I've noticed my front axles are rotating all the time even when the hubs are in auto and supposed to be unlocked when in 2wd. Is there a rebuild kit for these so they will unlock the axles or do I need to buy new locking hubs?
View 14 RepliesI just ordered '00 F250 SC 4x4 SWB XLT with the factory standard manual hubs. The hubs show up on the vehicle order confirmation as code "21M MAN LOCKING HUB". I can't find this code in the ordering guides anywhere but kbb.com shows this code as "Manual hubs delete. Required with 213 shift-on-the-fly". I want the manual hubs. I think ##### is incorrect. For my piece of mind, could someone who has also ordered the factory standard manual hubs verify that the code is indeed 21M. And for those who ordered shift-on-the-fly, could you verify that 21M does NOT show up on your order confirmation...
View 8 RepliesMy hubs will not lock when put into 4x4. I disconnected all lines from the solenoid to both hubs and tested them for leaks... All good there. I put a gauge on the lines at both hubs one at a time while the other is still connected and get no reading when switched into 4x4. I checked for vacuum right out of the solenoid, and I get 2inHg when switched into 4x.
The vacuum pump kicks on every time I start the truck, even if I just shut it off and re-start right away. There is no delay when switching my ac/heater controls to different settings or vent locations. So I know there is vacuum. How much vacuum I should be getting out of the solenoid to the hubs?
2004 F350 6.0L....
I am considering buying a 2001 Ford F250 Super Duty XLT 4x4 V10 engine tomorrow. I am hesitant because I cant get the 4x4 to engage. It goes into 4x4 low and high and the front driveshaft spins but it wont engage the wheels. One side locking hub locks but the other side the locking hub is cracked off and so I there is no way to turn to lock that side. I will of course replace the Locking Hub ASAP if I buy the rig but my question here is, if one side is locked should one side of the front axle spin, meaning if only one side Locking Hub is locked should that wheel turn and the other not? Both are not turning but as I said the driveshaft is spinning.
I don't know if both sides need to be locked in order for the front wheels to engage while in 4x4 high or low. Or if one side should engage if only one side is locked; the wheel that's locked of course..
2001 Ford F250 XLT Super Duty 4x4
V10 engine...
I just purchased an F-350 with manual locking hubs. I am unsure if I can keep these locked in for part time four wheel driving or I need to unlock them each time I go back to two wheel drive?
View 6 RepliesBack in March while still plowing, my auto locking hubs wouldn't stay engaged. After talking to the local Ford service shop they told me that it was moisture in the vaccum lines and that it had frozen. They told me to manually lock the hubs and bring it in to be repaired when I had time. I made a appointment in the middle of May and finally got it in last week. Now the hubs are seized in the locked position and they will not warranty the work or parts because they say it was caused by the salt from our roads. Does this sound right?
View 5 RepliesMy 2009 F-350 4x4 has a front wheel option of Auto or Lock ; I think I understand the Auto option but under what circumstances would I lock the hubs and is it safe to leave them in the Lock mode when traveling on the highway?
View 5 RepliesMy manual hubs on my 2006 f250 have become very hard to rotate so I would like to replace them. I saw that bronco graveyard has Warn hubs for a Dana 60 front axle. Is this what I need? My door sticker with the axle code is illegible, and I want to make sure I get the right hubs.
View 5 RepliesI drove my pickup on mostly dry pavement the other day with it in 4WD and the hubs locked. I got a bit of shimmy/vibration which quit after about a mile. When I got back on ice, the 4WD wasn't working. I assumed the transfer case or locking hubs had failed. Today I got it up on jack stands, put it in 4WD, and locked the hubs. Everything seems fine. What might have happened when I couldn't get 4WD to function.
View 2 RepliesI took apart, cleaned and lubed my hubs. My question is: how does the vacuum make the gears work?
Does the vacuum force (suck) the nylon assembly to push the outer gear towards the center of the truck, sliding on the inner gear thus engaging the teeth so that the axle shaft turns the hub?
When the vacuum is gone, does spring pressure pushes the outer gear away from the center of the truck thus disengaging the teeth from the inner gear and allowing the hub to free wheel?
Is this vacuum source constant during 4wd and not present during 2wd or do I not understand how the system works? I have read about a “vacuum pulse” that locks the hubs and another pulse that unlocks the hubs and this confuses me.
BTW, I like the way the Auto lock works. I had a set of Warn Auto Lock hubs on my 78 CJ. They worked on the principle of a set of roller bearings that would lock (pinch) when there was torque coming from the drive shaft. There was no vacuum involved at all. The down side was that when you coasted, the front hubs would be in two wheel drive and so you would not get the engine braking on all 4 wheels. These ESOF seem to have solved this problem.
Oh, I should probably tell you that I just purchased my 04 F250 SuperDuty 4x4 with the 6.0 diesel, just had it a week. It has been 18 years since I owned a 4x4. Before this I owned an 87 F250 2wd with the 6.9 diesel.
My F350 4x4 won't go into 4 wheel drive unless I get out and take them out of auto and put them in locked position and when I have it in lock mode it seams to work like it's in auto mode, when I put the switch on the dash in 2wd, it seams like it's only driving the back wheels....
View 14 RepliesToday was the first time I have locked my wheel hubs in and used 4 wheel drive. However when I did all this i noticed that when I turn there is a growling sound but only when turning. It does not make the sound when unlocked and in 2 wheel drive.
View 4 RepliesI recently purchased a 2003 F350 FX4 Dually with the 7.3L Diesel. It has locking hubs and electric shift in the cab.
I have had locking hubs before that you had to engage to shift into 4 wheel drive and I have had trucks without locking hubs.
My truck didn't come with a manual, so I am looking for instructions for the proper use of this system.
My 2010 F350 shudders when turning right. From what I read it could be the auto locking hubs not dis-engaging or sticking in the locked position. Tutorials show it's pretty easy to pull the auto locking Hub out taking out the three screws holding it in place. My questions is what type of grease do I need to apply to the auto locking hub once I have them out and determine that is what the issue is?
View 13 RepliesI have a 2013 F250 which has both the Manual and auto locking hub feature. I tried to plow my driveway this morning and after making one pass I put the truck in reverse and could not back up my steep driveway. The truck is showing locked in 4x4 on the dash, the 4x4 control is in high lock but the front wheels will not turn. It has been very cold here lately (-30) and I'm wondering if the vacuum lines for the auto locking hubs have frozen. I have switched the control out of 4x4 and back in several times, and it does lock in again, but as soon as I put the truck into reverse, they unlock again. The hubs are covered with ice and snow right now so I have not yet tried to manually lock them.
View 14 RepliesWhile driving the other day and making a slow sharp turn, like a u turn, I felt my wheels binding like they were in 4WD. I got under the truck and I could not turn my front axles freely. I jacked each side up independently and I could spin each tire and the axle would turn as well.
I thought being out of 4WD that the axles would turn freely? Mine do not.
I have ESOF and my hubs are turned to AUTO.
Is this normal or do I have an issue with my hubs or transfer case?
So I have an 05 f350 5.4 with the shift on the fly and the auto/manual locking hubs.. I already know I have a leak with the vacuum and I just use the hubs manually, then shift on the fly to activate the transfer case.
I went to use the 4wd the other night in a snow storm and I have no 4wd, light on the dash comes on and i can hear the transfer case clicking in when i hit the switch between 2wd and 4wd.
So I got under the truck while it was on the ground and manually locked the passenger side, Then tried spinning the axle and it wont spin freely, so obviously its locked.
Tried the same thing on the driver side and the axle spins freely while the hub is locked, So obviously the locking part of the hub is no good... So i guess my question is, even with just 1 wheel locking in the front, shouldn't I pretty much get 3wd? or am i missing something...will it not engage at all because both sides arent locked?
inside round thing with 4 notches in it is a smaller diameter than the new hubs. Will theystill work?
View 6 Replies2006, ESOF. Noticed the front hubs aren't engaging but the transfer case is. What should I check?
View 3 RepliesAs my truck stands it has OEM automatic locking hubs with a selector for auto or lock. So, why would some one buy manual locking hubs and cap off the ESOF vacuum line when the OEM ones perform the same function by being auto or locked?
I hope this makes sense because if I felt I wanted to go to manual style locking hubs, I think I could simply cap off the vacuum line and then switch the hub to lock if I wanted 4x4 because the electric switch inside the truck is actually what engages the transfer case and puts the truck into 4x4.
Is this thinking/theory correct or am I missing something here?
I have a 2010 F250 with 154000km (96000 miles) that we bought last week. When I was looking it over during the purchase I noticed the front axle didn't lockup in "auto", in manual lock it seemed fine so I figured vacuum leak or something like that. Yesterday morning I was in the yard and got a little hung up in snow drifts so just got out, locked the hubs and switched to 4x4 and I think the front end didn't engage at all.
So later on I had it in the shop installing the two way radio and decided to check the front end out a little more thoroughly. Vacuum lines seem fine, hubs turn fine but I notice the axle shafts both move up and down almost a quarter inch, that seems excessively loose to me. I've been doing some research on the internet and it appears the front hubs are serviced as a unit, also some information seems to point to needle bearings within the actual locking hub mechanism itself?
So the questions:
1. Does that front axle shaft seem excessive? What are the specs?
2. Can I replace bearings and seals only or do these units come only as assemblies? Inner hub, outer hub units? Wheel bearings seem fine.
3. With that much play is there a chance the outer axle shafts are worn also?