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Another locking hubs question?

XJ98Jeep

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Atlanta
I still feel like I'm missing the point of locking hubs. I understand how they work, but why would you want to be able to unlock them? If you need to not send power to the front wheels, why not just leave it in 2HI?
 
To stop the drivetrain from turning.Possibles are.....
Better gas mileage
Eliminate any front driveline issues(more castor and lees pinion angle)
Helps w/ non-selectable lockers
 
wheels need to be able to travel at different speeds from each other when driving on the street. when locked they travel at same speed. sucks for turning.

scratch that. i was thinking diff locker.
 
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i have CTM ujoints in my front shafts. they're not really made for constant road use. having the hubs allows me to keep the unlocked and not turn the axle shafts, thus reducing the road wear on them

also, if you do brake a shaft/joint, you can unlock the hubs until you get to a better spot to work on them.

jeepin jason had a problem once where he lost a few ring gear bolts in his front diff while on the trail. he was able to unlock his and get back to camp to fix
 
Here's an example.. I broke my Driver's hub on Pull Cable this Saturday.. W/o hubs it would have been a u-joint on a D30.. Then you get to enjoy some how jacking the front of the jeep up and pulling the shaft and either replacing it our just throwing in a stub.. Would have been a sticky situation where I was and probably would have taken 1 hour at least to complete.

With my hubs.. I just hopped out, unlocked the Drivers side and backed back out of the rocks still w/ 3 wheel drive....
 
just to clarify this in my mind. You're talking locking hubs like on the older chevys where you twist the pointer down at the wheel? I'm relatively new to XJs and didn't know that was something we could buy. Who makes them?
 
smcdonaldaz said:
just to clarify this in my mind. You're talking locking hubs like on the older chevys where you twist the pointer down at the wheel? I'm relatively new to XJs and didn't know that was something we could buy. Who makes them?

Yes I'm refering to actual hubs.. look at the center of the wheel... Warn does make a kit for the D30 but I just dont see why anyone would upgrade to it unless they already have a ton of $$ in the 30 to start w/.. Most use hubs on 44's or 60's.... some just opt for Drive flanges...

Callalantee006.jpg
 
uncc civilengineer said:
Warn does make a kit for the D30 but I just dont see why anyone would upgrade to it unless they already have a ton of $$ in the 30 to start w/
a few other reasons:

#1 - they're bolt in. some of us don't have the time, knowledge, or tools to swap in an axle like a 44 or 60.

#2 - if you find a used axle with all of the goodies in it like i did, you can pick them up MUCH cheaper than new.
 
FitchVA said:
i have CTM ujoints in my front shafts. they're not really made for constant road use. having the hubs allows me to keep the unlocked and not turn the axle shafts, thus reducing the road wear on them

I've run CTM's in my daily driver for 2.5 years. I grease them when I do oil changes using pro power grease, and have not seen a bit of wear yet. At what point does it start becoming constant road use?

In fact, they get nearly as much movement with the hubs unlocked as they do locked?
 
uncc civilengineer said:
Yes I'm refering to actual hubs.. look at the center of the wheel... Warn does make a kit for the D30 but I just dont see why anyone would upgrade to it unless they already have a ton of $$ in the 30 to start w/.. Most use hubs on 44's or 60's.... some just opt for Drive flanges...

[IMG ]awesome photo snipped out[ /IMG]

First thing I got say I love that picture. Very interesting vantagepoint... Is that your rig?

Secondly about why you would add hubs to the dana 30 - for most people you are right, they have a lot of money in their dana 30 and plan on keeping it. There are other advantages however. For starters they can use the hub kit as part of their upgrade in strength since the Warn kit comes with alloy outers. The hubs (even the small ones with the 4.5" bolt pattern) have been proven strong enough to run with 35's and while some would also question the strength of other parts of that axle, the hub itself can act as the fuse, to break before something more expensive does. That is one theory that I haven't had the chance to prove / disprove yet on mine because I haven't broken a hub yet.

It was an expensive upgrade but I enjoy having the hubs both for wheeling and everyday I drive to work. Definitely a smoother ride and less wear and tear. Eventually I will be getting bigger axles for my rig and by then I hope to have another XJ for my son as he approaches driving age. Don't tell him but I plan on giving these axles to him. Best return on my "investment" that way.
 
FitchVA said:
i have CTM ujoints in my front shafts. they're not really made for constant road use. having the hubs allows me to keep the unlocked and not turn the axle shafts, thus reducing the road wear on them

As far as constant road use goes.... whats the difference? When you are doing mile after mile going down the freeway you are travelling straight most of the time..... u joints dont see any real wear in this situation.
 
mattyj said:
As far as constant road use goes.... whats the difference? When you are doing mile after mile going down the freeway you are travelling straight most of the time..... u joints dont see any real wear in this situation.
How far can you drive with the tires pointed perfectly straight?

I see it as a pretty big difference actually. Any time you turn, that u-joint gets a couple hundred rotations, maybe a couple thousand if its a wide turn like a bending highway. But its all wear and tear and it does add up. Not to mention another wear and tear issue in regards to the stock unit hubs and bearings. With the hub kit, the bearings are fully serviceable. You will never buy another set of stock unit hubs again.
 
EricsXJ said:
How far can you drive with the tires pointed perfectly straight?

I see it as a pretty big difference actually. Any time you turn, that u-joint gets a couple hundred rotations, maybe a couple thousand if its a wide turn like a bending highway. But its all wear and tear and it does add up. Not to mention another wear and tear issue in regards to the stock unit hubs and bearings. With the hub kit, the bearings are fully serviceable. You will never buy another set of stock unit hubs again.

Understood... but i was talking about doing it to save wear on your CTM's on the road. I know many people, including myself that use CTMs on vehicle that see alot of road use. They are more than capable of taking it.

Im not disagreeing that hubs have there value but doing an expensive hub conversion to save wear on a fully rebuildable, lifetime warranteed u joint, i dont feel is necesary.

But hey if you think the joints are going to suffer from road use go for it.i say just keep them greased and you'll have no problems.

To each there own.

:D
 
mattyj said:
Understood... but i was talking about doing it to save wear on your CTM's on the road. I know many people, including myself that use CTMs on vehicle that see alot of road use. They are more than capable of taking it.

Im not disagreeing that hubs have there value but doing an expensive hub conversion to save wear on a fully rebuildable, lifetime warranteed u joint, i dont feel is necesary.

But hey if you think the joints are going to suffer from road use go for it.i say just keep them greased and you'll have no problems.

To each there own.

:D

Have you serviced/rebuilt them yet? I may be wrong but I though the rebuild kit alone was something like $100.00 or more... and that's per joint, so you're looking at $200 for a rebuild... Again I may be wrong. I mean they may last for 30,000 road miles IDK
 
uncc civilengineer said:
Have you serviced/rebuilt them yet? I may be wrong but I though the rebuild kit alone was something like $100.00 or more... and that's per joint, so you're looking at $200 for a rebuild... Again I may be wrong. I mean they may last for 30,000 road miles IDK

I've got more than 30,000 road miles on mine and they are still tight as they day I got them.

I seem to remember Cracker spending about $150 on a rebuild kit for 2 CTM's (I got my first set used from him with a fresh rebuild).


Fitch, I'm not saying you arent justified in your hub kit, I have a warn 5x5.5 hub kit sitting in my garage waiting to go on - and I have a long list of reasons why *I* want it - I just don't feel its valid to say it cuts down on a CTM wear in any measurable way.

;)
 
As far as the original poster, if you don't know why you need it, you don't "need" it. It is a cool upgrade, but you better be craving it for that much money (unless you have plenty and then why not). I'm building a D44 with hubs, but the only advantages I see (to the hubs) are less vibration on the highway from the rotating parts, maybe slightly better mpg, and being able to continue on down the trail if I break something. I don't think serviceable bearings matter at all. My xj is a 93 with 132,000 on the unit bearings so far and no problems yet. If they did go out, they're super easy to change.
 
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