Tire size question

[Robrt32]

I bought a set of tires and rims this morning.. 31x10 50R15 Mud Kings with about half the thread..I trying to clean the rust off, if that doesn't work well i may black the rims out but anyhow, what about that tire size? anybody ever run them? any rubbing issues?

 

[Robrt32]

Also 1 more question, I didn't wanna start another thread..........The last Ford 4WD i had was a 68 Ford truck and when you locked the hubs in you had to back up a little or rock it to get the hubs engaged... If you got stuck in 2 wheel to where you couldn't rock it , you were STUCK.. Are the Explorers the same??
..I get a little thrill out of seeing how far i can get in 2 wheel before locking it in.... I don't want to get in trouble on the back side of no where..

 

[James909]

You shouldn't have any problems with the tire size.

If you have auto hubs than in order for them to lock, the truck must still be able to roll slightly. So if you're completely stuck and can't move they either won't lock at all or may suddenly engage if you're spinning the back tires. This runs the risk of stripping the hubs. If you want to see how far you can go in 2wd before you put it in 4x4, just put it in 4x4 for a second and then take it out right before you go offroading. This will lock the hubs but the transfer case will still be in 2wd so if you get stuck just engage 4x4. After you put it in 4x4 the hubs will stay locked until the truck is in 2wd and you back up.

This reminds me of a time when my Ex got stuck when pulling a 4,000lb boat. It was parked in a little bit of mud but I didn't think I would need 4x4 as it wasn't that bad. But the extra weight was just enough to get me stuck. Once I realized that I was stuck I put it in 4x4 but I couldn't get the hubs to lock because I couldn't move. I just kept spinning the rears until the hubs engaged with a scary bang and the truck lurched forward. After hearing about how weak the auto hubs are I was certain I must have stripped one. But I guess I was lucky and surprisingly the hubs were fine.

 

[SwaintaN]

try this link http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67200&highlight=Tire+Chart

 

[DeRocha]

...If you have auto hubs than in order for them to lock, the truck must still be able to roll slightly. So if you're completely stuck and can't move they either won't lock at all or may suddenly engage if you're spinning the back tires. This runs the risk of stripping the hubs...

:scratch: I'm not sure what was going on with your hubs James, but your vehicle does NOT need to be in Motion for autohubs to lock. They will lock due to rotation of the stub axle shaft within the hub (with the vehicle 100% stationary). On the other hand if you are trying to free a vehicle by shifting from Forward to Reverse this will cause the hubs to jump in and out of lock.. See the info in RED below:

From the 4x4 Troubleshooting thread

HUBS
Hubs (automatic & manual) are used to lock the front wheels to the axles allowing the wheels to be powered. Locking is a purely mechanical action and is insensitive to the electronic 4x4 system. For manual hubs the locking occurs when the hubs are turned to the "Lock" position. For automatic HUBs the locking occurs when the axle shaft begins rotating within the HUB, which causes the splined engagement mechanism to idle up on the engagement cam which locks the hub in the current direction.

Any clicking or ratcheting noise from the front wheels) is a sign the automatic hubs are not locking.. An Easy test is to get under your truck and rotate the front axle shafts (not the drive shaft).. Rotating the axle shafts by hand mimics 4x4 being engaged. After a few revolutions an Autohub should lock in and be impossible to turn.. If you are able to keep turning the axle it indicates the hub is bad/gunked up. For manual hubs the test would be to get under the truck with the HUB unlocked (4x4 off) and verify the axle shaft rotates freely. Next lock the hub, the axle shaft should be impossible to turn. If you are able to turn the axle it indicates the hub is bad/gunked up.


To test for a blown Auto Hub;
1) Put T-case in 4x2 (disengage 4x4)
2) Crawl under the truck and rotate the axle shaft (any direction). After several revolutions the autohub should click and lock. If you can still rotate the axle shaft the hub is blown..
3) Repeat #2 on the opposite axle shaft..

More on Automatic HUB engagement:
When you engage 4x4 the front drive shaft will spin and send power to the diff and then to the axle shafts.. The axle shafts will begin rotating within each autohub; after a few revolutions the engagement cam will have idle up within the autohub and caused the autohub to lock. Once this occurs on both hubs the wheel with the least traction will get power and begin to rotate.

:scratch: Let the above sink in for a minute.. If you try to free a vehicle by quickly going from Forward to reverse you can easily blow an auto hub.. When you reverse direction the axle shaft obviously spins in the opposite direction causing the auto hub to UNLOCK and then LOCK in the new direction.. Under low power this isn't a big deal, but if you're on the gas heavy it can definitely damage the hub... Manual hubs are either locked or open, as such they are unaffected by rocking a vehicle in the manor above.