I just purchased my '90 F150 a couple months ago and have not really used the 4x4 yet. This is my first vehicle with fully manual 4x4.


During the test drive, I stopped in a parking lot to look things over. At that time, I locked both hubs and engaged 4x4 on dry ground. Trying to turn, I felt it bind (as normal). I also disengaged the 4x4 but left both hubs locked and still felt a bind. Then, I unlocked the hubs, and everything worked fine in 4x2.


So my questions are:


1. With the hubs locked and only in 4x2, should the front still bind up on dry ground or does the front differential allow the wheels to spin at different speeds?


2. Is the binding on dry ground an indication that the front diff is toast?


3. Also, during the winter with wet/snow roads, is it ok to leave the front hubs locked but truck in 4x2 and only engage 4x4 when needed?


Thank you for the help.

 

1-yes
2-no
3-yes
I unlock When I don`t need them.

 

On my truck you have to back up a couple feet to disengage 4x4. You can shift in regardeless of that you are doing. It will not disengage untill you reverse a few feet. I have a 90 4x4 with manual hubs that I bought new. Thats how it has always worked sence new.

 

How do you think mine works? it's simply a push button. It has 4x4 and "low range". A orange light comes on

 

Ull use a ton more fuel with the hubs locked in also, even when they are locked in and its only in 2wd...so unless its a blizzard its best to leave em unlocked especially on a paved road so theres no risk of tearing anything up.

 

+1^^

Lock them when you think you need them, that way you can slam it into 4x4 on the fly. What you describe is normal.

 

You have auto hubs. They may or may not work when you need them. You can convert over to manual hubs if you want.

 

+1 to that ^^

Auto hubs suck. It's like playing the lottery every time you NEED your 4x4. And forget trying to rock your way out of something...

 

And nothing really compares to the thrill you will get when an auto hub unlocks 3/4 of the way up a steep icy hill

 

He said in his original post that he locked both hubs. They could have been swapped over.