New to manual locking hubs

[smsag04]

Hoping that you guys can help me out. I just got a '72 4x4. My prior four wheeling experience has been on vehicles with automatic locking hubs. What's the correct procedure for locking and unlocking the hubs?

[trkklr77]

uh....................



turn the dial to lock, wheel

then turn dial to free, go home

[smsag04]

Well, I have heard some people tell me that you should lock them in 2wd, then pull up, then go to 4wd. I didn't know if it needed to be that complicated or not.

[CrashEd]

Lock the hubs before you get in the mud its a lot easier to do on dry land than trying to do it when the hubs are knee deep in the mud. Just don't drive on the road with them locked unless it slick out or just a short drive to the next mud hole.I have a mud truck that never gets the hubs unlocked unless i want to do some donuts its trailered to the mud.
Ed

[msgross]

You can lock the hubs for extended persiods of time (poor gas mileage and wear on the axle though) and then lock the Transfer case into 4hi of 4low when needed. 99% of the time you should have them unlocked though.

Sometimes you might have one "stick" and you need to move back and forth but it isn't a set "procedure" that you need to worry about.

The locks only lock the spinning hub to the non-spinning axle. The Transfer case then needs to be engaged to move the axle and thus, the wheel. If you do one without the other then you are wasting your time.

[smsag04]

Thanks for the help guys.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

If yor driving down the snowy road, and your hubs are locked in, and your in 2wd, you can pull it into 4-hi as long as you are going less than 45 mph. To put it into 4-lo you have to come to a complete stop. This is what it says in the owners manual.
In my 4 speed manual truck, sometimes i had to work the clutch a few times to get it into and out of 4-lo.
Always lock your hubs first.

[Zoomad75]

I'll leave the hubs locked if it's snowing. I'll stay in 2wd and if 4hi is needed, I can shift into it on the fly. If it's dry, the hubs are unlocked until I get to the trailhead. Then it's time to lock them in and air down the tires. Depending on the condition of the trail in the beginning, I might leave it in 2wd still untill the trail gets tougher. It just depends, but as long as the hubs are locked in before I start, I know I won't have to get out again if I need 4wd.

Leaving the hubs locked up when driving on the street just puts added wear and dear on the front axle and front driveshaft.