Newbie question about four wheel drive

[Notplayn]

I am looking at buying an 08 F350 4X4 drw. When I was looking at the truck I noticed manual locking hubs. My question is do you have to get out and lock the hubs for four wheel drive? It has the switch on the dash for moving from 2to 4 wheel.

Thanks

 

[hheynow]

Yes with manual hubs you have to physically get out of your truck and flip both hubs but the up side is manual hubs are more durable than those with a switch to shift the hubs into 4WD on the fly. The interior switch you have engages the transfer case but not the hubs. IMO manual hubs are better.

 

[2ndPowerstroke]

Are they really manual hubs? OR do they have an auto or lock position on the hub? If it has Shift on the Fly--then the switch which is about a 1 1/2" circlular switch on the dash says 2wd/4wd and 4wd-low. If this is the case then the hubs auto loc when the switch is turned -the lock position is an over-ride in case of switch failure. I beleive there are some trucks that do have true manual hubs which in that case refer to the previous post. I also think those trucks with true manual hubs also have the floor shift lever (not positive--but I think that`s what they have)

 

[sagebel]

Take a close look at the hubs. With ESOF the hubs should have "Auto" and "Lock". When in "Auto" the hubs will lock using vacume (will not be immediate). When in "Lock" the hubs will be mechanically locked.

 

[AK Rover]

Most newer super duties are using the auto/manual style hub. I much prefer that to a strictly auto hub. In Alaska I lock the hubs at the beginning of winter and unlock them in the spring. The vacuum operation is too slow when driving on icy roads for 6 months and going in and out of 4x4.

 

[DaveBen]

I do the same thing around here for the rainy season. I will run locked for months at a time. I unlock them when I go on a road trip.

Dave

 

[AK Rover]

Most will claim that running with the hubs locked hurts fuel mileage but the amount of time my truck idles during the winter hurts mileage a lot more than the little bit of extra drag added by having the hubs locked.

 

[Notplayn]

Thanks for the info guys. I will be picking mine up Thursday afternoon.