Locking front diff
broke white boy
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,888
Likes: 73
From: mid missouri aka the sticks
That's patently ridiculous. The amount of stress added to the front end is negligible. This is also why many newer vehicles don't even bother with unlockable hubs at all.
I'm not saying leave it in all year, but if you're in an environment where you may need it they should be locked in before you get in the drivers seat. That's the entire point of shift on the fly four wheel drive.
I'm not saying leave it in all year, but if you're in an environment where you may need it they should be locked in before you get in the drivers seat. That's the entire point of shift on the fly four wheel drive.
and as far as new axles with the their non lock hubs. they have the new equivlant of locking hubs. it is called a carrier actuator. it is a vac/electric actuator that actually disconnects the carrier letting the insides of the diff spin freely.
Items 13-20 are the actuator parts.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 466
Likes: 1
From: Roanoke, VA
In the context of a fully locked (spool, etc) axle, you certainly need to disconnect the hubs for paved road driving even in 2wd. Not so with a power activated locker like a Detroit.
There are plenty of newer vehicles that have locked hubs without carrier actuated systems. Newer (98 or so and up) Rangers, many Jeeps, etc come to mind.
There are plenty of newer vehicles that have locked hubs without carrier actuated systems. Newer (98 or so and up) Rangers, many Jeeps, etc come to mind.
broke white boy
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,888
Likes: 73
From: mid missouri aka the sticks
Seriously, you actually wrote 'before your driveshaft pops up through the floor and says whats up on the highway'?
Sorry, but this is nuts. People all around the world leave manual hubs locked in for months at a time. It's not remotely uncommon, and it allows you to do precisely what Ford advertised with their 'shift on the fly' 4wd systems.
Sorry, but this is nuts. People all around the world leave manual hubs locked in for months at a time. It's not remotely uncommon, and it allows you to do precisely what Ford advertised with their 'shift on the fly' 4wd systems.
again this is OK on an open diff carrier, but you start putting in LS systems or lockers and your opening a whole new can of beans.
PS the shift on the fly systems had auto hubs. that work off centrifical force.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 466
Likes: 1
From: Roanoke, VA
Not all shift on the fly systems had automatic hubs. Neither of my Bronco II's or my Explorer did. However, what you said is somewhat true in the opposite direction. If the vehicles came stock with automatic hubs, there was a system in the transfer case to slowly spin up the front driveshaft to avoid breaking the weaker auto hubs from the sudden application of force.
broke white boy
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,888
Likes: 73
From: mid missouri aka the sticks
In the context of a fully locked (spool, etc) axle, you certainly need to disconnect the hubs for paved road driving even in 2wd. Not so with a power activated locker like a Detroit.
There are plenty of newer vehicles that have locked hubs without carrier actuated systems. Newer (98 or so and up) Rangers, many Jeeps, etc come to mind.
There are plenty of newer vehicles that have locked hubs without carrier actuated systems. Newer (98 or so and up) Rangers, many Jeeps, etc come to mind.
broke white boy
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,888
Likes: 73
From: mid missouri aka the sticks
the page jumped i lol'ed and was about to say that the rangers drop from 18mpg to 16mpg when they went to the perm locked system.
and that pulse vac system costs bookoo to repair.
and that pulse vac system costs bookoo to repair.