RIPB.88 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 So the other day I was driving to work and as I was nearing a stoplight, I started to downshift. All was fine until I got to First gear and I heard a "thump." My Auto hub on my driver side locked in randomly, so I pulled into a gas station and reversed to disengage the hub. It didnt act up again until today doing the same thing. Just curious if anybody else has had this happen, and what could cause that. I would like to upgrade to manual hubs, but only when I get the funds, so in the meantime I would like to fix this. Any help would be appreciated. P.S. I searched and didnt see anything about this occuring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I tried cleaning and greasing one of mine on my '95 when it started to act up (sticking mostly), and found the clutches inside were worn way past the acceptable spec in the manual. I put it back together anyway and found that I'd made the problem worse by removing the thick gunk. At one point, the hub either tried to engage or tried to disengage (no idea which, I never knew what those hubs were up to) while I was driving and ground loud enough that I pulled over to make sure the wheel wasn't about to fall off. I bought manuals soon after. Nobody seems to buy auto hubs in the part outs. You could probably find a cheap set of good used hubs to hold you over until you upgrade. I have two sets on my shelf, but one set is shot (see above) and I didn't test the other set before removing them from my '93. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Honestly I got some for free from part outs. They are that worthless, lol. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerhurst Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Mile marker or warn is your best bet. Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PathyAndTheJets Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Weird. I don't have any issues with mine, and they have 260k on them. They lock right up and solidly. And unlock. I enjoy the convenience in the winter. But I can understand on trails when they would be less than helpful. I've also heard of them locking and unlocking in 4x4 and causing some serpentine maneuvers. Did the hardbodies come with manual locking hubs? My 720 has Nissan manual lockers but they are 26 spline. They look better than the Warns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Some Hardbodies had the factory manual hubs. They're supposed to be great if you can find them in the right spline count. I never found my autos convenient, even when they worked. I shift on the fly a lot in the winter (some roads cleared, some not) and I got tired of trying to work out if the hubs were locked before going for 4x, and grinding the transfer case when I guessed wrong. Now I turn two dials in the fall, turn them back in the spring, and don't worry about it in between. Another nice thing about manuals is that you don't have to drive forwards for them to lock up. That may not sound too important, but it bailed me out when I misjudged my turning radius and found myself facing downhill with grass under the rear wheels and a fence blocking my way forwards. Not having to explain to my friend's dad how I'd gotten a 4x4 on 31" tires stuck in his graded driveway in the middle of summer (and then ask if he could pull me out with his Miata) was well worth the cost of the hubs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PathyAndTheJets Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I haven't had the transfer case grind or clunk at all. I shift on the fly as well, don't need power to the front if the road isn't ice or whatever. I always put the trans in neutral and push in the clutch, wait 3 seconds and then drop into 4hi. Smooth as silk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPB.88 Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 I tried cleaning and greasing one of mine on my '95 when it started to act up (sticking mostly), and found the clutches inside were worn way past the acceptable spec in the manual. I put it back together anyway and found that I'd made the problem worse by removing the thick gunk. At one point, the hub either tried to engage or tried to disengage (no idea which, I never knew what those hubs were up to) while I was driving and ground loud enough that I pulled over to make sure the wheel wasn't about to fall off. I bought manuals soon after. Nobody seems to buy auto hubs in the part outs. You could probably find a cheap set of good used hubs to hold you over until you upgrade. I have two sets on my shelf, but one set is shot (see above) and I didn't test the other set before removing them from my '93. I thought about taking mine apart and cleaning them but maybe i'll just search for a set of the manuals, as I dont want to make them worse. It did it again this morning but the hub unlocked itself as I was slowing down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPB.88 Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 So, I guess now I'm set on the manual hubs, so wheres the best place you've found to get them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I got my Mile Markers from eBay from McBay Performance for $125. That was the best deal I could find on hubs that didn't have plastic parts. They went on easily enough and have worked without a hitch. My only complaints are mostly aesthetic. The chrome plating is peeling a little here and there and the bolts they send rust up quite easily. PATJ, sounds like your hubs are staying locked properly. My trouble was that the hubs would disengage, meaning that the front drivetrain (CVs, diff, prop shaft) wasn't spinning at all while the truck was moving. Attempting to couple a spinning shaft to a stationary one did not agree with the engagement sleeve in the transfer case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PathyAndTheJets Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I really dislike putting chrome on a vehicle that has none. Looks out of place. I've been looking at the mile markers, roughly how many degrees do you have to turn the dial to lock them? I messed around with some Warns on a 4runner, and you had to turn the dial like 280 degrees to lock them in. It's a minor complaint, but irritates me still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 It's about the same on the Mile Markers. I think some of the cheaper hubs I looked at only had to go a quarter turn or so to lock up, but I imagine they do this with steeper threads inside that would bind up more easily. Yeah, chrome on a non-chrome truck looks a little funny. You could try taking it all apart, roughing it up, and painting it, but I would expect the paint to chip off or rub away where the dial meets the trim ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PathyAndTheJets Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 I can get a set of MM for 95 bucks through work. Looks like I found my next upgrade. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPB.88 Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 Calling all my distributors at work, nobody carries Mile Marker around here. I can get Warn, but it has to be drop shipped straight from warn for like $275. Mile Markers website advertises $158. Are the Warn hubs really justifieable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PathyAndTheJets Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 (edited) Do you have an Advance Auto parts? It'd be 118 bucks roughly. They're probably a week out though. It is 100 bucks plus tax if they have a set in the warehouse. Edited January 15, 2016 by PathyAndTheJets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 4WheelParts has MM's for 108.99 and Warn for 271.99, both with free shipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RF600 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 (edited) Look around online. I don't recall what I paid for my warn hubs, I think it was under $200. Edited January 15, 2016 by RF600 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPB.88 Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Rugged Rocks shows the Warn hubs for the 27 spline, but no Mile Markers. Summit has Warns for $222.97 with free shipping, but says it wont ship till the 5th.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltaR50 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 got one for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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