Silly Question Number 1:

[weaselope]

Hi, I am new here.

I just bought a '88 FJ62. It's in pretty good shape, but doesn't have the owners' manual. The seller was a nice local doctor who has been using it for his 3 mile commute to work.

OK, here is how he described the method for engaging the 4wd. Maybe it's just me, but it seems a little loopy. He says that I should do the following, in the following order:

1. Get out, and turn the hubs from free to the locked position;
2. Shift the 2nd shifter (the one with H2 -N - 4L) into 4L, then
3. Push the 4H button on the dash

According to him, only then will 4WD engage.

Not knowing any better, this is what I think:

1. The hubs are for locking the wheels and don't need to be turned to engage 4WD. (He says if I do that "the wheels will spin").

2. Shifting into 4L will cause the truck to go into 4L, with or without the hubs turned from Free to the other position.

3. That apparently, if I want to go from 4L to 4H i I just push the dash button

4. That if i want to go from 2H to 4H I push the dash button.

Am I wrong -

A. About the sequence to follow -or-
B. About the function of these devices (hubs, shifter, dash button)

Thanks for helping me solve the mystery!

 

[raydouble]

The hubs are the link between the wheels and the axles, they have to be locked manually to work.

Did you get an owner's manual?

 

[weaselope]

The hubs are the link between the wheels and the axles, they have to be locked manually to work.

Did you get an owner's manual?

No, I am going to order one online today. Thanks for the response

 

[Wile E Coyote]

The sequence is also on the glove box (at least on my 62)
1. The hubs connect the wheels to the rest of the drivetrain. Locking them will allow the power from the axleshafts to reach the ground. Unlock them, and regardless of anything else in the drivetrain (like 4wd button, shifter position, etc) you will not have 4wd.
2. Yep, except for the hubs part, for that, see #1. Going to 2l will bypass the need to use the dash switch, and automatically engage the front d-shaft for ya. No worries unless you then shift back and then do not press the dash switch.
3. No. 2h to 4h is controlled by the dash button (and the hub position...remember those)
4.Yep.

 

[2mbb]

As stated above:

The hubs need to be locked for you to actually be in "4wd". The hubs lock the front axle shaft to the wheel so the wheel will be turned by the front axle shaft. This is not the same thing as a differential lock (do a search!). If you use 4wd-low without locking the hubs you run the risk of putting too much torque to your rear drive line and you may damage something. You can leave the hubs locked all the time (for example, during winter months). This is OK for the drive line, but you may experience a slight drop in gas mileage and this will put a little wear on the front differential.

The button on the dash is used to switch between 2wd-high and 4wd-high. This operates vacuum actuated shift linkage located on the front of your transfer case. You can shift between 2wd-high and 4wd-high on the fly, up to 40mph or so.

The small shift lever is used to switch between high range and low range. Because of the higher available torque when in low range, 4wd is automatically engaged when you shift into low range, regardless whether you push the button or not. You should only shift into low range when the truck is stopped or when moving less than 5mph.