A Few Questions

[Stealth]

Ok this is my first bronco i have a 1984 bll with a 2.8 2bbl

what i want to do is a complete tune up so i am looking for some answers on like plugs, wires, caps, and so on

i also have another 2.8 that i was thinking of rebuilding and then putting it in this one. not sure yet.

and also my last question is .

can you leave your hubs locked in all the time and still leave it in 2 wheels what i mean is like in the winter so when you need your 4x4 you don't have to get out and lock your hubs in you can just shift and go. any help please and thank you ahead for the replys.

 

[Seabronc]

OK, I don't know the 2.8 engine but can comment on the hubs. It is not recommended to leave the hubs locked when on dry pavement or at highway speeds. However, on snow covered roads and off road it is fine.

Quote from the Ford 4 Wheeling manual, "Do not use four-wheel drive on dry, hard-surfaced roads. This may damage the drivelines and axles".

If you haven't driven a 4 WD before, the Ford manual is a good starting point. I recommend getting one and reading it. The one I have was printed in 1984, but I would imagine that it is still available, It's called "4-Wheeling With Ford", an Owners Guide Suppliment for safe 4x4 driving.

Good luck, >-

 

[Desert Donk]

OK, I don't know the 2.8 engine but can comment on the hubs. It is not recommended to leave the hubs locked when on dry pavement or at highway speeds. However, on snow covered roads and off road it is fine.
Quote from the Ford 4 Wheeling manual, "Do not use four-wheel drive on dry, hard-surfaced roads. This may damage the drivelines and axles".

If you haven't driven a 4 WD before, the Ford manual is a good starting point. I recommend getting one and reading it. The one I have was printed in 1984, but I would imagine that it is still available, It's called "4-Wheeling With Ford", an Owners Guide Suppliment for safe 4x4 driving.

Good luck, >-

Hi Fred,

I (a guy who does not know much) always thought locking in the hubs was fine as long as the transfer case was in 2WD. I am very lucky that the only time I did this was going snow skiing and the roads were at least wet. I would do this going to the ski area from town (15 miles or less usually) because one probably only needs 4WD for 2 or 3 of those 15, but those miles are not contiguous. A bit here and a bit there. I would just move the shifter in and out of 4WD as needed. Man did I luck out.

 

[88pimpin]

I was told you could have the hubs locked upto 55mph. After that, you could break your U-joint. I dunno, but that's what one of my friends, an 86 F-150 guy, told me like 2 weeks ago, so my thought may be a little clouded. I have a bad alignment, or something, because my driver's side front shakes, but having the hubs locked makes it even worse. I had to keep my hubs locked so I could get out of my parking spot, b/c it rained for a week. Finally decided to use it when I was about to slip back into a tree. So, here's where I park, and you can see I'm getting poor traction, anyway:

 

[Seabronc]

Right, I lock mine in on a bad day, but you have to keep in mind they are not designed for highway speed like some of the current production SUVs. The main problem is turning on dry pavement, which puts stress on the drivetrain. If you are at low speed and on slippery conditions the stress isn't enough to dammage the drive. So basically if you are going to be on slippery, wet snow or mud covered roads and not going at normal highway speed, it would be reasonable to leave them locked.

This is an excerpt from an article at offroaders .com, on 4WD which you might want to read in it's entirety.

"When a part-time 4WD (without a center differential) is in 4WD an attempts to corner on bitumen, all wheels need to rotate at different speeds, but without a centre differential they cannot. This creates the phenomena called "axle windup" or "transmission windup". High strain is placed on the drive shafts and transmission, eventually causing one of two things to happen. Either one of the wheels slips or spins to overcome the stress or the drive-shaft/transmission breaks. This is why part time 4WD