death of regular cab pickups

[jyoutz]

My old U.S. Forest Service Dodge is kind of an end of an era.
I think the USFS fire trucks are still green. All other vehicles have been white for some time.
Do pickups still have a 4spd. option or manual shift into 2 or 4wd/hi-low range? Not to mention locking hubs on front axles?
Most folks don’t want a 35 yr old truck that rides like a truck, (very spartan & uncomfortable) and I agree with them.
But I‘ve kinda gotten used to the old girl.

Nice to see one of the old green trucks. We switched to white because they’re cheaper (the green color was special order), and easier to sell white vehicles at auction. You can still find manual transmissions (4 speed with overdrive), but the high/low range switch is electrical now and no such thing as locking hubs anymore. I spent a couple hundred thousand miles driving trucks like yours on unmaintained forest roads on the job. You are correct that they are rough riding; I think that’s when I started visiting the chiropractor. LOL.

 

[deserteagle71]

My old U.S. Forest Service Dodge is kind of an end of an era.
I think the USFS fire trucks are still green. All other vehicles have been white for some time.
Do pickups still have a 4spd. option or manual shift into 2 or 4wd/hi-low range? Not to mention locking hubs on front axles?
Most folks don’t want a 35 yr old truck that rides like a truck, (very spartan & uncomfortable) and I agree with them.
But I‘ve kinda gotten used to the old girl.

No 4 speed manual trannies anymore. Last 4 speed manual was many, many years ago. They went to a 5 speed around 30 years ago and then a 6 speed manual about 20 years ago. No manual trannies on any new Ford, Chevy, or Ram pickups period. Last manual tranny for them was in the 2019 Ram. The new Ford Bronco can be optioned with a 7 speed manual tranny but only with the 4 cylinder engine.

As far as I know it is still possible to get a manual shift lever for the transfer case in a basic XL Ford Superduty. Same with the manual locking hubs. The higher trims all have a dial on the dash to shift into 4wd, and I believe those higher trims give you "auto-locking" hubs, but those hubs can also be locked in manually.

 

[jyoutz]

No 4 speed manual trannies anymore. Last 4 speed manual was many, many years ago. They went to a 5 speed around 30 years ago and then a 6 speed manual about 20 years ago. No manual trannies on any new Ford, Chevy, or Ram pickups period. Last manual tranny for them was in the 2019 Ram. The new Ford Bronco can be optioned with a 7 speed manual tranny but only with the 4 cylinder engine.

As far as I know it is still possible to get a manual shift lever for the transfer case in a basic XL Ford Superduty. Same with the manual locking hubs. The higher trims all have a dial on the dash to shift into 4wd, and I believe those higher trims give you "auto-locking" hubs, but those hubs can also be locked in manually.

I haven’t seen manual locking hubs since the 1980s.

 

[lman]

I haven’t seen manual locking hubs since the 1980s.

You need to get out a little more. My 2000 F350 has manual hubs and a manual 6 speed transmission with a 7.3 powerstroke.

 

[deserteagle71]

Just went on the Ford "build your Superduty" web site. It appears all 4wd Superduties have the locking hubs (although most also have auto-locking). They don't stick out like they used to because they utilize "unit bearings" in the hub so the hub unit itself is very short.

 

[jyoutz]

You need to get out a little more. My 2000 F350 has manual hubs and a manual 6 speed transmission with a 7.3 powerstroke.

I think Ford kept them a little longer than the other companies. Regardless, I haven’t been assigned a work truck with those since the 80s.

 

[jyoutz]

Just went on the Ford "build your Superduty" web site. It appears all 4wd Superduties have the locking hubs (although most also have auto-locking). They don't stick out like they used to because they utilize "unit bearings" in the hub so the hub unit itself is very short.

Must be a Ford thing. Haven’t seen them on Dodges, Chevys, or Jeeps in a lot of years.

 

[ning]

The auto locking hubs (shifter; no manual override) in my '97 F350 failed so I swapped to manual. In the winter I often leave the hubs locked...

 

[jyoutz]

The auto locking hubs (shifter; no manual override) in my '97 F350 failed so I swapped to manual. In the winter I often leave the hubs locked...

Jeeps have been using a fluid coupling (no auto or manual locking hubs) since the mid-90s. There are no protruding hubs.

 

[Hay Dude]

My old U.S. Forest Service Dodge is kind of an end of an era.
I think the USFS fire trucks are still green. All other vehicles have been white for some time.
Do pickups still have a 4spd. option or manual shift into 2 or 4wd/hi-low range? Not to mention locking hubs on front axles?
Most folks don’t want a 35 yr old truck that rides like a truck, (very spartan & uncomfortable) and I agree with them.
But I‘ve kinda gotten used to the old girl.

I drove that exact truck, except white and a 250 for years for a guy I worked for. Mostly snow plowing.
Dodge Trucks were kind of made fun of back then. I thought the thing was tough as nails even back then.

My 2012 F-550 had manual locking hubs. My 2012 F-350 had auto hubs with manual over-ride in case the vacuum lines failed. Pretty nice idea by Ford.

Ford also made some F-350’s without the long protruding locking hubs. Here’s a ‘95 F-350 without them.