I know there's Manual Hubs and Automatic Hubs - I there a Automatic/Manual hub?? So that when you engage the Transfer Case it locks, and when the weather ends, you manually un-lock??

HHHmmmm.... Am I on to something??

- Dave

[Corellian Corvette]

Originally Posted by wedgemon

With that said. I know there's Manual Hubs and Automatic Hubs - I there a Automatic/Manual hub?? So that when you engage the Transfer Case it locks, and when the weather ends, you manually un-lock??

Heck, even something where you had to wire a button under the dash, where you could flip a switch would be AWESOME.

[1969 GMC]

Originally Posted by wedgemon

With that said. I know there's Manual Hubs and Automatic Hubs - I there a Automatic/Manual hub?? So that when you engage the Transfer Case it locks, and when the weather ends, you manually un-lock??

HHHmmmm.... Am I on to something??

- Dave

IIRC warn used to make hubs called lock-o-matics and i believe they work how you describe. you don't see them too often, and are no longer made.

[wedgemon]

Originally Posted by 1969 GMC

IIRC warn used to make hubs called lock-o-matics and i believe they work how you describe. you don't see them too often, and are no longer made.

Now that you mention it, were'nt there Warn-O-Matics as well??

[Zoomad75]

If you want something like that you got to get a 88-98 truck. IFS with the goofy thermal actuator for the front axle engaugement. They eliminated the hubs and put that crappy actuator in there that engauges the front axle when you shift into 4wd. Notorious for not engauging or dis-engauging at the wrong time.

The closest you are going to get to what you are thinking of, is the stock automatic hub. It's not perfect either.

Me, in the last 4 weeks in CO, we have got 3 nice snow storms. I locked in the hubs and had just unlocked them the other day. Might have been a day premature because it's snowing again! Still, like others have said, having the hubs locked in while in 2wd will only kill mileage and add a little wear and tear to the front end. I think my previous owner must have left mine locked in all the time as my hub/wheel bearings were wiped down to the copper. It was an extreme case, but they looked like it was from a truck with a 203 full time case. I've found one of the previous owners was not to kind to my truck...