Badfish740

In a 'Yota pickup with manual hubs and a manual transmission one could theoretically put it in 4WD low, unlock the hubs, and run through the gears normally? According to the gear calculator a truck with stock gearing and 32" tires in 5th gear could hit 48 MPH @ 4000 RPM, which is screaming of course, but attainable. The only potential issue I can think of is the low range gearing not being designed to turn so fast and getting overheated?

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Why?

:wabbit2:

snobdds

I use it all the time if I am starting off on a steep hill. I sometimes use it to get my chipper around the mountain property...just put it in 2 low and creep around. Saves me from having to overuse my clutch. So yes, there is a use for it. Just be smart when you use it and know it's not for everyday type situtations.

Badfish740

Curiosity.

Greg_Canada

When i was young and dumb (17) i used to do just that and lay rubber in every gear, LOL... didn't hurt anything, but looking back i wont do that again.... not that it cant handle it... just that it would not be happy with a built s/c'd 3.4 vs the old 3.slow LOL...

BMcEL

I do it all the time...definitely not going to hurt anything if you have manual hubs and they're unlocked.

BMcEL

Pulled a 1 ton Ford out of a 7-8' deep ditch...piece of cake with my back tires on pavement and 2L.

Pulled a minivan up a steep 15-20' hill after they drove off the highway...again, piece of cake with virtually unlimited traction and 2L.

Pulled a few stumps.

Pulled...

SoCal4Running

I also do it all the time.

From backing into my drive way which is up hill and not wanting to burn the clutch or destroy my garage door from going to fast to crawling in our lovely southern California traffic at a half mile per hour.

Unlocked Low Range 4x4 has many uses.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Is this because in all these times everyone is to lazy to get out and lock the hubs in.

It makes no sense to me and if i need to use low range i most likely need the front axle pulling as well.

So I also have to ask WHY ??

BMcEL

The original question was regarding 2L on the 'road', likely meaning pavement. The examples I listed above were all on pavement. If you're driving in a perfectly straight line, then 4L is ok on the pavement. Say, if you had a really stubborn stump and are burning the rears, then you could use 4L driving straight ahead (I've also done this).

I've also used 2L on trails where I want to quietly crawl at idle, but have absolutely no need for 4WD.

The question was 'can you', and the answer is 'yes'.

snobdds

Again...It's very useful,actually. Why put undo stress on the front end when not needed? So why not...?

Utah4Runner86

iTrader: (1)

To control speed on those windy steep paved descents without overheating your brakes. I've done it several times.

83pingpong

I owned a '90, and a '94 22RE, both with manual hubs before buying my 83. I have always used 4L without hubs locked when I have lots of traction and need to creep. Usually it is a trailer, but sometimes when I have a load in the bucket, and need to negotiate near a house or something. And like others above, "pulling stuff out" is another perfect time to do this. You do get enormous torque!

One situation when you NEED to leave them unlocked is when you are on dry pavement and you are doing lots of turning, even if it is in 2WD. A straight pull on pavement while locked is OK briefly, but you will notice the front end jumping (tire slipping) if you turn on pavement with front axle locked. This is not good for the diff gearing. Imagine how much force is at play, making tires slip on dry pavement. It is not easy to do that! That is STRESSING the antilock gearing on there shafts- badly! The same problem happens if you have tires of different diameter and run locked for extended time (even on dirt)

But unlocked? No problem at all.

Bingle

I've used it myself with no problems so far.

Question: If this does no damage, why do places like marlin sell twin sticks for our t-cases? Just so you can use 2L with the hubs locked so you can grab 4L without getting out to lock the hubs?
Figure there had to be more reason than that, but lazyness is the mother of invention.

I do want one of those twin sticks for just that lazy reason btw. Love using 2L on trails and only stressing the birfs when I need to.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

To each there own I was always taught to never engage the front axle with out the hubs in . a very hard and fast rule I never forgot

I guess things might have changed since 1963 when I first started using 4x4 trucks for working in the fields and woods sure beat horses.

As the hubs are always locked on my vehicles it is no big deal I was just curious

First gear 2wd has always been slow enough when pulling another 5,000 pounds or so but there are no mountains around here.

nothingbetter

now for my question wyoming, why are your hubs always locked? are they manual hubs? It will cause just as much wear on the front end with the hubs locked and transfercase not engaged as it will with just the transfer case engaged and the hubs unlocked (which you said is what you were told to not do) Your axles, diff, pinion, spiders and driveshaft will be spinning with the either the hubs OR the transfer case locked.

83pingpong

Running with front hubs locked constantly (any transfer case position) wastes fuel (no reason to push the front diff gears if not needed), wears out front diff and certain seals (spinning needlessly), and potentially damages limited slip systems (if on pavement, in particular), unless you drive straight (left and right front wheels spinning identical rpm). Turn left or right, and wheels spin at different rates...it stresses/wears out limited slip system, period, as long as hubs are locked.

As far as running with transfer case engaged but hubs not locked goes, free-wheeling front wheels simply spin freely if not locked, with no stress on front drive train (no stress, no damage). But it wastes fuel (no need to push front drive system if not needed). In this case, you are pushing it with the engine through the transfer case. The reason for transfer case and locking hubs is so that you can "not" turn the front diff if you do not need it. That's why you unlock the hubs, and disengage from drive shaft via transfer case position ("neutral").

These are just facts that apply not only to ancient 4WD systems, but all hub locking FWD systems, up to present.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

that is why they make double and triple sticks...

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

My stuff only sees a hard surface when backed in the garage.

The other times they are in dirt mud or snow depending on the time of year.

After the first beating for not engaging the hubs thinking back if I remember the reason being was that it was possible for the spinning axle to engage the hub that was not locked causing all kinds of damage .

Being only 12 I took this on merit as the truth and never really thought much about it. It seemed one heard of this from time to time . As I did not want to work all summer to buy my employers new front end parts.

83pingpong

There is no accounting for bad advice, and certainly, if it comes from the boss, you just comply !!!
I certainly understand that reality!! But there is no reason to make the hubs spin the differential and drive shaft with the wheels (hubs locked), OR with the transfer case (with the engine, hubs not locked), unless both are locked, engaged. It really does wear out seals and bearing journals (high range, at speed), waste fuel, and in the long run, does damage. For slow stuff, when you need to creep, 4L and no locks is useful, and can't possibly do damage (just normal wear).

If the hubs grind when in free position in 2H on the road (at least for Aisin stock manual hubs), it typically just means you need to clean and lube them. Leaving them engaged doesn't solve this, regular service does. The spring is supposed to hold them away, but I had to service the left hub on my '83 for just that reason! The sliding splined cuff is pushed and pulled into/out of engagement by a sprink so it can align and snap in/out, and is not a hard connection, so if the grease is dirty or dried up like grape jelly (!), they can fail to really get out of the way in the free position...It is a nasty sound grrr,rrr,rrr! But when they slide smoothly, there should be no problem leaving them unlocked when running 2WD, and no reason not to!