Auto or manual locking hub ?

Nice response from everyone. I was kinda waiting for some horror stories , the rite grease does make a lot of sense . I will repack them for sure, mostly personal preference ..if either are working correctly. Only thing I’ve ever owned with manual locking hubs was a Toyota, enough said there. Now a Ford F-350, my work truck that has them. Wich is junk to me! death wobble problems with those when you hit bumps. Anyhow thanks for the input !!

Always had manual, Warn no problems at all. Weather sucks lock them in, nice weather unlock them. Usually you will forget to unlock them all that does is affect your gas mileage, because of the added drag on the front, but I'll bet its minimal. And I had no problems taking off the original 1973 models and upgrading them with a new set.

I find in winter slippery conditions, in 2wd I can still stop faster with the hubs locked. I don't know why... perhaps the added drag.
But the best braking is with 4x engaged. At least that's what I noticed and with all trucks I have drove in winter, including my '98 Tacoma.

I'll throw out my opinion, but I'll hit it from the prospective of a mechanic. Auto hubs wear out, generally the first clue someone has that there is a problem with automatic hubs is when one of them fails to engage and they get stuck. It is so rare to replace a manual hub because it won't engage, most of the time when we end up replacing a manual hub is because we get into it for one reason or another and there is something wrong and it is cheaper, or parts aren't available to fix it.

You want convenience? Your wife drives the truck? you have some physical limitation that makes it difficult to engage manual hubs?, then get the automatic hubs. You want dependable, reliable service year after year after year, then get the manual hubs.

The one and only down fall to the manual hubs is in certain situations like on the road if you have the hubs unlocked and can't get out to lock them like on a highway pass, or you think they are locked in and you forgot to lock them in that could be an issue, but purely from a mechanical stand point the manual hubs are much, much more reliable.

JeffK10America said:

Only thing I’ve ever owned with manual locking hubs was a Toyota, enough said there. Now a Ford F-350, my work truck that has them. Wich is junk to me!

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I hope that "enough said" was a compliment to Toyota 4x4s. I have owned more '80s Toyota trucks than Square bodies over the years, and in this current insane world we live in where prices have gone bonkers, I'd happily trade my 'Burb for a clean '84-'89 4x4 4Runner (or a '79-'88 standard cab pickup if it was really clean)... After a nuclear holocaust, the only things scampering around the streets besides cockroaches will be old Toyota trucks. Don't get me wrong I LOVE my old Chevy trucks, but if given the choice for only one, I would pick the more dependable of the two... Now mind you, 3 out of the 9 vehicles in my current fleet are GMs and zero of them are Toyotas, but seriously those old Yotas are a friggin force to be reconed with. Like for real, I know you don't know me, but a 1988 4x4 Toyota Pickup survived living with me for damn near 2 years when I was a teenager, that says a lot. I beat the fcuking PISS outta that poor poor vehicle and it just kept taking it until it finally just had nothing left. Ever seen the top gear episode? That was me just driving to high school and work, if not even harsher treatment lol. RIP

JeffK10America said:

Nice response from everyone. I was kinda waiting for some horror stories , the rite grease does make a lot of sense . I will repack them for sure, mostly personal preference ..if either are working correctly. Only thing I’ve ever owned with manual locking hubs was a Toyota, enough said there. Now a Ford F-350, my work truck that has them. Wich is junk to me! death wobble problems with those when you hit bumps. Anyhow thanks for the input !!

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A superdoodey from the 2000s? They had memory steer issues with at least 2wd maybe 4wd, they had ****** racks, their ford pumps are ****** if not saginaw(most of them use c3 pumps but you never know) , their brakes have a small tendancy to stick, usually one side to be worse, they also have tendancies to have ****** ball joints(goes with mem steer above), they also have either the lack of steering stabilizers usually. they also have ****** everything bolted together that the lack of steering stabilizers makes the road shocks leverage their nice big tires into eating the front end.

their manual hubs also have issues locking and unlocking. because the brakes that were cooking or ****** plastic internals were of course making a lovechild called your work truck

AuroraGirl said:

A superdoodey from the 2000s? They had memory steer issues with at least 2wd maybe 4wd, they had ****** racks, their ford pumps are ****** if not saginaw(most of them use c3 pumps but you never know) , their brakes have a small tendancy to stick, usually one side to be worse, they also have tendancies to have ****** ball joints(goes with mem steer above), they also have either the lack of steering stabilizers usually. they also have ****** everything bolted together that the lack of steering stabilizers makes the road shocks leverage their nice big tires into eating the front end.

their manual hubs also have issues locking and unlocking. because the brakes that were cooking or ****** plastic internals were of course making a lovechild called your work truck

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Only a small sample size, like a fleet of thousands of superdutys, I can't say I have had the same experience. Did have one with death wobble, fairly new too. Solid axles, it happens sometimes. No different than any other solid axle trucks.
Considering they're basically the venerable squarebody of the early 21st century (except for the maligned 6.0 and 6.4), I find this unabashed first hand analysis to be maybe just a wee bit prejudiced and not factual.
Now, the TTB axles in the OBS F250s were not durable, especially for snow plowing. Made a few bucks fixin them, more than they should have needed fixed.
And the vacuum operated auto hub locks weren't the best, but Ford still provides a manual override locking hub some 20 years later.
And I'm not a Ford guy...

Grit dog said:

Only a small sample size, like a fleet of thousands of superdutys, I can't say I have had the same experience. Did have one with death wobble, fairly new too. Solid axles, it happens sometimes. No different than any other solid axle trucks.
Considering they're basically the venerable squarebody of the early 21st century (except for the maligned 6.0 and 6.4), I find this unabashed first hand analysis to be maybe just a wee bit prejudiced and not factual.
Now, the TTB axles in the OBS F250s were not durable, especially for snow plowing. Made a few bucks fixin them, more than they should have needed fixed.
And the vacuum operated auto hub locks weren't the best, but Ford still provides a manual override locking hub some 20 years later.
And I'm not a Ford guy...

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Im saying it because my dad got his f350 and it was abused to piss by people who dont show any consideration for their bosses vehicle situation. So I should clarify, ive read TSBs about the problems described and they happened over the lifespan of those trucks, mostly in the f250-f350 sphere, but to be fair not all them were as wide spread as it would see mfrom what i said.Like , Vin breakpoints in a year or 2, etc.
Wait, the hubs are vacuum but have a physical override? Or you mean as a replacement or option?

Yes the super duty trucks are super crappy . The drivetrain is what your buying , my work truck is a 2019 with 24,000 ish miles 6.7 diesel wich is a good engine no doubt . The rest of the truck doesn’t impress me at all , crappy tailgate, crappy third doors shake when you open them . Almost like a fisher price toy. I’ve put power steering pumps on 2 f250 ‘s both 2019 models one 62,000 miles the other already has evap leaks . Common with new vehicles, for the money people spend on these trucks .. you should get more bang for the buck . I pull a 8500 pound stage 2 or 3 times some months . Not really feeling the strength from the rest of the truck , meaning.. stopping handling etc . Just not sold on a lighter frame body etc build . I grew up working on fords with my grandfather, he was a Ford man and Pontiac. That’s where I got my Pontiac fever . But to me all vehicles made back in the day were made very well! I like fords chevy’s dodge Pontiac etc . Not in that order . Toyota’s nah people can brag on them all they want , most unsafe vehicles on the road …in my opinion. My friends who drive them , well yes there still my friends lol . I’ve seen Toyota’s steering shaft to the rack , they break , they crack, they snap . Scary !!But that’s the words I hate hearing from friends and family..my truck , or my car , yes I know it’s a Toyota, you love it !! It’s falling apart around you.. but that motor is still running huh. I will stick with my square body.. no electric pumps no computer . None of that. Got enough vehicles that do have that stuff now. Old 71 Ford I had was my grandpa’s truck , it started every time.when everything else tore up, it still was running. Points distributor, you all know.! Brakes were unsafe as hell . But it ran. Drum brakes all the way .. couldn’t stop on a dime period, new drums, brake shoes everything, the only problem it had. Owned a 1989 k5 blazer , it was nice but getting to the fuel pump … wow …
I am more excited about my square 1985 K10 than my new truck , well more my Wife’s truck . She stays in it more than me , but I want her in something newer with a warranty . As she stays on the highway a lot. And yes it’s a Chevy .. if there good enough for the US government.. we’ll you see where I am going . HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all !!

Grit dog said:

Only a small sample size, like a fleet of thousands of superdutys, I can't say I have had the same experience. Did have one with death wobble, fairly new too. Solid axles, it happens sometimes. No different than any other solid axle trucks.
Considering they're basically the venerable squarebody of the early 21st century (except for the maligned 6.0 and 6.4), I find this unabashed first hand analysis to be maybe just a wee bit prejudiced and not factual.
Now, the TTB axles in the OBS F250s were not durable, especially for snow plowing. Made a few bucks fixin them, more than they should have needed fixed.
And the vacuum operated auto hub locks weren't the best, but Ford still provides a manual override locking hub some 20 years later.
And I'm not a Ford guy...

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The company I work for, at one time had had a total of 7 Super Duties. Six 12's and an '08, all were bought new except for the '08. Six of those trucks have had death wobble issues at some point, and a few of them were with not a bunch of miles on them. It seems to be a much bigger problem with the later coil spring rigs.

I am no mechanic by any stretch of the imagination. But I remember when I brought the truck home a mechanic friend of mine jacked the front end up and checked something. I can't remember now (its been 15 years) but he said there is more to it than just throwing in the manual locks. He said some people go from auto to manual and skip a step and it doesn't work right. If I remember right he was spinning the wheels with it jacked up but I am sure someone on here will know what he was checking.....

hoagster said:

Always had manual, Warn no problems at all. Weather sucks lock them in, nice weather unlock them. Usually you will forget to unlock them all that does is affect your gas mileage, because of the added drag on the front, but I'll bet its minimal. And I had no problems taking off the original 1973 models and upgrading them with a new set.

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You just reminded me.... Tight turns with locked hubs, truck no likey. Trying to get the wheels to turn at such different rates while they're attached to a differential makes for a lot of binding and hopping. So there's a minor downside to keeping hubs locked.

Blue Ox said:

You just reminded me.... Tight turns with locked hubs, truck no likey. Trying to get the wheels to turn at such different rates while they're attached to a differential makes for a lot of binding and hopping. So there's a minor downside to keeping hubs locked.

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Not with the t-case in 2wd and an open diff. I know that you are very knowledgeable, but how would binding be possible? That is not my experience at all with a part time case and an open diff. Binding only happens when shifted to 4 wheel drive.

bucket said:

The company I work for, at one time had had a total of 7 Super Duties. Six 12's and an '08, all were bought new except for the '08. Six of those trucks have had death wobble issues at some point, and a few of them were with not a bunch of miles on them. It seems to be a much bigger problem with the later coil spring rigs.

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oh yes I should say that too, I meant hte 97 to 200_ superdoodeys too ,no idea about newer stuff. The number 2 grosses me out as it is

midwest said:

I am no mechanic by any stretch of the imagination. But I remember when I brought the truck home a mechanic friend of mine jacked the front end up and checked something. I can't remember now (its been 15 years) but he said there is more to it than just throwing in the manual locks. He said some people go from auto to manual and skip a step and it doesn't work right. If I remember right he was spinning the wheels with it jacked up but I am sure someone on here will know what he was checking.....

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He was probably checking to see if the hubs were disengaging the axles, seeing if the spindle was spinning without the axles spinning. Just a way to check to see if the hubs are working properly.