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Do I need locking hubs???


joshrichard
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So my dad and i are arguing about whether or not I need locking hubs with my 2004 Nissan Pathfinder All-Mode 4wd system with the auto feature. He is saying that it has electronic locking hubs so when I put the vehicle in auto it locks the hubs which is what makes it different than 2wd he says that’s why it gives the truck the extra traction. I was explaining that even in 2wd my vehicles hubs are still locked which is why people get locking hubs. What he is saying is that I won’t need locking hubs because we don’t know anything about the nissans auto mode and 4wd system. Can somebody explain this better?

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Ok so the Xterra has auto locking hubs, but the Pathfinder didn't get them.  Some first gen Pathy's did, but no second (R50) gens.  Manual locking hubs are the only alternative to the stock full-time locked.  You're right, maybe he's thinking about the fact that the transfer case has an auto mode?

 

In any case, when you finally get it all straightened out and buy them, only have them unlocked in 2wd.  Any other mode requires them to be locked.  You can test if they're auto locking by jacking it up and trying to turn the front tire by hand; you'll see that it also turns the CV.  If it had auto locking hubs it wouldn't do this.

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Ok so the Xterra has auto locking hubs, but the Pathfinder didn't get them.  Some first gen Pathy's did, but no second (R50) gens.  Manual locking hubs are the only alternative to the stock full-time locked.  You're right, maybe he's thinking about the fact that the transfer case has an auto mode?
 
In any case, when you finally get it all straightened out and buy them, only have them unlocked in 2wd.  Any other mode requires them to be locked.  You can test if they're auto locking by jacking it up and trying to turn the front tire by hand; you'll see that it also turns the CV.  If it had auto locking hubs it wouldn't do this.


Thank you, this cleared everything up perfectly
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For what it’s worth, until I get a front locker, I’m not 100% convinced I’m putting manual hubs on yet myself. I probably will do it but in the wet NW, I really like the AWD with an open center. In packed sand, non-deep snow & wet slick roads where you aren’t going to have to pull yourself down out of stuck, the open center avoids the understeer you get when you lock the center. I switch btwn 2WD & AWD daily here due to all our rain & moss covered roads. If/when I do put on manuals, I’ll pretty much have to keep it locked all the time anyway so the only real advantage I get is the strength of the manuals vs OEM, the existence of which I can only take on others theory. I’m also just a little terrified that if I leave them unlocked my Mom or my wife might drive it & pop it into AWD as they are accustomed to doing when its wet or I might even do it unconsciously due to 16 years & 106K of muscle memory. I wouldn’t get too wound up about doing it right away.

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For what it’s worth, until I get a front locker, I’m not 100% convinced I’m putting manual hubs on yet myself. I probably will do it but in the wet NW, I really like the AWD with an open center. In packed sand, non-deep snow & wet slick roads where you aren’t going to have to pull yourself down out of stuck, the open center avoids the understeer you get when you lock the center. I switch btwn 2WD & AWD daily here due to all our rain & moss covered roads. If/when I do put on manuals, I’ll pretty much have to keep it locked all the time anyway so the only real advantage I get is the strength of the manuals vs OEM, the existence of which I can only take on others theory. I’m also just a little terrified that if I leave them unlocked my Mom or my wife might drive it & pop it into AWD as they are accustomed to doing when its wet or I might even do it unconsciously due to 16 years & 106K of muscle memory. I wouldn’t get too wound up about doing it right away.

The only thing is, i’m ordering the parts for my 2 inch lift. The manual hubs ate turning out to be a pain because i don’t want to pay $200 for the rugged ridge even though they’re the only ones that will fit on my rim and i don’t know if anybody that has used any knock offs or if they even work at all
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The only thing is, i’m ordering the parts for my 2 inch lift. The manual hubs ate turning out to be a pain because i don’t want to pay $200 for the rugged ridge even though they’re the only ones that will fit on my rim and i don’t know if anybody that has used any knock offs or if they even work at all


No-brand are exact SAME hubs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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9 hours ago, RainGoat said:

For what it’s worth, until I get a front locker, I’m not 100% convinced I’m putting manual hubs on yet myself. I probably will do it but in the wet NW, I really like the AWD with an open center. In packed sand, non-deep snow & wet slick roads where you aren’t going to have to pull yourself down out of stuck, the open center avoids the understeer you get when you lock the center. I switch btwn 2WD & AWD daily here due to all our rain & moss covered roads. If/when I do put on manuals, I’ll pretty much have to keep it locked all the time anyway so the only real advantage I get is the strength of the manuals vs OEM, the existence of which I can only take on others theory. I’m also just a little terrified that if I leave them unlocked my Mom or my wife might drive it & pop it into AWD as they are accustomed to doing when its wet or I might even do it unconsciously due to 16 years & 106K of muscle memory. I wouldn’t get too wound up about doing it right away.

 

That's a good point, the local conditions make a big difference.  Here in Michigan the roads are usually pretty dry (minus rain, but even then not too slippery) unless it's winter, during which I leave the hubs locked.

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9 hours ago, RainGoat said:

For what it’s worth, until I get a front locker, I’m not 100% convinced I’m putting manual hubs on yet myself. I probably will do it but in the wet NW, I really like the AWD with an open center. In packed sand, non-deep snow & wet slick roads where you aren’t going to have to pull yourself down out of stuck, the open center avoids the understeer you get when you lock the center. I switch btwn 2WD & AWD daily here due to all our rain & moss covered roads. If/when I do put on manuals, I’ll pretty much have to keep it locked all the time anyway so the only real advantage I get is the strength of the manuals vs OEM, the existence of which I can only take on others theory. I’m also just a little terrified that if I leave them unlocked my Mom or my wife might drive it & pop it into AWD as they are accustomed to doing when its wet or I might even do it unconsciously due to 16 years & 106K of muscle memory. I wouldn’t get too wound up about doing it right away.

 

However, it is good to have them as an emergency back up; if you snap and axle offroad, you can just unlocked the hubs and limp home in 2wd.

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However, it is good to have them as an emergency back up; if you snap and axle offroad, you can just unlocked the hubs and limp home in 2wd.


I want to protect my axles as long as I can as well
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I got the manual hubs for the slightly better gas mileage, maybe 1 mpg better, lighter steering, and so I could go longer between CV joint and boot replacements. At 260k, with the first 135k on the locked hubs I've not had to do a change yet.

I hadn't heard of other front axle issues though.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

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