ford low range 2wd

I see you are listed as an "Elder User" over there. I bet a few years ago you could've beaten the hubs around the door.
 
not me, I'm just a lurker over there. When I was younger we didn't have auto hubs, or crew cabs. A person always wanted to avoid riding shotgun, the middle seat was preferred. How many remember why? .......you didn't have to get out and engage the hubs or open gates
 
B~C":1r4e9jf0 said:
I installed a relay in series with the wire that controls the 4wd hub control vacuum switch. Now, with a flip of the switch I can maneuver around in 2wd low range. It's a pretty quick and easy modification that's going to make life a bit easier to back stuff up.
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Hi Ken,
I've never owned a 4wd, but plan to get one in the next year or two. So I am curious and don't know. Why would this modification be needed wanted? Doesn't being in 4wd make it more difficult to maneuver down a tricky ramp? Can't the electronic lockers be quickly engaged and disengage as they are in newish trucks?
 
hey there, generally- most 4whl drive rigs anymore have automatic hubs. In 2whl drive the hubs allow the wheels to just spin while the drive axle is stationary. When you engage 4whl drive the transfer case is electronically shifted to engage the front drive shaft and signal a valve to send vacuum the auto hubs on the front axle causing them to shift causing the front wheels to be driven by the axles.
When in 4whl the conditions have to allow for some slippage between the front and rear axles, especially when turning. If operating on dry pavement with good traction in 4whl you can damage your system and at least notice some popping and bucking, especially when turning. With this modification you can shift the transfer case to low range without shifting and engaging the front wheels enabling you to creep up, down and around in 2whl drive without popping, bucking and damaging stuff.

this jibberish only applies to 4whl drive vehicles with a transfer case and auto hubs. Allwheel drive vehicles without a transfer case usually have a visous coupler that allows some slippage between front and rear axles and they do whatever they're going to do with input from the driver.

our house requires backing up hill with a bit of maneuvering and to be able to do this in a lower gear will make more better

hope this makes sense
 
It makes sense to me, too. I used to do that in my older rigs with manual hubs. Not so much for the added torque as to keep the front tires from ripping up the yard.

Only thing is, I don't think it will work on my newer Chevrolet 2500HD that doesn't use vacuum to lock the hubs. Chevys don't suck.
 
B~C":1fme4ltv said:
.......you didn't have to get out and engage the hubs or open gates
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Ken, I have owned 4 wheel drives since early 70's(including the 77 FJ45 I still own) so yes I miss the old manual hubs! Also worked on ranches in the west when young so know about opening and closing gates as well. Did a lot of off roading - fording, hill climbs, sand dunes, mud runs, bush trails,,, getting stuck 9862 times may have dampened my enthusiasm,,, never going to admit it might be age!

Funny story you might enjoy,,,, A few years after buying the FJ45 I decided to take the hubs apart clean everything and repack with grease. I had learned that leaving the hubs locked used a LOT more gas commuting to work even in 2 wheel drive. One very cold morning shortly after my spectacular hub service I locked the hubs to get out my steep driveway. Put it in 4 and just sat there spinning rear wheels. Sometimes you had to reverse a bit to get the hubs to align and slide - not this time. Turning the air blue didn't seem to work either so finally figured out the grease was too stiff in the cold and not allowing the hubs to engage(slide). Only heat source I had available was a Coleman lantern which I had to hold under each hub until the grease got warm enough for the hub to engage. At work I took them apart again, washed all the grease out and reinstalled with something lighter(gear oil, I think). Guess reading the manual might have saved me that bit of fun!

Speaking of manuals - they always warned you not to engage 4 low without having the hubs engaged(to distribute the extra torque between front and rear drives). High torque or erratic loads(such as popping the clutch) could damage the rear drive - u joints probably first. Most of my off roading I did in 4 low. Second and fourth gears were about the same final ratio as first and second in high but gave you a lot more torque. My straight six had a lot of torque to start with. Now I have a Dakota with auto tranny and all wheel drive. Shiftable transfer case but no 2wh. drive and no locking hubs.

Lots of memories,

Rob
 
Had a couple of FJs; 40s of course, and a 55 and a 60. Only 45 I saw was on a trip to California in 1974, never saw any in the east.

About locking hubs, the most basic example I ever saw was on a very old Willys jeep, pickup actually.

There were two pairs of plates/cups, one with splines inside the cup, the other just an open cavity in the cup.

Not too convenient to lock/unlock the hubs. You had to unbolt one cup, and bolt on the other cup, each side.
 
ggray":3cs1ssin said:
Only 45 I saw was on a trip to California in 1974,
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The 45 was a rare bird! Mine was the only one our local dealer ever sold. Not sure about the US but they only imported them to Canada in 77, 78 and 79. Pic of mine in my album circa 2001. I still have the original sales brochure with the price marked in it and the salesman's business card. Price was $6,950.00 CAN. The president of our 4x4 club had a 1965 with a 350 in it. Except for different marker lights and "no draft" windows it looked like the same truck as mine 12 years later.

My first 4x4 was a 1967 Willys, Kaiser, Jeepster, Comando - how's that for a long name?

Rob
 
I am waiting on the Dynatrac manual locking hub kit to ship out. Wanting to convert my 07 Dodge to manual locking hubs with serviceable bearings and ditch the factory unit bearing hubs. The drive axles, driveshaft and front differential are always rotating even in two wheel drive. Lots of resistance. Lots of wear going on for no reason. Your electric switch mod will be waaaaay cheaper than the hub kit. If your truck is a dually you must also buy wheel spacers as well for much more $$$. Still looking forward to the upgrade. Should get increased mpg, way easier steering effort, minimum wear on front drive line, and as you pointed out. Two wheel drive low. Even more valuable with a manual transmission for no clutch slip creeping in reverse manuvers.
 
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