yeah, I hate that part. Especially when you bury it in snow, and have to start rocking it. It will make a huge bang if you get wheelspin in the opposite direction from the locking...

That, and being able to cheat and use 4lo for maneuvering on pavement... with a #3500 lb trailer behind... yeah, I know, but my warranty ran out 15 years ago!

Toby

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My 88 raider is my first 4 wd vehicle.
Prior to this I have owned AWD Subarus.
So, I have a question. Why can I not just lock my manual front hubs for the winter? If I'm in 2 wd what is the difference between front manual hubs locked or unlocked?
I'm in Charlotte, NC and rarely see much snow anyway, just trying to understand 4 wd system. I sure wish the Raider was AWD!
Tony P
Charlotte, NC

With locked manual hubs, even in 2WD, the front axles and drive shaft are turning. Your gas mileage will suffer. The best bet for manual hubs is to leave them unlocked until needed.

Yes - and the needle bearings in the hubs probably won't like highway speeds for very long, either.

Frank

CV Joints too - Manual Hubs are the best for off roading though - if thats what your going to do.

You only really need unlock one of them (Diff not taken into mind with this quote!)....

OK, thanks for the help, but I'm still trying to understand!
Remember, I come from an All Wheel Drive background!

If I put my shifter ( on my 88 Raider 2.6 LSD rear axle ) in 4WD lo, and do NOT get out and lock the manual front hubs,
is my front axle enguaged at all? If so, just one wheel
I assume?!
And I assume the front axle is not LSD ?

I hope my questions are not wearing out my welcome!

Tony P
Charlotte, NC

It won't hurt your front end to leave the hubs locked. That is exactly what Jeep does with their Cherokees, wranglers and Grand Cherokee's. those vehicles are made from the factory with locked hubs. Your gas milage will suffer and you will be down on power due to turning the front but it won't hurt it.

When you shift to 4hi or 4lo, the transfer case begins to turn the front drive shaft. The front drive shaft is connected to the front differential. The stock front differential is an open design (no LSD). The front differential in turn (no pun intended) drives both front axles. The manual front hubs lock and unlock the front axle to each front wheel.

So, to answer your questions:

When in 4wd, with the hubs unlocked, is my front axle engaged at all? Yes.

If so, just one wheel? No, both wheels

I assume the front axle is not LSD. Actually the front differential is not LSD. But you have the general idea.

I hope my questions are not wearing out my welcome! That's how we learn things, by asking questions.

With your hubs unlocked and your transfer case engaged you are not in 4 wheel drive. All you are doing is turning the front driveshaft which is not turning your axles because they are not engaged. Even if you have one hub locked your still not in 4 wheel drive because you will only be turning that one axle and since these do not have lockers or LSD's all the power will be transfered to the unlocked side.