How to work the 4x4?

[Pike1915]

Hello everyone I'm new to this site and to 4x4 Chevy's.  I just bought a 1974 k10.  As far as I can tell it is stock and there is no conversion to the 4x4.  I'm used to locking hubs and all that so can someone please explain the low-Lowloc, hi and hilloc?  I know sounds stupid but I don't want to be driving and break something cause I don't know.  I'm assuming low loc is the 4x4?  Like I said I'm new to 4x4 and don't want to break something cause I'm stupid lol.

Thanks for your help

[timthescarrd]

The 74 K10 is full time 4 wheel drive, there are no locking hubs because it is always spinning all four wheels.  Hi vs Low refers to the drive ratio of the transfer case, Hi is a 1:1 ratio (for every 1 turn of the transmission output shaft, the output shafts on the transfer case make 1 turn) Low is 1.96:1.  You should be mostly driving in hi.  Others here will be able to explain the loc better than I could

[Captain Swampy]

There is a set of spider gears in your transfer case, just like in your axles. It allows you to be in 4wd on the road. It is possible to spin one wheel in either Hi or Lo. The LOC positions do just that, they lock the front and rear out put shafts together so they spin at the same speed. The one I had could be left in Hi most of the time. It had to get pretty nasty before just one wheel would spin and need to be in Hi Loc.  Lo and Lo Loc are the same, but Lo range.