turning hubs on 4wd truck when hauling manure

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This is a rare question:

I'm getting some manure from ten miles away. When my trailer is loaded, I need to put the truck in four wheel drive to get out. When I get home to dump it, I need to put it in 4WD to position the trailer to dump. I need 2WD in between for the paved road.

This is a 1978 ford F250. So I need to jump out four times per trip to switch the hubs.

What if I just left the hubs locked? The from the cab I could just put it in 4wd or take it out of 4wd. The wheels would still be locked in 2wd. I'm guessing that this might lower my mileage, but would it do any damage?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), October 19, 2001

Answers

wont be a problem, just a little worse fuel milage,, wont do any damage,, as long as the hubs have been greased in the last ten years

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), October 19, 2001.

Hey Paul, I used to have a '79 F250 with a plow. Used to keep the hubs locked when in 2WD between plow jobs even if I didn't need 4WD to get there. Sucked a lot of gas. Even got snowed in, over in White Pine, TN back in the blizzard of 1993, and drove up I81 and I78 to NJ in 4WD High most of the way a few days later. Sucked up even more gas that time, but otherwise was fine. And I didn't have the plow with me in TN - it was sitting in the driveway in NJ!!

I miss that truck!

-- Eric in TN (eric_m_stone@yahoo.com), October 19, 2001.


Leave the hubs locked in. I've been a truck dealer for 25 years and sold 1978 Ford F-250 4x4's new. Here is the difference between driving with your transfer case set at 2WD with hubs lock and unlocked.

Hubs unlocked- Front wheels are turning free on the road essentially as they would in a 2WD truck.

Hubs locked- Front wheels, front axle, front differential and front drive shaft are all turning because wheels are turning on the road causing everything connected by virtue of hubs being locked in to also turn. All of that is creating a 'drag' which accounts for slightly lower fuel economy.

As to "damage," there shouldn't be any unless there's another problem (no lubricant in the front differential, for example). As with anything turning even in lubricant, there is some friction and wear associated with it but the amount would be extremely minimal.

Given the situation you describe, were it me, I'd leave the hubs locked in and not worry about it. I hope this helps.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), October 19, 2001.


Paul, just want to agree with everyone above. I have left my hubs in on many occation with no ill affects. The gas will not go as far so on the days you got a few more bucks just leave'em in.

-- James D. (dodds98@gte.net), October 19, 2001.

The four wheel drive on my 1978 F 150 farm beater (offroad pick up) uses a 4:10 front ratio, the rear a 4:11, yes this is a fraction of a percent, where does this differance go when driving down the road? I would say either front wheel slipage, or wear and tear on the transmission/ drive train. Never drive on a full friction surface with the FWD and the transfercase both engagued, only engague when the front tires can slip a bit.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), October 19, 2001.


hi; I agree with all the above.I use to have a jeep cj5 and use to leave the hubs locked all the time. I now have a 1998 jeep and they are built with permanently locked hubs. If I want to 'unlock' them I will have to spend several hundred dollars to buy aftermarket hubs (warn) that will allow them to unlock. Tradesman

-- tradesman (tradesman@noaddr.com), October 19, 2001.

Mitch, the difference could be taken up in the ackerman in turns.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), October 19, 2001.

Tradesman, I switched an old Chevy over a few years ago when one of the full time hubs went bad. I seem to recall the whole job (parts & labor) to switch to two lock-out hubs being well under $200. You might want to check around a bit on prices. I hope this helps.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), October 19, 2001.

Gary, what is an ackerman? I do not find that word in my referances, I have owned ford FWD's for most of my life, changed a lot of ring and pinion gears, no ackermans yet?

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), October 20, 2001.

You don't have to worry about the difference in gearing with the 4wd selector lever in the 2wd position. With the vehicle in 2wd, the front axle is disconnected in the tranfer case and no binding can occur. In 4wd mode, the difference in gearing is negated by the soft or slippery surface you are driving on. I was once asked this question by a gentleman with an Explorer, who was jumping out of his SUV to turn his hubs in and out every few hundred feet, because he was driving on paved road with patches of snow covered road. Also, consider this; no two tires are the same diameter due to manufacturer and inflation and it is never noticed by the vehicle. So in regard to the difference in gearing between front and rear, your truck would never notice it either.

Tim KC8OJR

-- T. Hager (scf06121@wvnet.edu), October 21, 2001.



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