I have 2004 STX 4x4 Super Cab. I have to manually shift my truck into and out of 4 wheel drive. I don't have to get out to lock my hubs. My question is.... Do I have to put my truck in reverse and drive about 10 feet to unlock my hubs? Or can I just manually shift out of 4 wheel drive and that's it? Just drive away. I read the owner's manual but the info is vague and obscure and says nothing about driving backwards to unlock the hubs. I called two dealerships and I got two answers. One guy said is it in the book? I said no, he said then you don't have to. Then he said , just drive backwards for about 10 feet anyway just to be safe. Does anyone know? The Ford salesman and the the guy in service didn't know.

 

If you have "pushbutton" or a 4x4 **** on the dash to engage the system you do not have to do anything to unlock the hubs. When you disengage the system with the switch you are done. This is assuming that a 2004 has not reverted back to an older method of 4x4. Mine is a 2001 and the above procedure applies to it.

 

You don' have any hubs to unlock. The front axle shafts of your truck are turning whenever your truck is moving. They are connected to the gear set by vacuum when you pull the lever back. I envy you for having a manual shift lever. Although it's very convenient, there is just something unnatural about shift into 4WD with a switch in the dash board----I guess I'm just a little too "old school", but it took me a while to get used to the little **** in the dash of my 02 FX4 after owning 5 other 4WD trucks/suvs with the shift lever.

When you shift out of 4WD on the move, just shift, lighten the accelerator foot, and keep going.

Sidewinder

 

The guy at the ford dealer ship said I must stop and put in neutral to shift in 4 and to shift out. So, all I have to do is to shift in ...Im in 4....shift out....I'm in 2....and that's it.....drive? No, backing up....nothing.....just drive....that's to good to be true.....is it?

 

Hey Sand, the **** to engage and disengage 4 wheel drive is in front of the console-seat . It looks like a short throw manual trans ****. No buttons to pull twist or turn. Just a **** on the floor in the middle.

 

Do I have shift on the fly or shift on the stop? hahahehe...no, but seriously what do I have...keep in mind, I have a STX... mee dee ook er model, not top of the line XLT, FX4, or Lariat.

 

To shift in and out of 4x4 hi, whether with the ESOF or the MSOF, you just shift up 55mph. You do not need to stop or back up. To shift to 4x4lo, you need to stop, press and hold down on the brake pedal, shift the transmission to neutral, shift to 4lo, the put the vehicle back into gear. To get out of 4lo, you do the same thing, just shift out of 4lo instead of into. This all should be in the owners manual.
As far as hubs, the new model does have hubs, unlike the 97-03 which had CV joints. These are engaged by vacuum, and are to the inside of the wheel, not the outside like was on up to 97 4x4s.

 

Just because it is pushbutton does not nessesariy mean that the hubs automatically unlock too. My 94 explorer limited had push button but i had to drive in reverse for 10 feet or so to unlock them. I dont know how the newer fords work so you might not need to, just dont assume that you dont have to because you have pushbutton. I hope that makes sense...