Hubs locking on their own

[vbrad511]

I've got a 97 4wd, 5-speed, with auto hubs. I was having issues a few days ago so I pulled my front hubs and replaced them with a set I got from a member here. Seemed like even the replacement hubs were being weird, so this afternoon I took my originals and cleaned them out (multiple times). I used mineral spirits until the rinse was coming out pretty clean. I also worked the mechanisms with a pair of screwdrivers in efforts to get the splines de-mucked. I finished with ATF, cleaned the cam asseblies up, and reinstalled them. Let the truck down, fire up, get almost out of the drive and both hubs engage, while still in 2wd. I've pulled the shift motor off the transfer and ensured it's functioning correctly in all 3 settings, finally just unplugged the thing completely. Same thing. I put the truck on stands fire up in 2wd, the back wheels will turn all day long and the fronts never move. Kick in 4, they engage. Kick out 4, I've gotta get out and spin the backwards to release them, but they come out immediately.
What else do I look at here? Do I pull the front shaft? Is the transfer shot? Is something buggered with the hubs?
Ideas???

 

[legoms013]

This is how it works.

Hubs are unlocked until you switch/shift into 4 wheel. 4 wheel causes the front driveshaft, front diff, and front axle shafts to now turn, causing the the hubs to "lock in". Forward motion causes this (assuming you switch into 4-wheel then drive forward...the opposite is also true: switch t0 4-wheel then drive backwards and the hubs "lock in" that way).

Driving the opposite direction of the initial motion that caused the hubs to engage is what "disengages" them.

For example, to get them to unlock after engaging them with forward driving, one has to back up AFTER switching/shifting into 2wd about 10 feet. This is the case 9 times out of 10. But keep in mind the vice versa of this situation is also true.

The hubs are engaged by the axle shafts turning in a certain direct, not by anything in the transfer case. All the transfer case does is engage the front drive train, it is independent from the hubs.

However, if you determine after all this that the hubs are still not ever disengaging, (which is likely, as the auto hubs for Rangers suck, and are extremely finicky and frustrating) then get rid of them all together and swap to the Jeep HD D35 manual hubs. If they are engaging and disengaging while in 2wd, then they are probably bad or shot. Throw them away in that case and order the above recommended hubs.

Chances are the hubs are bad, but remember the trasfercase doesn't control hub function, directional rotation does.

 

[vbrad511]

Thanks for the breakdown. I know probably the most popular thing to do with it is move to Warns, but I like the idea of not having to get out to have the 4wd engage...and I'm out of work right now too, so cash is in short supply. I do have a friend with a salvage yard and late-90's Explorer with the 4wd system intact. How tough would it be to convert my 97 Ranger setup to the later model stuff, and keep an auto-lock setup?

 

[dugga4life]

real simple auto hubs suck,,,undependable, not as strong and made for the lazy butt who dosent want to get out and lock em manualy,,,i right away took mine out and put some manual warn hubs in no problems yet.

 

[vbrad511]

You can consider me the lazy butt. I don't go mudding with my truck. It's my work truck, I can't afford to have it out of service. I like the 4wd when it snows, and occasionally if I get on a site where nothings poured and i end up in the mud. If I ever get serious about tearing through the wilderness I'll know what to buy, but for now, the convienience is more attractive.
Now that I've cleared that up, do you have anything productive to add to the thread?

 

[strvger]

the real point is that the auto hubs are not particularly reliable and are prone to failure. for what you need your truck for, i would do the manual hub swap just for the dependability factor. when you need them, you want them to work.
my truck is for the highway, pulling my camper. i have manual hubs because i don't care to risk driveability on snow, ice, or muddy secondary roads. i don't care to have to limp into a shop with a busted/failed auto hub especially in nasty weather.
for me, reliability trumps convenience.

 

[exbass94]

Thanks for the breakdown. I know probably the most popular thing to do with it is move to Warns, but I like the idea of not having to get out to have the 4wd engage...and I'm out of work right now too, so cash is in short supply. I do have a friend with a salvage yard and late-90's Explorer with the 4wd system intact. How tough would it be to convert my 97 Ranger setup to the later model stuff, and keep an auto-lock setup?

Late 90s Explorers have entirely different suspension systems than a 97 Ranger. None of the parts are interchangable. Plus, those hubs are unlockable. In other words, they're permanently locked in, even in 2wd. You can convert to manual hubs and simply leave them locked in all the time and it'd be the EXACT same thing.