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Please help me understand my locking front hubs ! :)


 
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Nejtun
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Joined: 10 Jul 2011
Posts: 43
Location: Hastings

PostPosted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 12:00    Post subject: Please help me understand my locking front hubs ! :) Reply with quote

Hi all,

the snow is about to arrive and i am a bit confused about my 4wd system, I am fine with the transfer box and how it works , it is the hubs i don't understand. At the moment they are in the free wheeling position so i have a couple of questions

1) do they need to be in the locked position for the power to actually turn the wheels when my gearbox is in 4wd mode?

2)if i have them in the locked position in 2wd mode , what happens, will something break?

3) if i suddenly find myself needing some extra grip have i got to get out of the car , twist these things to the locked position and then put it into 4wd ? ( seems like a pain to me )

any exact advice that you guys and girls can give will be much appreciated as i have to drive across Europe ( 1000 miles ! ) in January and i don't wish to find out the hard way that something is about to snap Smile

if there is no great downside to having them locked all the time i am just going to lock them in position and leave them there

Wink
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 12:00    Post subject: Google Ads keep this community free to join!


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denbo
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Joined: 16 Dec 2011
Posts: 104
Location: doncaster

PostPosted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 21:17    Post subject: Reply with quote

To get the front wheels to drive, you must lock the hubs once the transfer box has engaged. Yes you must keep getting out. NO, do drive with them locked. If you drive on dry tarmac with it in 4wd, it will twist up and leave you in a world of hurt. I personnally dont like to drive in the snow in 4wd, the front wheels pulling me all over the road. 2wd drive is safer, if a bit slower. I only use 4wd to get me out of trouble.....If you have good tyres, you will be fine.
Den.
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Nejtun
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Joined: 10 Jul 2011
Posts: 43
Location: Hastings

PostPosted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 13:01    Post subject: Reply with quote

cheers Denbo! you probably saved my a whole world of trouble when i am on the other side of the continent Smile
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phileas
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Joined: 04 Dec 2014
Posts: 2
Location: Brighton

PostPosted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 18:44    Post subject: Correction to advice given! Reply with quote

Hi all,

I just happened to come across this thread and realised that the advice given was partially incorrrect. Obviously it is rather late replying as this was an old thread, but it is best that the information is corrected!

1) Yes the hubs do have to be in the locked position to enable the engine to drive the front wheels when 4WD mode is selected.

2) No, NOTHING will break! All it means is that when driving in two wheel drive mode, you are using more fuel as the wheels are turning the front transmission including the front differential. In fact all Suzuki 4x4s that have free wheeling hubs should be driven for about 10 miles a month / 1,000 miles (which ever is first) with the hubs locked, in 2WD. This is to keep the axle and front transmission lubricated properly. I don't know about the latest owners' manuals, but this used to be mentioned in the older manuals. On the old SJ's, Samurais etc. the vehicles were sold new without free wheeling hubs, as the FW hubs were optional. Obviously without FW hubs fitted it is the equivalent of FW hubs being in the locked position as far as the transmission is concerned.

3) As you have manual hubs (as automatic hubs are different to operate and use in some respects) once you have locked the hubs, you can select 4WD at any time whilst driving in a straight line. It is recommended that you stop to select and de-select 4WD but as long as you are driving in a straight line, it is actually fine to select and deselect on the move. The but is that you should only use 4wd up to speeds of about 40mph and only on loose or slippery surfaces. This is because when cornering the front wheels and the rear wheels rotate at different speeds and this causes the transmission to "wind up". This results in excessive wear on the transmissions joints, excessive tyre wear and could cause something in the drive train to fail.

When driving in 4wd the vehicle will understeer more than usual. In many conditions is it best to have the hubs locked so that you can select 4wd at a moments notice, but drive in 2wd. If you find that you have lost too much traction in 2wd and are getting / have become stuck, then 4wd will probably be able to keep you going / get you unstuck. If you have been driving in 4WD and get stuck, then you have no easy way of geting unstuck!

Hope this all helps!
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Invicta4U
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Joined: 13 Sep 2015
Posts: 9
Location: Bedfordshire

PostPosted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 12:31    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the replies on this.

The manually locking hubs on my 2000 4U are very stiff to turn/engage. This I assume is the result of them not being used on a monthly basis.

So I'll be using them even in 2WD each month just to make sure everything is lubricated properly.
Bern
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crusherboy
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Joined: 06 Mar 2017
Posts: 2
Location: San Diego

PostPosted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 17:36    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good idea.
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