On a 2003 F-250 4X4.... when I shift the vehicle into 4 wheel drive (on the dash), do I need to lock in the hubs?

Or does it do it electronically?

Or does the vehicle NOT have the ability to "Lock-In" the front?

Thanks in advance.

 

it locks the hubs from the dash ( it has auto hubs) and you are in 4WD...but it is not a locker .

 

Yah you dont have to get out

 

If your SD has not had any mods and is OEM...then what you have is ESOF (electronic shift on the fly). The hubs should have an "Auto" and "Lock" setting. While in "Auto"...and by turning the switch to 4Hi or 4Lo...a vacuum actuator sends a pulse to the front hubs and engages them. At the same time...an electronic motor shifts the transfer case into 4Hi or 4Lo (whatever you selected on the switch).

You also have the ability to manually set the hubs to the "Lock" position.

Hope this helps...


biz

 

If I shift electronically AND MANUALLY lock in the hubs, is there any benefit?

I ask because it tends to only spin 1 wheel up front when I get into a jam.

I would have thought that the front would "lock".

Is this NOT the case?

 

When those front locking hubs are "locked," you are locking the tire/wheel/brghub to the front axle.

Operating the locking hubs manually only help if the automated ESOF system is failing to operate the locking hub. Also, IMO, it is not a bad idea to occasionally manually lock them to spin the components without having to drive in 4 wheel drive.

But, the front differential is a normal open differential ... it is not a "locker." So, you can lose traction and only have one tire spinning away up front.

 

Thanks Jim!!!

 

there is a differentual locker you can get for the front axle that is locked electriclly. i would use one of them, a locker in the front isnt a good thing when you are driving up hill and it engages when you dont know it. if the front tires start spinning you will go straight off the road. but being able to control when the front differential is locked in, you wont have this surprise.