Artemis Entreri
1/2 ton status
Ok so we are getting about 10-16 inches of snow here in NYC, if I decide I don't need 4x4 on the highway or something, can I knock it out of 4wd inside the truck and leave the hubs locked or is that no good?
CK5
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Can i leave hubs locked in 2wd?
- Thread starter Artemis Entreri
- Start date
ccarley
1/2 ton status
I'm not sure if it's "OK" to do, however I've done the same myself with no ill-effects so far. Just some front driveshaft vibes...
My old Wagoneer, with it's part-time 4WD, didn't even have hubs; just drive flanges in the front axle. Easy to shift into 4hi at "any legal road speed" as the manual put it.
Clay
My old Wagoneer, with it's part-time 4WD, didn't even have hubs; just drive flanges in the front axle. Easy to shift into 4hi at "any legal road speed" as the manual put it.
Clay
wont hurt it
JeffsJeep04
1/2 ton status
Same front axle as full-time equipped rigs, which have drive slugs. Only reason I don't leave mine locked in all winter is an out of balance front shaft and a tcase on it's last legs.
Jessie James
1/2 ton status
The other issue is that your MPG will go down a little because now you are turning the front driveshafts instead of having the front wheels spinning freely. Obviously if you're just doing it for a while due to bad weather it should not be an issue.
A buddy of mine's dad runs a fleet of bread trucks (some 4 wheel drive) and he leaves the fronts locked on all his trucks during the summer, because he claims it causes less issues when winter comes (parts get better lubrication). The trucks get 100's of thousands of miles on them...
only problem i seen 1 time is a blown front drive shaft from tcase to diff and broken th400 k case.
guy had driveshaft made and found out later it was wrong. thay used a c/v head or somthing like that from a caddy j-yard shaft.
well drivin home he forgot to unlock hubs. well that caddy c/v head didnt like the angle and about 60 mph bang. melt down and boom.
i only know what was told to me. but saw the broken tranny tail housing and busted drive shaft.
so if your stuff is built wright and in propor working order and got lube in it. then sure will work just fine . other than like said less mpg on gas.
guy had driveshaft made and found out later it was wrong. thay used a c/v head or somthing like that from a caddy j-yard shaft.
well drivin home he forgot to unlock hubs. well that caddy c/v head didnt like the angle and about 60 mph bang. melt down and boom.
i only know what was told to me. but saw the broken tranny tail housing and busted drive shaft.
so if your stuff is built wright and in propor working order and got lube in it. then sure will work just fine . other than like said less mpg on gas.
I do it all the time.
magik235
Still Alive
I also do it all the time and have for years with a variety of different vehicles/
trustyrusty
Registered Member
I've done it too... Haven't had to do it for about 20 years....Moved to Florida ha ha.
IIRC your manual probably states to do it when expecting adverse conditions.
Just think of the mid 70's with the NP203 they had the hubs locked all the time.
Just make sure everything is in good order before you hit highway speeds or you may suffer from SBS(shaken baby syndrome)
IIRC your manual probably states to do it when expecting adverse conditions.
Just think of the mid 70's with the NP203 they had the hubs locked all the time.
Just make sure everything is in good order before you hit highway speeds or you may suffer from SBS(shaken baby syndrome)
lectric80
3/4 ton status
Mine typically is locked in from the first snowstorm in Oct/Nov, until the last big one usually in March or April. Best way to be, and I regularly engage and disengage the transfer case while I am on the road.
So, once the hubs are locked in (rotated into lock), I can "shift on the fly" without any gear binding at any speed?
I've only run the truck with auto hubs but now they have manual ones in there. Before, I had to stop completely before initiallly locking them in. Once locked in, I could shift back and forth. If I stopped and reversed, the hubs would unlock and then I would need to start all over again.
Correct?
I've only run the truck with auto hubs but now they have manual ones in there. Before, I had to stop completely before initiallly locking them in. Once locked in, I could shift back and forth. If I stopped and reversed, the hubs would unlock and then I would need to start all over again.
Correct?
blazin' j
1/2 ton status
That's still correct jeff unless ur vehicle has a push button to engage ur 4wd...ur shifter isn't exactly in the best position to just shift into 4-hi while ur driving and I would recommend u at least are moving very slow if not completely stopped as u may not be able to engage a non movin gear to one moving say 45mph if u know what I mean...metal to metal at speed isn't a good idea IMO...
1BEATK5
1/2 ton status
according to the sunvisor sticker, any speed is fine. 208/241 chain drives where designed to shift on the fly.
i leave my hubs locked during the winter and just shift in and out because of the np205, i shift that sucker into 2wd as soon as its not slippery. if it was chain drive, i wouldnt care so much, but gears on gear + hard surfaces is no bueno.
i leave my hubs locked during the winter and just shift in and out because of the np205, i shift that sucker into 2wd as soon as its not slippery. if it was chain drive, i wouldnt care so much, but gears on gear + hard surfaces is no bueno.
djtejas
1/2 ton status
keeping your hubs locked actually helps keep your gears lubricated...
Pookster
1/2 ton status
Yes, but no need to really lubricate them when there is no movement.
djtejas
1/2 ton status
what happens to the gears when it doesn't get used? how do they get lubed?
ever tear apart a rear end after it hasn't been used for some time? surface rust forms on the gears where they aren't in the gear lube because they have not been turning.
the manual on a Suzuki Samurai that i once had actually recommended locking the hubs every now and then to help lube the gears if the 4 wheel drive was not used very much.
if you used your 4 wheel drive quite often, there is no need...but if it rarely gets used, it helps to keep the gears lubed every now and then.
ever tear apart a rear end after it hasn't been used for some time? surface rust forms on the gears where they aren't in the gear lube because they have not been turning.
the manual on a Suzuki Samurai that i once had actually recommended locking the hubs every now and then to help lube the gears if the 4 wheel drive was not used very much.
if you used your 4 wheel drive quite often, there is no need...but if it rarely gets used, it helps to keep the gears lubed every now and then.
Pookster
1/2 ton status
That is true, and true. But a while is a long time- and the rust that your talking about is usually minimal surface rusting at best.
djtejas
1/2 ton status
true...only need it if not using the 4 wheel for awhile...but, it doesn't hurt anything either...except maybe gas mileage
when I lived in Idaho and Oregon, i kept mine locked during the winter just so i didn't have to get out whenever i needed 4 wheel drive in the snow...pain in the a$$ when you have to keep getting in and out to lock and unlock.
