don't laugh at me. but i know a little about my truck but not a lot in depth.

i got the 98-00 hubs that suck.

with AVM hubs or just locking them fully by moding the stock ones.

what does the live axle mean then? compaired to not locked hubs.

once its a live axle, i just need to turn the button in the cab to make it shift into 4x4 right?

and if its not locked in, then it wouldn't shift into 4x4 right?

advantages would be 4x4 all the time without worring its not going to lock in right?

any cons on this?

(i got new hubs a month ago and now it doesn't work, it shifts into it but its not in 4x4)

 

live axle = 100% of the time hub engagement. All internals are spinning with the tires in 2wd and the front output of the case is in neutral(freespinnin shaft). Click into 4, you'll always be putting power to the front wheels. It's just like if you leave your front hubs locked in for the wintertime...click to 4, you got 4. Same deal.

Strong, virtually fail proof. Next weak link is the CV shaft and that takes quite a bit of force to break one of those.

 

thank you shane, ha

now next question.

mod the stock hubs for 100% locked.

or get aftermarket ones like AVM?

 

How much time/money?

Modifying the hubs is the cheapest since it is free. However you still have weaker plastic hubs.

AVMs are good, inexpensive, huge improvement in functionality, but still weaker like factory hubs. You won't lose mpg since they can stay unlocked (although mileage loss should be minimal if detectable at all). Super easy/quick install. This is what I did on my 98 ranger, but would probably swap to live axles if I did it again.

Live axles require hub/bearings and axleshafts from a liveaxle truck (new or donor). 00.5+ rangers, 95+ explorers, 01-05 sport trac. Cost is higher (normally) and it involves a little more work. Really the only downside (in my opinion) is that you cannot unlock the hub if a CV joint breaks. CV failures are rare though unless you are running an RCD lift, or huge tires with lockers, etc. I ran 33s with 4.88s and a front locker and didn't break anything during that time.

 

kinda have a lot of time, but its winter. and money will be limited.

i wanna jsut mod the hubs to get me through winter.

but i don't want to Break the plastic peices being that its like >30 degrees out.

 

Buy the avms then. You can always sell them later if you wanted,

 

i brought my truck in where they installed the hubs.

they said they bypassed the vacuum switch and it worked, they said it was 180 for that part.

i'm better off getting AVM's instead of "fixing" the pvh lol.

if i posted up in the classifieds, are used ones okay? or am i better off buying new ones?

 

you can get them for a little under 150 for hte pair, and they take 10 minutes to install