Manual Hubs to lock or not to lock while in 2wd 

This five year old video still helping clueless guys like me, thanks Ronny!

Thank you random Australian man I've never seen before, you've cleared up something I've been worried about for a while, it's good to know that I've not been damaging my front hubs on my old f250 by leaving them locked all winter

Great quick vid, Ronny, and excellent comments, everyone! I just got my first locking hub rig and felt pretty clueless about how to use/maintain them right. Thanks again.

6yeats after and still helping us awesome video thanks so much

Long term over a period of weeks, or a long trip, if you make a habit of leaving the hubs locked, on IFS #1, you spin the CV axles, they themselves can wear (the joints, even boots wear more than sitting still as they do with the hubs unlocked) #2, there are usually bearings supporting the axle's outer tip. They are located in the spindle. In most cases those were durability tested to be used a small fraction of the total km's/miles the vehicle will sustain. You will put them at risk of wear out, and that is not a small service repair! If the wheel is doused in mud, or your vehicle is toward the end of it's service life, you pretty much guarantee you are going to wallow out your hubs. So I would say, the video gives bad advice if applied over all, to many vehicles- virtually all IFS, and a few solid axles. That said in my area- Canadian winter with snow- where you use 4x4 to exit a rural area, an urban residential alley or unplowed residential street... then go out on a plowed/salted/sundried freeway/highway, then at the end of your trip, back to needing 4x4... well the convenience of leaving them locked *is* overwhelming.

Your a champ new to 4x4s in general your videos are helping me get prepared

I saw this video like 4 years ago, here I am watching it again cause I have a 99' toyota tacoma 4x4 with hub locks in the front:)

Great tips. Previously I owned a Defender, which was full time 4x4, so no getting out of vehicle to lock hubs was required. I've recently acquired a Troopy and wondered about having the hubs locked in while getting about in 2x4. And thanks to you I now understand. Cheers mate.

Thank you for this video. I have just installed the manual hub on my jimny and this answered my question

While I was growing up, we always left the hubs locked in on the 1973 Chevrolet 1/2 ton that my parents purchased new and owned for over 40 years. Didn't seem to hurt anything.

Awesome video strait to the point love your work

On a part time 4WD, having the hubs locked in at highway speeds will contribute to higher fuel consumption and potentially some additional vibration and noise from the all hardware up-front being motored along, so I tend to avoid this. I actually tend to keep the hubs UNLOCKED if I envisage that I will be travelling at speeds over 60kmh in my GQ Patrol (in 2H), but I do tend to lock the hubs a few minutes before I know I will need 4WD as it's good to get the front end spinning and lubricated before actually engaging 4WD and putting the load on.

Thanks Ronny that clears it up for because it’s now almost 2022 and I’m looking at a Toyota for a summer build project and wondered if I was in crocodile country 👀 if I could keep safe and have the hubs already engaged 👍🏻

Your videos have come a long way

8yrs later and I found this, thanks Rohn

Cool truck, thank for the tip, I didn’t know dat.

thanks for the vid! not sure if this is your wheelhouse or not, but would be great to do one on part-time 4wd, full 4wd, full time awd, and on-demand awd. difference and pros/cons of each in relation to on and off-road handling, performance, etc in various conditions (snow, rain, ice, mud, sand, dry, etc)

We had a 74 IH 1210 4x4. I realized dad was NOT locking the hubs but deliberately engaging the 4x4 level when he was on our muddy, steep, graveled hill. I saw this once when in 2wd and rear wheels slipped. Dad engaged the 4x4 and we went up the hill just fine. He also did this on wintry roads and it worked fine. I suspect the tolerances at the hubs was tight and had thick grease allowing the front wheels to "engage" a little. If the conditions were bad we locked the hubs. Friends tried this on their trucks and never worked. But, if you didn't engage once in a while mechanical wear occured from lack of lube from the hub not turning. Lol cheap viscous coupling! Lol!

Thanks for the advice big help

So. you can drive your 4x4 in lock position is that right. And doesn't matter how fast? Thanks

So informative for me I have a old school pajero

My partner bought me a pajero from a friend going back overseas and it is making a scraping noise and was told it was the speed cable but i found that I have 1 hub locked in but the other is in free position is it suppose to be like that. Cheers Leonie

excellent. good information

our local CFA have slip on trucks (v8 cruisers) they insist we leave the hubs locked, im sure the Vic parks officers do aswell. and haven't heard of any problems.

I drive all winter with the hubs on all of my 4x4s locked and then slip it in and out of 4x4 as needed.

What about upgrades to locking hubs. On my old Ford Ranger I installed Warn hubs to repair the broken factory ford hubs. Also my IH Scout II had warn also very trouble free.

Hey great info btw even at 2023 for clueless person like me…😂 I just have one question, what if the front hub unlocked but I put Low gear into L4… will it cause any damage? I owned a Land Cruiser II 1995 LC79.

Can confirm, done the science on it. You can drive with hubs locked, no problem. The wheels still turn at different speeds. Just never shift into 4WD unless you're on slippery ground, or you'll be screwed.

Thx Ronny for the info

It is a good idea to lock the hubs when doing a lot of km's on bad corrugations, otherwise the differential carrier bearings can be damaged, because the carrier is not rotating, causing flat spots on the one or two rollers in the bearings that take all of the pounding.

just here to remind everyone how fkn SICK this truck looks.

Yep I just did San Diego to Los Angeles USA in my 86 pickup hubs locked cos I forgot to unlock them !

Hey so i was just wondering, i was backing up with my hubs locked and 4h ingaged to get out of my muddy driveway then i got my rear tires on the road i got out and set my hubs free, i backed up about 5more feet and then drove forwards about 1/4 mile then i noticed my 4h light was on onthe dashboard, i immediatly pulled over and shifted back into 2h.. I drive a 1992 f150 5.0 and im just wondering if anyone has any info on my situation. The truck still drives but my transfer case does sound a little rough

Really it's all what you're driving, my 1990 toyota pickup has the stock ifs front suspension set up but I have a 4 inch lift, I personally dont like the angle my CV axles are at so I dont think it would be wise to drive with my hubs locked In, being worried about my axle shafts binding up at high speed. If the truck was stock and the correct angle on the CV axles it wouldn't be a problem.

Hi all. I have a 80 series with manual locking hub on the front.. Does it mean if I lock the hub, I have engaged diff lock on the front axle?

after locking the hubs, is it normal to have noises when the front wheels are spinning?

How does having the hubs locked affect steering? Still the same as diff is still open? Thanks Mic

All based upon time of year and location. Fifteen years in Montana and I'd engage my hubs in early November and disengage them sometime after March. Fuel mileage sucks on winterized diesel so fuel economy wasn't an issue. Now that I am in central Texas, I engage them once in awhile and run them for about a week or so just to make sure they engage and disengage. No real need for 4WD here.

I leave my hubs locked all the time in my 79 series twin cab and have driven thousands of K's like that with no adverse affects, that way when I hit the diet can shift into 4wd without having to stop, get out, lock the hubs etc. did a mileage test for a thousand K's and could not determine any real fuel savings in free wheeling or locked anyway. also own a TJ Jeep Wrangler and that doesnt even have free wheeling hubs, the front diff and propeller shaft spins around all the time even when in 2wd and after 200K the front diff and associated gear is ok

Sorry, silly question time. I have a 1997 Terrano II 2.7 TDI Diesel with a manual gearbox. I've owned it for about six years now, I don't have a workshop/owners manual for car and have never used it for 4wd. The guy I bought the car from didn't know how to lock/unlock either. It has a hub lock, do I need the car idling to lock hub for Low/High Range selection or can I lock/unlock hub whilst car is turned off. I've been chasing my tail googling for an answer and I'm just not getting anywhere. Thanking you in advance P.T.

As a towtruck driver, i was wondering if it is possible to unlock the hubs, and then tow a 4WD with the rear end lifted? If the hubs are unlocked, they are not connected to the transmission, but is it safe to do it this way?

Ronny the bloody legend

I keep my manual hubs locked full time on my Suzuki jimny as said as long as it's not in 4 wheel drive on the transfer box it won't do any damage as it's all ment to spin anyway

Thanks Bud

what if my hub lock is integrated in to my front transfer case

Mine have been locked for years.

Hi Ronny, Do you know if Aisin still make genuine, brand new free wheeling hubs? Thanks.

quick question. is it ok if i put on 4L to climb on normal road, but i don't lock the front hubs? sometimes the lux just dont have enough power to climb on 2H

Thanks👍🏻👍🏻

is it true that u can damage something if u turn the wheel (left or right) while the hub is locked ? thanks :)

can i break hubs if the hubs are locked and i engaged 4hi,or 4loe and can i turn pleaseeeee answer

Dec 2021 and THANK YOI

So what does locking the hubs actually do - as opposed to locking the diff? I have tried to do some research for myself but I can never get a straight answer. I 'think' that it may be this: If you lock the front diff, then both halves of the front axle will turn evenly as they are both being driven and having torque applied. But if the hub is not locked then the torque is not being applied to the wheels - just to the axle(s). But when you lock the hub then the wheel is 'attached' to the torque'd axle. Is that correct? Thanks

Does that change if it’s got an auto lokka in it?

What about CornHub?

to take off the front wheel do you have to remove the hubs?

if you have some vibration while hubs in lock while in two wheel drive you have a problem, there should be nil vibration, I have had cruisers for a long time and always drive in two wheel drive with the hubs in lock

Mate I've got a 99 Hilux 5L LN167 with front manual hub locks. I was told to only absolutely LOCK the hubs when 4WDin/Low Range because if I had the hubs locked in 2WD in pavement it would hurt my diffs, is it true? Also to always LOCK the hubs when in 4WD and in Low Range and to never use these two with the hubs unlocked or in pavement (of course). Is it true? I got the Hilux fairly recently and had to get both diffs and clutch done after two weeks of having it $$$$$ so I really wanna make sure I'm doing everything right. Thanks in advance

Keep 'em unlocked so you can use low range 2WD for maneuvering a heavy trailer.

any difference for ifs for this?

Wow that settles it then

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

You wear out your CV'S in your swivel hubs alot faster with your hubs locked. To check if your cv's are worn, lock hubs, engage 4WD low range and drive around with steering wheel lock to lock if you hear clicking noises from the front end of your vehicle your cv's are showing signs of wear and should be replaced. If you drive around day to day with your hubs locked when 4WD is not needed you can cause premature wear on your cv's, witch could eventually cause if the cv fails steering to lockup and the wheel to lockup. Not what you need when you have to rely on your 4WD system working to get you out of a hole.

Mine 1993 for. Will not run locked holy shit as soon u get in 30km. It shacks really bad but a nother shrimp on the BBQ

It’s funny to see how he’s pointing in mid air at nothing where links should show up 😜

is this work as diff-lock

then why have locking hubs at all ?

Why are Aussie Toyotas 5 lug not 6?

if the front hubs are locked, the diff is getting wound up, four wheel drive or not.

Still don’t understand the purpose of them… 🤦‍♂️

Auto hubs. Another invention for lazy people.

total hogwash, leaving them locked is a very bad idea, i'm sure you aren't a mechanic

If you're learning about hubs and diffs from youtube, you shouldn't be driving that vehicle.

Our fathers never fully explained this smh

Is it possible to drive with only 3 wheels?