locking the hubs in and out????

Submitted by JONBIGPANTS on

Forum: 

can someone explain the hubs to me on my old fourtrak?

on the hubs (on the front) you can turn the centre to lock or free???

when you put it into 4x4 on the extra gear stick i assumed it automatically goes into 4x4 is that correct? or do i have to get out and manually lock the hubs into "lock"

then when i wana drive in rear wheel (2 wheel drive) i put it in 2 wheel drive, do i then have to get out and put the hubs to free?

thanks

jon

free wheeling hubs

Submitted by Big John on

Hi Jon your Fourtrak as got manual free wheeling hubs so yes im afraid you do have to get out manualy shift them.

Jon Free wheeling hubs were

Submitted by bundyrumandcoke on

Jon
Free wheeling hubs were invented to help reduce wear in drivetrain componants when not in use, and to assist fuel economy. Without them, your front axle, diff, and prop shaft will turn while travelling, regardless of if you are in 2wd or 4wd. With them, in the unlocked or free position, your front axle, diff, and propshaft are no longer turning when in 2wd. The hubs disconnect the inner front axle from the front wheel hub/wheel assembly. To check this, park your vehicle, in 2wd, and the hubs unlocked. You should be able to reach the front propshaft, and turn it freely. This does not stop you from engauging 4wd with the shifter, as this locks the front and rear propshafts together at the same speed. But, without the hubs locked, even in 4wd, it is EXACTLY the same as in 2wd, traction wise.

On the other hand, you can quite safely leave the hubs in the locked position, with the lever in 2wd, and drive on hard roads, ect. Because the shifter is in 2wd, so is the vehicle. There will not be any transmission windup, ect, as this situation is exactly the same as not having free wheeling hubs at all. But, the front axle, diff, and propshaft will be turning at road speed because they are connected via the locked hubs to the front road wheels.

Now low range 2wd is very useful in some circumstances. To get this, leave the hubs unlocked, but put the shifter through 4H to 4L. This increases the available torque, and lessens the speed, on hard surfaces. Especially useful when reversing a trailer(lower speeds), or climbing a sharp incline towing a heavy load (Boat ramp, Driveway, ect) Again, this does no drivetrain harm because the hubs are unlocked, disconnecting the front wheels from the front drivetrain.

Hope this explains it all,

Cheers
David

Growing old is compulsary, growing up isnt, and
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Growing old is compulsary, growing up isnt.
MUD MAKES EXCELLENT TOOTHPASTE.
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Another hubs query

Submitted by snappo on

David, are there any implications for leaving the hubs in locked mode, to:
1. Avoid having to get out to engage 4WD, I can just hit the button on the dash.
2. I've just fitted some alloy wheels, and I've had to buy "open ended" centres for the front wheels - If it's ok to leave the hubs in "locked" position, I can swap these for closed centres to match the back wheels.

I never off road the truck, it's my daily commute vehicle, so it only ever goes on tarmac roads - in fact, it only goes into 4WD about 6 times a year when our village sees some heavy snow fall, and I can't get in and out of home in 2wd.

This issue is just a cosmetic and a lazy one - I don't want to have to get out and lock the hubs whenever I want 4WD, and I'd quite like to enclose the front hubs to match my lovely looking rears.

Cheers

Paul

Paul No there are no real dr

Submitted by bundyrumandcoke on

Paul
No there are no real drawbacks with leaving them locked. It will be the same as early Landys, Suzukis, ect, that didnt have free wheeling hubs fitted. Everything will be turning, so its then possible to engauge 4wd on the move, as long as all 4 wheels are rotating at the same speed. Dont hit the 4wd button if your rear wheels are spinning madly while the vehicle is nearly stationary.

Cheers
David

Growing old is compulsary, growing up isnt, and
MUD MAKES EXCELLENT TOOTHPASTE

Please visit http://groups.msn.com/AussieDaihatsuRocky/_whatsnew.msnw

Growing old is compulsary, growing up isnt.
MUD MAKES EXCELLENT TOOTHPASTE.
I use billion dollar satellites, to find Tupperware.
Please visit http://groups.msn.com/AussieDaihatsuRocky/_whatsnew.msnw
All views and advice offered are my own, from my ow