one hub will not unlock

[BARanger]

will it hurt the axle if a drive it long distance with one of the hubs lock. they will =be no power it the front just in 2wd driving about 250 miles to my cabin and cant spend the money right now for new hubs.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It would probably be easier on the differential to drive it at high speed for a long distance with both hubs locked in. Check out the u-joints and make sure they are tight first and you should be good to go.

I run around with my hubs locked in most of the winter, knocking on wood I haven't had a major front driveline problem yet.

 

[84projectFORD]

if your really worried just pull teh front drive shaft so then you have noworries about the dshaft goin or it causin the tcase to break or something. i highly doubt any of that will ahppen if teh drive line is in good shape.

 

[kunar]

you dont need new hubs, just take it apart and clean it out, regrease it and everything will be fine.

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, chances are good the hub can be serviced and have it work properly again (worse gets to worse, you could leave some of the guts out, and just put the hub body back on to protect the wheelbearing)

 

[BARanger]

the plastic knob is broken and it will not hold it in the unlock position. i will need 4wd when i am at my cadin but i don't want to damage the axle on the way up there.

 

[MAKG]

No, it will be just fine if you run it with one hub open.

You will reduce wear on the differential (though NOT the U-joints) if you put it in 4WD (high) as well.

If you remove the front driveshaft, lock BOTH the hubs.

The idea is to keep the spider gears from blasting along at 30 MPH on the highway, continuously.

 

[Dishtowel]

Just like MAKG said.
front driveshaft out. lock both hubs. (crawl under and do a double check on your front end, makeing sure everything is ship-shape. perhaps double check diff oil while your there?)

 

[blackbronc]

It's no different than anything that has a center axle disconnect. MPG will decrease and wear will increase. I vote 2 hubs in. Better to spin the ring and pinion than just the spiders. Running hiway with 4 hi engaged even with one hub open will kill MPG.

 

[rickcdewitt]

DO NOT drive with one hub locked in.i bought a parts b2 once that some tard left one hub locked in on.i drove it about 60 miles home and the plastic part you turn to lock-unlock the hub was melted! it still worked afterward but it can't be good.plus the spider gear issue.

go to a junk yard and pick one up cheap.you are going to be spending a lot of money to drive over 200 miles to your cabin ,just go get a cheap hub for under 20$

 

[Evan]

DO NOT drive with one hub locked in.i bought a parts b2 once that some tard left one hub locked in on.i drove it about 60 miles home and the plastic part you turn to lock-unlock the hub was melted! it still worked afterward but it can't be good.plus the spider gear issue.

go to a junk yard and pick one up cheap.you are going to be spending a lot of money to drive over 200 miles to your cabin ,just go get a cheap hub for under 20$

What's wrong with having one hub locked in? It might make the steering pull a bit, but it shouldn't melt a hub...

Maybe there was something wrong, like a siezed spindle bearing.

 

[wizkid00104]

I have 3 extra hubs if you need them. They are $20 each plus shipping. I can also have these pics if they help.

When you take the hub off, clean the inside with WD40 and wipe the grease out and you will see a snap ring. Wedge it out with 2 flat blade screw drivers. After that, there is just a screw on the knob. The pictures show the parts in the order they go together.