2wd to 4wd manual hubs

[mongo]

Sorry to do this But I know I saw a post on this subject and when I went to search it, I couldn't find it, Anyhow It went something like this.Here in Michigan it snowed pretty heavy,But most of the main roads are cleared just alittle wet.The question was How long can you drive on semi wet raods with the Bronco ( 88) in 4wd on just bearly wet roads really 4 wd not needed? The secoudry roads are very snow covered ( you want 4wd )

so I have it in 4wd. But with MANUAL LOCKING HUBS,Its in and out of the Bronco.To switch back and fourth from 2wd to 4wd.From the semi wet roads to the snow covered roads.Or can I leave it 4wd until I get to where I have to go.And if so how long before I really ***** somthing up? AGAIN SORRY FOR THE RE-POST

 

[Roadkill]

You're going about it backwards. Just leave the hubs locked until the weather clears (could be March in your part of the world from what I hear). Use the leaver or buttons in the cab to shift in and out of 4x4 as needed. You won't hurt the front axle by leaving it engaged all the time. You might notice slightly increased noise or vibrations from the additional moving parts but the axle has a differential in it so you won't hurt anything.

The reason you shouldn't use 4x4 on dry pavement (or any surface with very good traction) is because the is no differential in your transfer case to compensated for different wheel speeds between front and rear. So with the truck in 2WD the front and rear are no longer connected together and you will be just fine.

 

[mongo]

Thanks . I am use to my Jeep and my wifes 2001 Durango,Both of those you do ,On the fly from inside the car.( new school ) . SO your saying its OK to leave the front hubs in the 4x4 position,Then when I need, YANK it into 4wd . 88 with manual hubs gotta love'em.

 

[Broncobill78]

Thanks . I am use to my Jeep and my wifes 2001 Durango,Both of those you do ,On the fly from inside the car.( new school ) . SO your saying its OK to leave the front hubs in the 4x4 position,Then when I need, YANK it into 4wd . 88 with manual hubs gotta love'em.

Yup, Roadkill's right. You want to leave the hubs locked all the time & then just switch from 2wd to 4wd using the transfer case shifter inside the cab. The milage penalty & additional wear and tear on the front end is minimal and not worth worrying about. Leave the hubs locked until springtime, that's what most of us do anyways. The way you're doing it now is not only a hassle (jumping in & out of the cab) bit it will accelerate the wear on the rest of the frontend.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

I have a 90 Bronco with the manual transfer case shifter inside the cab.

Do I have to come to a full stop to engage it (change from 2 to 4wd?

If not... is there an acceptable speed range to engage and disengage 4wd?

Thanks

joe

 

[wileec]

I have a 90 Bronco with the manual transfer case shifter inside the cab.
Do I have to come to a full stop to engage it (change from 2 to 4wd?

If not... is there an acceptable speed range to engage and disengage 4wd?

Thanks

joe

Do you have auto hubs? If so it is the movement of the axle against the hub/wheel that engages them so switching on the fly will not do much good. You need to be almost stopped for there to be enough difference in movement to engage. If you have manual hubs you can engage the tcase at almost any speed, considering that if you are needing 4wd you probably will not be doing 70. I have locked in the tcase at speeds up to 50 with no issues.

 

[Broncobill78]

I have locked in the tcase at speeds up to 50 with no issues.

WOW, You really like to roll those dice don't you ? Is yours a pushbutton or manual shift ? I've always shifted on the fly as well but I don't think I was ever doing more than 15 or 20mph, I'd do in when I was in a parking lot or slowing down for a light or something like that but that's freaking highway speed & I've never been curious enough about what the insides of my transfer case looked like scattered around on the pavement to try something like that. I've always had a NP205 in anything that I played hard with and the gears just flat out *won't* mesh at those speeds, are the chain-drive cases that much different ? I mean, that sliding collar still has to engage the splines, or dogs or whatever you want to call them and my mind in boggling at trying to imagine just how fast that shaft must be spinning @ 50mph and then trying to slide the collar over it. On the other hand I guess I can believe that the pushbutton cases may have some sort of synchro in there that allows it. Just out of curiousity does the owners manual suggest a range of speeds that it's OK to shift in ? Don't get me wrong, I know we all routinely do things the manual says we shouldn't, I just wasn't thinking of this as one.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Thanks guys for the responses.

Since I didn't really understand the mechanics of how to engage and disengage, I searched for an online users manual. I have a '90, but the earliest I could find was a '96.

I snipped this... found it interesting regarding auto hubs.

Sorry it is such a long post.

<snip>

Lever Operated System With Automatic

Locking Hubs

 

To shift from 2H to 4H:Stop the vehicle and move the transfer case shift

lever straight back to the 4H position, the

automatic locking hubs will engage when the

vehicle is driven. When the automatic locking

hubs are engaged, shifts between 2H and 4H

may take place at any speed.

The automatic locking hubs may disengage in

2H if the vehicle

 

[mongo]

Thats cool ,Thats how it is on my wrangler ( 97 ) and wifes durango ( 2001 ),But our Bronco is manual lock hubs on wheel,Get inside and yank it , into 4 hi of course it is a 88' Bronco

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Thats cool ,Thats how it is on my wrangler ( 97 ) and wifes durango ( 2001 ),But our Bronco is manual lock hubs on wheel,Get inside and yank it , into 4 hi of course it is a 88' Bronco

Sorry, the auto hubs was in response to my own question.

Here is the info re: manual hubs, again for an '96. UNfortunatley it does not answer your question, but based upon the answers you have gotten here, it seems that you are being over cautious.

Lever Operated System With Manual

Locking Hubs

 

To shift from 2H to 4H:Stop the vehicle and engage the manual locking

hubs by turning both hub lock selector knobs

clockwise to the LOCK position. Move the

transfer case shift lever straight back to the 4H

position. After both hubs have been turned to

the LOCK position, shifts between 2H and 4H

(or 4H to 2H) may take place at any speed.

Locking hub positions

• Do not drive the vehicle in 4H or 4L with the manual locking hubs in the FREE position.
  
• Do not drive the vehicle with the left and right manual locking hubs set to different positions.
  

To shift from 4H to 2H:

Move the transfer case shift lever forward to the

2H position. This can be done at any speed.

However, the front driveline will remain

engaged to the front wheels until the manual

locking hubs are disengaged. To disengage the

manual locking hubs, stop the vehicle and rotate

both hub lock selector knobs counter-clockwise

to the FREE position.

Operating in 2H with the hubs in the LOCK

position increases fuel consumption, noise,

vibration, and wear. For prolonged 2H operation

on dry pavement, set the manual locking hubs

to the FREE position.

So overall the question is what is the definition of PROLONGED?

 

[mongo]

COOL JOE . Yep I 've gotten the answers,And yes I was being to paranoid over cautions