"Locking Hubs" Educate me please

[carne]

Someone help me out please. 1971 Bronco - My locking hubs are in the "Free" position BUT my 4-wheel drive engages. My question is will the 4-wheel engage when the hubs are actualy in the free position? Or possibly whoever took them apart put the caps on backwards and altho they say free, they are actualy LOCKED - Thanks in advance, Curt

 

[House]

Your transfer case will spin the front driveline and axles, but the force from the axles cannot get to the wheels until you place your hubs into the LOCKED position.

 

[carne]

Been years since I last owned one but I didnt think the 4-wheel would engage with the hubs in free posisition -- so you are saying they are on backwards - they say "Free" but are actually LOCKED? - I could just go lock them and see if it engages but its already parked behind my other vehicle

 

[Scoop]

What do you mean when you say that your 4-wheel is engaged? The lever is in the 4WH position? Or that the front wheels are actually being turned by the engine? You can put the TC lever in any position regardless of whether the hubs are locked or free. House is not saying they are on backwards. You need to check to see if the tire spins free of the axle or if it is connected.

 

[DuctTape]

These are old rigs. They are all mechanical. From your post it sounds like you are trying to learn the basics. You probably should google for diagrams if you want to understand how the mechanical systems work.

In early Broncos, there are two separate mechanical systems to engage (technically three or four if you count the transmission and clutch) in order to apply power to the front wheels. These two systems are locking hubs and the transfer case.

Your transfer case distributes, via gears, power to the front and rear driveshafts. The stick in the cabin allows you connect gears to the rear only or to the rear and front driveshafts.

The driveshafts transfer power to the axles located in the front and rear axle housings. In the rear, those axles are directly connected to the wheels. In the front, hubs allow the axles to disconnect from the wheels. When your hubs are locked, the axles are connected to the wheels. When they aren't locked, the axles are no longer connected to the front wheels.

So when you shift the transfer case into 4wd, you are engaging the front and rear axles. But, if your hubs aren't locked, then the axles in front spin free within the spindle and do not apply power to the front wheels.

 

[carne]

When I put the lever into 4WLO it is in 4 wheel LO - no mistaking that cuz you feel the difference the way it takes off when you move it - But the arrow on hubs say "Free" - been in the shop and was taken apart and I am wondering if the caps are on backwards - Hence the arrow now points to free but is actually locked

 

[DJs74]

The locking hubs are on splines and move in and out by turning the dial. In is unlocked and out for locked. The locking action engages the front axle to the front wheels. You can have the transfer case locked and engaged with the shifter but still only have 2WD until you lock the front hubs. On another note, you can lock the hubs without having the transfer case locked... Still 2WD but your front axles will be rotating with the front wheels.

DJs74

 

[Scoop]

When I put the lever into 4WLO it is in 4 wheel LO- no mistaking that - But the arrow on hubs say "Free"

The TC is in 4 low but the fronts are not engaged until you lock the hubs.

 

[DuctTape]

When I put the lever into 4WLO it is in 4 wheel LO - no mistaking that cuz you feel the difference the way it takes off when you move it - But the arrow on hubs say "Free" - been in the shop and was taken apart and I am wondering if the caps are on backwards - Hence the arrow now points to free but is actually locked

Are you sure? Do your front axle u joints turn when the front wheel turns?

4lo with hubs unlocked (ie, 2lo) will feel very different than 2hi.

 

[carne]

The silver caps that say lock/free - If I take them off and swap them out with each other - wouldnt it read opposite? The arrow would now be pointing to lock instead of free? I think they put the lock/free caps on the wrong sides of the truck

 

[CraigS]

If that were true, you could turn them upside down on the same side their on and they would work backward.

 

[Scoop]

The silver caps that say lock/free - If I take them off and swap them out with each other - wouldnt it read opposite? The arrow would now be pointing to lock instead of free? I think they put the lock/free caps on the wrong sides of the truck

They are the same left and right. You're just feeling the lower gear. Jack the front up and turn a front wheel by hand while looking at the U-joint on the inside of the wheel. Does it turn with the wheel? Yes = Locked. No = Free. Then look to see where the pointer is.

 

[carne]

OMG you are saying there is a 2WLO if I move the lever without locking the hubs??? thought that lever was for the front axle only am I THAT STUPID? This is my third Bronco UHM....DUHHHHHHH

 

[Scoop]

. . . and the light goes on!! ;D

 

[AxlesUp]

turn them to lock put it in 4 low and turn the tightest circle you can on dry pavement.

then do it again with the hubs in free and the shifter still in 4 low.

you'll notice the difference.

also fun to do the same thing but with the shifter in 2wd.

 

[carne]

Light (very dim) goes on - Well, never to old to learn something new lol - thought that lever engaged front axle ONLY - So to clarify and put this to bed - so using the lever, I have a 2W, 2WLO and 2WHI - THEN 4WLO and 4WHI with hubs locked?

 

[AxlesUp]

wait til you realize that with a twin stick conversion and a little mod you can drive around in front wheel drive!!!!!!

 

[DuctTape]

Light (very dim) goes on - Well, never to old to learn something new lol - thought that lever engaged front axle ONLY - So to clarify and put this to bed - so using the lever, I have a 2W, 2WLO and 2WHI - THEN 4WLO and 4WHI with hubs locked?

Presuming your tcase is stock and unmodified:

2hi, neutral, 4hi, 4lo.

Make sure to leave your hubs unlocked when running in 2wd.

 

[Broncobowsher]

2W and 2WHI are the same

Since you have a shop, try this

Jack up a front wheel and spin it. look at the U-joint for the front axle. Try free and lock and note when the U-joint is engage to the wheel and when it isn't. That is all the hub does.

 

[DuctTape]

I thought the lever was for the front axle ONLY. Let me clarify, and put this to bed - You are saying that with the hubs in "Free" position, I can use the lever switch to 2W, 2WLO, and 2WHI ?

There are four positions for the stick in cab:

2hi - rear driveshaft connected to crankshaft thru transmission, hi gear
Neutral - nothing connected
4hi - front and rear shafts connected, hi gear
4lo - front and rear shafts connected, lo gear

If your hubs are free and you are in 4hi or 4lo, shafts spin but the front wheels don't. This isn't 2hi or 2lo, it is 4hi and 4lo but since hubs are free no power to wheels. The distinction matters because 2hi is not the same as 4hi with hubs free (front axles are spinning in 4hi and not in 2hi).

If your hubs are locked and you are in 4hi or 4lo, shafts and wheels spin.