driving with hubs locked
- Thread starter benboy17
- Start date
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
muddinlate86
New member
yeah itll tar up you gears in the front end and could cause it to lock up
BroncoJoe19
Active member
LOL... Man don't **** him around like that.
There's no problem driving with your hubs locked. There will be additional wear on your front diff, and the Ujoints in the front axels, and maybe a little vibration. Perhaps a little drop in gas mileage.
Some guys up north will leave them engaged all winter, and unlock them for the other three seasons.
Peronally I would lock them up when I think I might need them, or just want them, but regardless I wouldn't worry about it.
TEggleston
New member
And it doen't help your gas milage either
muddinlate86
New member
sorry about that i guess i was miss enformed but still who can afford to waste more gas these days with the way gas prices are going damn i might have to get a honda lol jk
Broncobill78
New member
Ben,
Not a stupid question at all, and judging from the replies it's one that should have been asked long ago. The short answer is no, it won't effect anything adversly to drive on dry pavement with the hubs locked and the transfer case in 2-hi, you *will* add a bit of wear & tear to the front end but nothing to worry about and the same goes for the milage. It'll cost you maybe a few miles per gallon every two or three months, nothing to worry about. I've done it for probably *at least* 150K miles over the years. I grew up in New England with Ford 4x4's and would *routinely* lock the hubs when the weather looked bad and leave them locked for 3-6 wks at a time. When the snow DID start falling I'd simply shift the transfer case into 4-hi and be on my merry way. When the snow melted I'd shift back to 2-hi but leave the hubs locked. Each & every spring I'd take a Saturday afternoon and disassembly, clean & grease the hubs but that was it. Now I WILL admit that over the years I probably had to replace an extra U-joint or two because of the additional front-end time but other than that there was no appreciable wear or problems associated with keeping the hubs locked. Remeember that Chevy did just fine with full-time 4WD Blazers all thru the 70's & 80's and they used the same setup, lots of Blazer owners out there do nothing more than swap to manual hubs to get part-time 4WD but even when they don't it's not like their rigs are some sort of mechanical voodoo money pit.
Now if you start driving on dry pavement with the hubs locked and the transfer case in 4WD you WILL have problems. You'll start by noticing a see-saw motion to the front end as you turn. The tighter you turn the more pronounced the see-saw will be. This is caused by the front wheels wanting to slip but not being able to because of the traction the dry pavement provides. If you were in a dirt lot the tires would just scrub and you'd never notice it. Exactly what happens when you drive on dry pavement in 4WD and WHY that happens hve been discussed to death and the info is in the archives for anyone willing to spend a few minutes looking it up. Other than that don't worry about it, of if you *really* do then shoot me a PM & I'll be happy to chat with you about it and explain what happens and why.
Dave
Last edited by a moderator:
Great info Dave thanks a bunch. I was just wondering cause sometimes i forget to unlock the hubs on the way home after leaving the deer stand. I did however one time unlock the hubs but left it in 4 hi for like 100 yards. Any problems that might cause?
BroncoJoe19
Active member
Nope... that wouldn't cause any trouble either.
The chain and gears in your transfer case would be spinning, and driving your front axels, but they wouldn't be giving any power to the front wheels, because it is the hubs (whether they are locked or not) that actually makes the connection.
BroncoBill can probably make more sense out of this for you.
joe
