Anyone ever convert their stock manual hubs to auto?

[Big Bore]

I have manual hubs and T case on my E99. In winter I tend to just leave the hubs locked and shift from 2H to 4H when needed since the road conditions and weather in CO mtns can go from sunny dry roads to a blizzard just by changing location a few miles. If I'm just driving around local its not a big deal but if Im going to Denver then thats a couple hour drive and mileage starts taking a hit. I kinda got spoiled by the Expedition and F150 that have auto everything and started thinking of what it would take to have auto hubs so I can keep my lazy butt in the warm truck and not have to pull over to unlock/lock. I know the Super Duty had an auto/manual hub option that apparently works well if maintained and can be locked manually for more serious off roading or vacuum failure, and I think everything else on the wheel is the same just minus the vacuum setup. It would be nice to have the hubs auto lock for onroad driving and I'm thinking that would just be a rocker switch instead of the factory dash dial since I'm keeping the manual T-case lever. It seems like adding the factory components shouldn't be too hard. I know there's a relay system with a timer of some sort but not sure if that's a stand alone or integrated into the harness and fuse/relay assembly and/or the PCM, and prob a pneumatic solenoid switch of some kind for the vacuum. I'm also wondering if it uses the existing vacuum pump. I'll be researching the parts and components more but thought I would throw this out there in case there's been other motivated lazy people like me who have done this.

 

[sootie]

most of the time the auto hubs don't work anyway...at least in any sort of harsh climate.

 

[Big Bore]

most of the time the auto hubs don't work anyway...at least in any sort of harsh climate.

That's not even remotely true considering most 4WD vehicles in the last 20 years have them, only one of the 6 4WD vehicles I've owned (3 Fords, 1 Toyota, 1 Nissan, 1 Jeep) with auto hubs has had an issue (the Jeep was 25 years old and a vacuum line broke), none of my friends with them have had an issue, I haven't met anyone who had an issue, so I don't think it's even a common problem. I think 9000ft in the CO Rockies qualifies as harsh. We spend half the year driving in conditions that may require using them daily and are in an area that has the most days below freezing annually in the lower 48 and will spend a few weeks below 0. I would say conservatively over 50% of the vehicles on the road here have auto hubs and I don't know of one made in the last 10 that doesn't have them.

 

[J98]

That's not even remotely true considering most 4WD vehicles in the last 20 years have them, only one of the 6 4WD vehicles I've owned (3 Fords, 1 Toyota, 1 Nissan, 1 Jeep) with auto hubs has had an issue (the Jeep was 25 years old and a vacuum line broke), none of my friends with them have had an issue, I haven't met anyone who had an issue, so I don't think it's even a common problem. I think 9000ft in the CO Rockies qualifies as harsh. We spend half the year driving in conditions that may require using them daily and are in an area that has the most days below freezing annually in the lower 48 and will spend a few weeks below 0. I would say conservatively over 50% of the vehicles on the road here have auto hubs and I don't know of one made in the last 10 that doesn't have them.

I think he's primarily referring to superdutys. On 3 out of 4 SD's I've driven over the years the auto 4x4 has not functioned.

 

[Big Bore]

I think he's primarily referring to superdutys. On 3 out of 4 SD's I've driven over the years the auto 4x4 has not functioned.

That would make more sense. I wonder what the main issue was with those and if it was something addressed by an updated part?

 

[dsberman94]

For the price of one of the auto hubs I’ll get in and out.

 

[sootie]

That's not even remotely true considering most 4WD vehicles in the last 20 years have them, only one of the 6 4WD vehicles I've owned (3 Fords, 1 Toyota, 1 Nissan, 1 Jeep) with auto hubs has had an issue (the Jeep was 25 years old and a vacuum line broke), none of my friends with them have had an issue, I haven't met anyone who had an issue, so I don't think it's even a common problem. I think 9000ft in the CO Rockies qualifies as harsh. We spend half the year driving in conditions that may require using them daily and are in an area that has the most days below freezing annually in the lower 48 and will spend a few weeks below 0. I would say conservatively over 50% of the vehicles on the road here have auto hubs and I don't know of one made in the last 10 that doesn't have them.

Not true eh? Carry on with your idea...sounds like you are sold on it. Don't come back on here and gripe when it was all a waste of time...

Oh and I have no experience with the other brands you mentioned or have uncles brothers cousin with AWD systems that work great for 20 yrs.

I just have the pleasure of working on super duties day in and out...in a harsher climate than where you're at. Sorry for sharing relevant info from first hand experience.

 

[Big Bore]

Not true eh? Carry on with your idea...sounds like you are sold on it. Don't come back on here and gripe when it was all a waste of time...

Oh and I have no experience with the other brands you mentioned or have uncles brothers cousin with AWD systems that work great for 20 yrs.

I just have the pleasure of working on super duties day in and out...in a harsher climate than where you're at. Sorry for sharing relevant info from first hand experience.

To be fair, you were pretty vague. Maybe I should have clarified. But you could have also. Or is this a "sootie said so" kind of thing? You didn't really share any relevant info.

 

[Iso-baric]

Failure modes in order of frequency with which I've encountered them:
-Vacuum line running from wheel well to knuckle. They are exposed to all sorts of environmental and road hazards. In this location it is also susceptible to mechanical failure from articulation of the front axle (in this respect I think Dodge's split D60 with a single vacuum line near the centerline of vehicle is superior).
-Vacuum solenoid.
-Hub o-rings failing due to age/heat/contaminants.
-Hub itself developing stiction due to lack of frequent use. A momentary pulse of vacuum is applied to engage/disengage the hubs, not continuous vacuum as most think. If this pulse can't overcome whatever resistance exists within the hub, they will stay in their current position.
-Low vacuum pressure. I believe it is 7.5psi to engage and 3.75psi to disengage. There isn't much on these trucks that uses vacuum, so make sure your pump is healthy.

 

[sootie]

To be fair, you were pretty vague. Maybe I should have clarified. But you could have also. Or is this a "sootie said so" kind of thing? You didn't really share any relevant info.

The relevance was; the auto hubs you specifically asked about, are horrifically unreliable. I'm out.

 

[dsberman94]

We got to manual hubs for a reason, even when the trucks came with autos. It isn’t for “in the heat of the moment” convenience either.

 

[79jasper]

The relevance was; the auto hubs you specifically asked about, are horrifically unreliable. I'm out.

One would assume this being a Ford forum, in a Ford section, asking about a Ford part, that we would be talking about relevant Ford parts. Not jeeps, yotas, etc....

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[tomlin]

The Super Duty vacuum hubs work until they don't. Notoriously unreliable. The Ford Ranger auto hubs sucked too. Mid 90's GM auto 4x4 sucked. Jeeps well, wife loves them, I on the other hand, would like to crush ours with the backhoe. Look up the fantastic NP 245 transfer case for details. Pure overcomplicated junk. Toyotas seem reliable until they rust in two. Nissan seem reliable but will rust in two a week before the Toyota.