Manual Locking Hubs

[So-CalVX]

Now that's useful information.
I would be out right now checking under my lever but I left my Bee in TO. I'm driving my grandma's liberty till the 11th. Someone check that out. I'd like to be able to kick into 2WD or 4WD below 50MPH, I'd feel like I'm back in my 4Runner.

Richard

And Grease monkey, thanks. But the last GM I knew fired me for doing 3miles over the speed limit, and there was no police involved. I'll just call u Greasemonkey. Don't wanna get fired again

[Greasemonkey]

Hi no problem i'm a bit of a Vauxhall nut and i am a fitter by trade so the Greasemonkey and GM (General Motors) thing kind of stuck - most of the uk sites have me hanging around helping out with tech stuff - just well chuffed with the VX it has the same engine as both the Isuzu trooper, the Vauxhall montery (trooper) and the vauxhall Frontera (rodeo) so spares are real easy to come by - i just need to get the local Isuzu dealer to make friends with a Jap dealer for the accessories
And the 2wd is pretty scarey round wet sharp corners when you have got used to the TOD being in
cheers
Steve

[bobmumgaard]

Awhile ago we spent alot of time discussing whether lockable hubs are any advantage. It was part of the TOD 2wd selector discussion (mbeach, me and others). The hubs disconnect the wheels from the front halfshafts. True the TOD does keep the whole front spinning, however it can't send torque there. I have lockable hubs and here is why:

1) Better gas mileage. I've monitored this with a scan gauge. On a 40 mile round trip at 70 miles an hour I got 1.4 mpg better with the hubs disengaged as opposed to locked. These runs were back to back on the same day, same conditions on the same highway both directions to combat any wind. I even refueled to keep the weight the same. On my 1900 miles to and from moab this year I averaged 19.8 mpg with the hubs disconnected. (albeit driving like a grandma)

1a) At one point I had the TOD cut off (there is a blue wire, its in the previous discussions) and I seemed to get even better mileage but never tested it. I reconnected it to prevent any damage and I was tired of the check light on the TOD.

2) With the hubs disconnected. The TOD cannot transmit any TORQUE to the wheels. So the reliability is better because nothing is loaded. I am lifted and have had a hell of a time with my CV's. Granted they are still spinning but that is much better than spinning AND transmitting torque. As for whether the front axle freewheeling is a good thing; It can't over spin (ie go faster than the rear), it freewheels some of the time with the TOD anyway, so I've never seen any problem.

3) 2wd is fun. In the snow and rain it is a hoot. Plus it is all you really need most of the time (my opinion, others will differ)

4) Bragging rights for climbing obstacles in 2wd are always better than those in 4wd.

5) If you break a cv on the trail you can ulock the hubs and unbolt the front axle from the TOD and get home. (I've never had to do this, yet, Though I tried it to make sure it works just in case.)

So thats my 2 cents. I have the superwinch hubs and they have held up fine. Though if I had to do it over again I probably would've just pulled some from a trooper.

[WiSDoM]

I installed them for just the reason Bobmumgaard said breaking cv on the trail. unlock the hub no more grinding . the cv f*up but no more noise and you can still use your daily driver until they are fixed.

[JHarris1385]

Well I think I may have heard enough to convince myself to get some.

[CoastieCosta567]

well i have a 2wd-4wd swtich, the gain i get on MPG is only 1 extra Mile, not to much, power i can't tell. But my main reason why i have the TOD of all the time unless offroading is cuz sence i got the lift it makes this weird noise, and many here have had it or have it when you go higher then 50mph, but when i have the TOD off the noise goes away. I don't know if there is a bigger problem here then i think, but thats what i do.

[JHarris1385]

So is 6 bolt 17 spline what we look for?

If out in the junk yards how can one determine if they are pulling off a quality hub?

[Solitude]

well i have a 2wd-4wd swtich, the gain i get on MPG is only 1 extra Mile, not to much, power i can't tell. But my main reason why i have the TOD of all the time unless offroading is cuz sence i got the lift it makes this weird noise, and many here have had it or have it when you go higher then 50mph, but when i have the TOD off the noise goes away. I don't know if there is a bigger problem here then i think, but thats what i do.

Coastie.. If you are still reading this.. and your 2WD-4WD switch really works..
I think you would be a prime candidate for manual hubs..

I am not sure what the weird noise you have is.. but would like to hear what it WAS if you ever have it diagnosed and fixed

Jeff