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Performance Upgrades - Maintenance - Modifications - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street Trucks. Covering the Explorer, ST, Sport, Lincoln Aviator, Sport Trac, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Aerostar. Featuring H.I. - Human Intelligence.
Last 4x4 question..I swear. With the exception of decreased fuel economy (I will probably only put 3-4 hundred miles on it this winter) Can I leave my manual hubs locked and keep the system off inside the truck...essentially giving me on the fly 4x4?
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it works just fine, I leave my hubs locked during the winter so I can simply shift into 4high when the roads get icy
it will turn the axle shafts, diff and front d shaft, but its okay it wont hurt anything.... been doing this for 15 years in the BII as manual hubs were my first mod
it works just fine, I leave my hubs locked during the winter so I can simply shift into 4high when the roads get icy
it will turn the axle shafts, diff and front d shaft, but its okay it wont hurt anything.... been doing this for 15 years in the BII as manual hubs were my first mod
I've often wondered about that. If it doesn't hurt anything than why did they even make them with hubs? Why not leave the wheels permanently locked in like on the newer ones? Was it just to reduce parasitic drag and increase mileage?
I've often wondered about that. If it doesn't hurt anything than why did they even make them with hubs? Why not leave the wheels permanently locked in like on the newer ones? Was it just to reduce parasitic drag and increase mileage?
Yup. I prefer manual hubs over live axle. One nice thing is with them unlocked I don't have to listen to the locker up there. I can also used 2wd low range if I need to.
I lock them in before I get into snow and take it in and out of 4x4 as necessary.
we've always left our hubs locked during the winter when snow was predicted.. my mom always locked her hubs the night b4 so she could shift into 4wd when she was delivering mail and needed it. i lock mine in b4 i leave the house just so i dont have to get out in the weather. ive heard though that you shouldnt drive over a certain MPH with them locked, is this true also?
With the hubs locked and the system engaged in 4x4 I had always been told not to exceed 45 mph. I don't think that it would matter though if the hubs are locked, but you do not have it in 4x4. I could be wrong though.
I don't have 45mph, but that still sounds like a good safe limit. I mean, if you're going 45, obviously traction isn't going to be a huge issue. You shouldn't be doing 45 on icy roads.
i was thinking more like interstate during snow.. if someone buys my 97 awd ill hafta get use to deciding when i need 4x4. im not the biggest fan of awd but i tell ya what, it is great for interstate trips in bad weather.
If your 1st Gen is in 2wd but have the hubs locked there really shouldn't be much of a an issue with the speed.
I accidentially left the front hubs locked for a few weeks and drove 80 miles a day each day at speed of 55-70mph (70 is as fas I take the X on the freeway) in a Southern Az summer.
The axles are spinning and so is the front drive shaft. As long as your u-joints are fine I can't see it causing any problems...
Would I recomend leaving them locked "all the time", no.. but setting them the night before a day where there might be snow, sure..
Yup, also gives you the ability to turn A LOCKED front diff on slickrock (unlock one side)
I wish my 96 had hubs, even with the t case in 2wd the whole front end spins......always
the 95 explorer had a vacuum disco pass side axleshaft just for that reason
Funny this topic, I just drove into work this AM with 2" of snow on the roads, hubs locked, 4x4 hi range, 60 mph at times.
I exceed 45 mph in 4x4 hi all the time, both the bronco II and the 96 sploder....the sploder is my snowmobile tow rig so it sees 65mph in the snow much of the winter, with a trailer...
been doing it for years, the BII ttb and t case work just fine over 45 mph
Of course my front end seems to get rebuilt yearly for other reasons....so its always maintained
I run the Warn /Jeep d35 hubs, a D35 ttb with 4.10's and an ARB locker on 35's with BW1354 e shift t case
how much more expensive were the jeep hubs over the ones listed for the explorers? my warns are in great condition i was just wondering about the price.
ive run 45+ in 4hi and didnt have any problem, deffinetly dont drive like that all the time but at times the speed gets up there. a properly maintained front end is what will keep your truck together when using 4wd.
