driving with hubs locked... (1 Viewer)

[iam_turner]

If 4x4 is disengaged, and the hubs are locked, can the truck still be driven for long periods of time? Or is it better to unlock the hubs - will driving with the hubs locked (but not engaged) cause wear?

I know this is a complete novice question

 

[John Smith]

Until 79 hubs that unlock were not even a factory option so yes you can drive many miles locked. You will definitely add wear to the front end components and you will lose about 1mpg in fuel economy.

 

[Poser]

If 4x4 is disengaged, and the hubs are locked, can the truck still be driven for long periods of time?

Yes.

Or is it better to unlock the hubs

Yes.

will driving with the hubs locked (but not engaged) cause wear?

Yes.

 

[Poser]

Until 79 hubs that unlock were not even a factory option

Not true.


They were on 08/75 and later 55's from the factory, iirc and some 40's as a dealer installed item.

 

[John Smith]

I need to study up on the pigs, I had no idea.

 

[camcruiser13]

whenn your in 4x4 it helps yes.

 

[busiboy]

Personally I drive highway with the hubs out, but if I am going wheeling I lock them before I leave home. I want all the oil everywhere and all teh gears to not be stone cold and unlubricated when I start climbing rocks.

 

[nspctr1]

My 73 has manual Warn hubs. So would those be factory? or aftermarket?

 

[nocents]

My 73 has manual Warn hubs. So would those be factory? or aftermarket?

Aftermarket....

Nocents

 

[Poser]

My 73 has manual Warn hubs. So would those be factory? or aftermarket?

aftermarket.

 

[Dusty 66]

Thy were all locked at least all early to 70s came from factory with hub flanges !

and were to be design to be driven daily this way... locking hubs were Dealers add on' then, pre-factory locking hub days... Dusty

 

[Mark W]

Driving with the hubs locked and in 2wd will add a timny bit of wear to the front end components. Not enough to worry about. You will loose a small amount of fuel economy. Less than 1mpg in my experience.

I, and almost all of the other Cruiser owners around here, lock the hubs in November and unlock them again around April or May.


Mark...

 

[surfpig]

Driving with the hubs locked and in 2wd will add a timny bit of wear to the front end components. Not enough to worry about. You will loose a small amount of fuel economy. Less than 1mpg in my experience.

I, and almost all of the other Cruiser owners around here, lock the hubs in November and unlock them again around April or May.


Mark...

Ah. Very nice. I lock them and drive around every so often in the winter, when I typically don't drive my truck very much. In the summer, I lock them as soon as I hit the dirt, unlock them when I hit the pavement on my outings...

I had heard that runnng the front hubs locked would end up winding up tension on the axles and breaking something, but maybe that's just Jeeps...

 

[desertpat]

A bit more on factory locking hubs as per the book.
Disengaging the front hubs reduces wear and noise.
My owner manual says to never shift to 4WD without making sure that hubs are locked and never drive with only 1 hub locked.
And it also says that you should drive in locked position at least 10 miles per month to lubricate components.

 

[rjcruiser]

And it also says that you should drive in locked position at least 10 miles per month to lubricate components.

I guess you learn something new every day. I had always been told that you'd screw things up by driving with the hubs locked on pavement. Guess that doesn't apply to cruisers.

 

[PabloCruise]

I, and almost all of the other Cruiser owners around here, lock the hubs in November and unlock them again around April or May.


Mark...

How often do you have to replace axle seals?

 

[PabloCruise]

I guess you learn something new every day. I had always been told that you'd screw things up by driving with the hubs locked on pavement. Guess that doesn't apply to cruisers.

I think it just applies to all vehicles w/ a selectable transfer case vs. non-selectable and no center diff...

 

[Mark W]

How often do you have to replace axle seals?

When ever I bust a birfield or need to replace knuckle bearings.

Seriously, I'm sure that the seals have a shorter life with the axle shaft spinning all winter. But I have not seen enough shortening of the life of the seals to quantify it.

I see it in the '80s routinely. They aslo wear grooves into the surface where the seals ride. But then they are turning ALL of the time. And tend to be daily drivers/commuters which see more miles than our other Cruisers.


Mark...

 

[Mark W]

I think it just applies to all vehicles w/ a selectable transfer case vs. non-selectable and no center diff...

Hubs locked AND 4x4 engaged on dry pavement is a bad thing. Hubs locked and the T/C in 2wd is no big deal.


Mark...

 

[honk]

My 1977 BJ40 has gone it's entire 49,000 km life with the axles engaged by OEM hub flange caps as in post #11 above. It doesn't make appreciable noise or seem to hurt the blazing diesel performance a bit.