1994 Ford Explorer Auto lockk front hubs

PAPAJ

MEMBER
1994 FORD EXPLORER
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
73,000 MILES

I read one of the Q&A's that said the auto lock front hubs of the Ford/Dana 35 COULD NOT be replaced with the manual hubs. I worked at Ford in Powertrain Development on the Ranger/Explorer platform for a number of years and we regularly swapped the hub sets as needed to match the transfer case - manual or electric. As long as ALL the parts are moved there were no problems. We had occassion to match a manual transfer case with auto lock hubs and as long as you stopped when shifting the floor lever into 4x4 it would engage. Ford actually packaged this on the F-series platform with a sunvisor sticker about stopping to engage. My question is can you package manual lock hubs with the electric transfer case without ending up with "little pieces"?

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 AT 5:39 AM

3 Replies

PAPAJ

MEMBER
3 POSTS

I'm unfamiliar with this forum so forgive me if I'm doing this wrong. I posted the question because I own a 94 Explorer and have trouble with the autolock hubs. I don't like them and have considered changing them to a manual set that I have. The question I refered to said this COULD NOT be done and I'm wondering why as we did it. That is there were no issues with changing them as far as the axle was concerned. I do not know if there would be issues with engagement (especially while moving)when packaged with an electric transfer case. This is my question. Will manual hubs work with an electric transfer case without breaking anything in the driveline?

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Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 AT 3:10 PM

PAPAJ

MEMBER
3 POSTS

I would want to change them because the autolock hubs are junk/hi warranty/very likely to fail and because I have a set of manual hubs. Running with manual hubs locked in 2wd isn't great but it is how it was before autolock and 4wheelers survived.

The two systems work opposite: The manual hubs actually cause the manual case to engage once the lever is shifted to 4wd. The electric case has a clutch that pulses to spin up the output shaft, front drivetrain, and half-shafts and this causes the hubs to lock.

So back to original question. If manual hubs are locked and I engage the Electric Transfer case, will there be damage to any part of the drivetrain?

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Thursday, January 17th, 2008 AT 6:25 PM

EXPLORERMAN548

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Do not listen to the man above me, I have a 94 lifted explorer with 6 inches of lift, after my hubs broke the first time which are complete garbage from ford.I went on the forum and everyone said to switch to manual hubs. So I went to napa and bought them, which they have instock with the conversion kit. I swapped them on which took 15 min. They work great, to engage them you put the car in park or neutral get out of the car turn them to lock, and then put the car in 4x4 mode, then put the car in the gear setting you wish.I do have a electric transfer case and I have no problems the best invest ment ive made on my truck. When you go into napa tell them you are looking for a set of warn manual locking hubs for a explorer if you have a 91-94 you have the dana 35 axle in the front, and make sure you tell them that. Also ask for the conversion kit. Out the door your looking at 220

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Friday, March 28th, 2008 AT 8:39 PM