[vmhb]

Yes, but that assumes that they are working correctly. Frankly, your hubs look like they have not seen any service in some time. Is the lever set to ‘free’. And if so, can you move it to ‘lock’, and in doing so, actually feel the movement of the gear inside, as it pushes forward?
Again, unless there is something amiss with the front distributor, etc., normally, when you jack up one wheel, and the opposing wheel is on the ground, and you cannot turn the jacked up one (because the other wheel wants to turn) it means you are locked in 4wd. You can remove the manual hubs, intact, just by removing the 6 ‘screws’ that hold them on - I believe they are Torx screws, by the way. You do not have to remove the tire in order to do this. With the manual hubs physically removed from the car, see then if you can turn the jacked up wheel or not.

Sure the whole car has seen much better days including the hubs. Sure they need some attention, they are currently locked and have not had chance to try and unlock. The message I seem to be getting is that the car should not be used in 4wd mode on the roads. That is not going to be an issue for some time, first goal is offroad use. Both the normal gear stick and the 4wd are in Neutral. When 2H is selected is that the rear 2 wheels and the setting I should select?

 

[vmhb]

in an open rear, if one wheel is in the air and the other on the ground, if you attempt to turn the wheel in the air, the wheel on the ground will attempt to turn in the opposite direction. You must lift both wheels off the ground if you want to hand turn one

Thank you, I assume you are referring to an open rear car. So the front differential arrangement will always spin both wheels?

 

[vmhb]

The VIN lookup returns the following information

SE416-3 - 2 door, canvas top, Color 38b (Gray Metallic), SubColor C10
Engine Number - G16B-555874, Transmission number - S131315
4 cycle, 4 cylinder, 16v, 1600cc and floor shift 5 speed manual transmission
Grade JLX
E02 market (United Kingdom)

Thank you, now I have more of an idea what I am dealing with.

 

[vmhb]

AND manual hubs! Nice rig. Well worth the rehab that will be needed.

Rehab or replace? Are they really worth taking apart?

 

[vmhb]

The picture shows that the hub is LOCKED. I assume both are, but who knows. And as BEX and I have said, those hubs look like they are WAY past cleaning time. I'd be surprised if they were functional at all -- tons of fun. Been there, done that!!!

Yes both locked. As you can imagine a 15 year old just wants to drive it. Not much fun for the poor guy who is trying to make that happen.

 

[Bex]

If the hubs are original to the car (Aisin locking hubs) they most certainly are worth taking apart, cleaning and greasing them. There are replacements, of course, but IMHO, the Aisin’s are better (no plastic parts, etc.).
If you turn the hubs, will they unlock as they are??

 

[vmhb]

Thank you all for your help. Just trying to get a plan of action together. Firstly need a new starter motor fitted. Engine runs but starter intermittent on the bench. Then need to fit new wheel studs. Some are missing or beyond use, you may have noticed in the picture. Was panning to go with M12 1,5 with 13.1 spline. Oddly not seems to be what is on there at the moment. Bad choice? Next the offside front brake caliper is incomplete and has no pads. So new front caliper and pads. Hoping then should be able to test drive in 2H. What do you think?

 

[xkaes]

Sure the whole car has seen much better days including the hubs. Sure they need some attention, they are currently locked and have not had chance to try and unlock. The message I seem to be getting is that the car should not be used in 4wd mode on the roads. That is not going to be an issue for some time, first goal is offroad use. Both the normal gear stick and the 4wd are in Neutral. When 2H is selected is that the rear 2 wheels and the setting I should select?

For normal use, use hubs FREE and transfer shift at 2H -- only the rear wheels are engaged.

For slippery/icy roads, use hubs LOCKED and transfer shift at 4H.

For slippery roads UNDER 35 MPH, use hubs LOCKED and transfer shift at 4L. I don't recall EVER going over 10 MPH in 4L.

 

[Bex]

Factory spec i s M12x1.25, torqued to 70 ft/lbs. I’d also suggest, down the road, doing a compression test on the engine to verify timing. You’ll find plenty of good info here on the forum, as you go along.
And this will be a great project in patience, for that 15 year old...lol

 

[xkaes]

Rehab or replace? Are they really worth taking apart?

It depends on how bad they are, and how much work you want to spend on them. In my case, one of mine was too far gone, so I replaced it. The other worked, but since I was checking it out, I decided to just clean it.

 

[xkaes]

Yes both locked. As you can imagine a 15 year old just wants to drive it. Not much fun for the poor guy who is trying to make that happen.

Keep in mind that it MAY have been driven a LOT on dry roads at high speed in 4WD. That MAY have caused damage,

 

[xkaes]

In the meantime, teach your 15 year old about proper 4WD use and shifting -- like NOT using 4WD on dry roads, not using the transfer case shift without knowing the rules of how to use it (such as having the wheels STRAIGHT before shifting), not using 4WD LOW at speed, not pausing between 4WD LOW and HIGH, etc.) etc. It's all in the owner's manual, but all of it can be hard to immediately recall in a pinch.

 

[fordem]

In the meantime, teach your 15 year old about proper 4WD use and shifting -- like NOT using 4WD on dry roads, not using the transfer case shift without knowing the rules of how to use it (such as having the wheels STRAIGHT before shifting), not using 4WD LOW at speed, not pausing between 4WD LOW and HIGH, etc. It's all in the owner's manual, but it can be hard to remember in a pinch.

Why not? And where in the owner's manual does it say so?

 

[xkaes]

 

[fordem]

Notice where it says "at any speed"? Those instructions are specific to shifting whilst the vehicle is in motion - if the vehicle is stationary, you can shift from 2H to 4H without the wheels being straight ahead.

The reason the front wheels need to be straight ahead when shifting into 4H with the vehicle in motion is that on a turn the front wheels are revolving faster than the rear, so that the shafts in the transfer case are spinning at different speeds - having the wheels straight ahead allows the shafts to spin at the same speed, making it easier for the engagement hubs to slide into mesh.

 

[xkaes]

Like I said, I hope the poster instructs the 15 year old on how to use 4WD correctly -- according to the manual. You should not shift willy-nilly. There are certain restrictions to memorize -- to avoid damage.

 

[likembikem]

My original locking hubs were too far to be repaired. I put some 'Mile Marker' locking hubs, they were fairly inexpensive and been on there for 6 or 7 years, no problem. If it were mine and I had questions about the hubs operation, I would jack up and put it on blocks. All four wheels up, on really solid blocks or stands and see what is turning with the rear wheels, front wheels, play with the hubs etc. It's probably not as bad as it seems.

 

[xkaes]

I found out the hard way about "HUBS GONE BAD" -- sounds like an Ed Wood movie. One of mine "died" when I needed it -- in the middle of a blizzard. I had to trudge out of the situation on foot, and wait for the snow to melt -- a few days.

The hub had been slowly getting more difficult to turn over time, and I missed that as a early warning sign. It probably had not been fully functioning for quite a while, but the times I used 4WD it just didn't make a difference -- until I needed to go uphill in a blizzard.

 

[Bex]

Manual hubs should be serviced each year, preferably in the fall, just before you need them for winter. The Aisin manuals are easy to service, as they have no plastic parts inside. However, servicing them is not intuitive. There are instructions on the forum.

 

[vmhb]

Thank you all again for your thoughts. Managed to get out yesterday and do some more. Fitted a new starter motor and now starts reliably. Smile on the boys face, priceless, well worth lying on the floor fitting bolts blindly.

Checked out the hubs, one rotates easily and the other seems locked. Plan to trip it down and see.

Moving on looked into the front brakes. They look fairly shot too. On the offside the pins slide in and out of the mounting bracket. On the near side they seem locked completely to the mounting bracket. I am assuming these should slide?

On the mounting bracket, one side has some clips and the other side not. I assume these clips are required and removable parts? Tried to take some pictures so you can see.
What I would like to understand is what I need to get the brakes working. My thinking is new callipers, pads, slide pins and possibly these clips? To be honest the clips look integrated into the mounting bracket do they come off?

So first near side, no clips and slide pins stuck in the mounting bracket.

Second off side mounting bracket, pins slid out and clips.