Ok.. so this is pretty embarrassing. I've got myself a beautiful 86 22re 4runner, with 4x4 hi and lo, and front locking hubs...

So I didn't totally understand the function of the front locking hubs till i recently did some reading.. if i do NOT engage the hubs into the lock position.. and I engage the 4hi or 4lo.. then basically I'm moving my front shaft and CV axles.. but the wheels are NOT engaged to the axles? So in other words.. unless I have the locking hubs engaged to LOCK, then I am NOT driving in 4wheel drive? Is this true?

Not that I never had the hub lockers engaged, but I thought they engaged a front locking differential (i know.. i feel stupid) and not just engaged the wheels to the axles.. so I didn't always have them on when I had 4x4 on.. god I feel stupid...

Another question.. is engaging the 4x4 equivalent to locking the central differential? Or can the front and rear slip with respect to eachother?

I'm kinda new to all this, and totally loving the off roading.. don't be too hard on me

 

The front and rear Cannot slip with relation to each other.

When in 4WD, either hi or low, the front and rear drivelines are direct coupled to each other.

Both the front hubs must be locked in order to get any front wheel drive. (Unless you have some sort of differential locker installed)

 

I had the exact same thought when I got my first 4x4 about the hubs engaging a front differential locker. Don't feel bad. I didn't figure it out until I was greasing the front driveshaft or something one day and realized it was able to just freewheel with the hubs free and the transfer case in 2 high.

There is no center differential. Engaging 4 (high or low) at the transfer case locks the front and rear driveshafts together at 1:1. No differential or slip between them. When in 2 high the front driveshaft is totally disconnected from the transfer case. No drive.