Sometimes when I am driving slow up a steep hill I shift my truck into 4 low without locking the hubs for more control and for less wear on my clutch. It seems to be fine, but I am uncertain about how the locking hubs work and I am wondering if this could possibly be bad for my truck in any way.

 

I would have to say yes this is a bad thing to do if you have manual hubs. By shifting into 4hi or low and not locking the hubs, you are not enganing the front wheels and everything is spinning around without the proper loads. You really aren't gaining anything by doing that. The fronts wheels are not providing drive traction at all.

 

Nope. I disagree.
Marlin even makes a double stick so you can shift into Lo range without engaging 4WD. The gap between 1st & wnd on the 5 speed is pretty wide. So many times I'll shift to low range so I can use 2nd and 3rd which are more closely spaced. Also think about the speed in Low range...very slow. So stuff up front isn't spinning fast. You're ok bud.

 

it's not going to hurt anything. your front end will spin, yes, but it's not going anywhere. it's just kind of free wheeling..

i usually do it on the boat ramp due to my clutch master being a pain and not liking to engage smoothly

 

you guys must be psychic...i was wondering the same thing last night. good to know I can do that!

 

I use my auto in 4Lo without locking in alot of times - pulling the boat up, pulling anything slowly....It hasn't damaged anything yet- all it does is spin the front driveshaft without the CVs engaged huh?

 

spins everything but the wheels. the CVs will be turning, but won't do anything

 

I did this yesterday, about 5 miles of traffic jam. Popped it into 2low as we cruised between 2 and 10mph, then pulled over when traffic sped up, and put it back into 2hi.

 

What about double-clutching to get it from low to high? As long as it does not grind much then it would just be like driving a big rig, right?

 

as long as your not going much over 5mph, put the tranny in neutral and shift it out of 4low, it will grind some, after a while you will get the hang of it. off topic slightly, but the taco has a syncro from low to high so i can yard back on it at any speed

 

It is no more damaging than an ADD equiped truck. On an ADD truck everything spins all the time and doesn't seem to do any damge. Only difference is that the ADD trucks drive from the wheels in opposed to the t-case out.

 

Now this one is a no-no.
I grew up on a non-syncromesh 1931 Pontiac and we double-clutched it all the time. So unless you are verrrrrrrrrry good at matching rpms, you're gonna grind those teeth and maybe even chip them.

So when shift from 4Hi to 4LO, come to a complete stop.
When going from 4Lo to 4Hi, you can do it while moving at slow speeds.

 

mine will grind a bit either way unless i'm at a complete stop and have the clutch in(must be a little bit of viscous drag in the case/tranny). i find that slamming it in and out of 4hi/4lo tends to do the trick

 

That's because you have one of those "refuse to die" antique Toyotas!