Auto Hub/Manual hub Q and A.

[kifferarri]

Hey everyone! Im fairly new to the site, and this is my first post!
Ive been searching thro the site a fair bit, and ive found some answers, but some still need answering. I just thought i would try and get a bunch of Q's and A's together in one thread.
Ive got a 94 exploder xlt with auto hubs. so far, the hubs are still working, and i want to make em last as long as possible before i switch to man hubs. I should also mention that im an apprentice mechanic, so im not new to fixing stuff, but this is my first 4x4/explorer... Here are some of the Q's:

-Is there a rebuild kit for the autohubs? (nothings wrong with mine, i just want to see if i can make them last as long as possible... planing on doing this before our canadian sask winter hits...)
-ive heard/seen alot of talk on here about using trans fluid for cleaning/lube for the autos, im wondering if a very light coating of CV axel grease would work better for lube?

-As for manual hubs, my biggest concern is the T-case... can i drive around with the hubs locked and not do any damage to the t-case due to the front drive shaft turning in the t-case in 2wd?

so thats all i have for now.. please no comments on how manual hubs are better, as ive mentioned, im a mechanic, and ive already replaced countless numbers of autos, i know the man hubs are better and stronger... i simply want to make my autos last (i like not having to climb out and lock hubs, lol).
also, please feel free to ask more questions on hubs in general, and see if we can get em answered, like i said, would be nice to have just one big Q and A thread for hubs...
thanks all!

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87 stang GT 5.0, many mods, many more to come >D muh hahahahaaa!
94 exploder 4x4 xlt, lookin into modding, once the moddin bug bites... your done for!

 

[RaiderKC]

welcome to the site

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the stock 91-94 section. You could check WWW.RockAuto.Com or WWW.FastPartsNetwork.Com for replacement parts.

 

[rileyrs]

check this out:http:
//www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=232754

soak your auto's in atf for several hours, then dump them out and LIGHTLY grease them with regular wheel bearing grease.
(while the hubs are soaking, its a good time to repack your wheel bearings)
you dont wanna over grease the autos, or it can actually damage them.
all the gease does in the hubs is keep the spindle, and metal in the hubs clean
so it doesnt rust, and just helps hub parts slide a little distance.
enough wheel bearing grease will bleed out into the hubs(especially if you pack the bearings) that it will keep the hubs greased plenty.

as far as caring for the hubs there isnt too much, just always be sure they are fully disenged before driving on the street.

if you drive with manuals locked it shouldnt harm the tcase, but it will wear out your axle and ujoints faster, kill you gas mileage, it will work your steering system alot harden when making tight turns on pavement, and its dangerous to take big turns goin fast on the highway too.
but as long as you just unlock them when you shif the tcase into 2x4, then you dont need to worry about it, a good rule of thumb is just, and time you move the tcase, you also moce the hubs.

good luck with your hubs, and i hope they last you the winter.

 

[kifferarri]

that does answer just about everything i had there... thankyou very much. the only reason i would keep the man hubs locked is in the city in the winter, just in case theres a nice big snow drift. we do tend to get alot of snow up here, and ppl always seem to think we all live in igloos, lol.

------------------------------------
87 stang GT 5.0, many mods, many more to come >D muh hahahahaaa!
94 exploder 4x4 xlt, lookin into modding, once the moddin bug bites... your done for!

 

[BrooklynBay]

# 26 & # 27 in my list of useful threads has information on auto hubs.

 

[rileyrs]

i know what you mean, im in MT and it can really dump on us in the winter.

 

[kifferarri]

so does anyone know of a rebuild kit for the auto hubs?

 

[mikeinri]

No rebuild kit that I'm aware of. There is a post somewhere about replacing the small bearing that's way inside the end of the hub (basically, what is the outside end when it's installed on the truck).

I agree, no T-case issues with leaving manuals locked, just gas mileage, excess wear on u-joints, etc.

I wouldn't lightly grease anything, just use the ATF. The main thing is, you should use the 4x4 at least monthly (even in no snow) to keep everything moving, and remove, inspect and clean the autohubs with ATF at least annually.

By far, the biggest enemy is dirty grease, which binds them up, which leads to partially engaged hubs, which leads to broken parts.

Mike

 

[Tony H]

so does anyone know of a rebuild kit for the auto hubs?

No rebuild kit. You have to be a magician to get them back together after disassembly.
If yours are gummed up. Clean by filling with kerosene, diesel fuel or home heating oil. it will break up the crap that's in them and not harm the plastic parts. Those three fluids actually have a lubricant in them. after you got the gummy stuff all out, lube with Auto trani fluid.
Grease is too thick for Auto hubs.
The Transfer case is happy with the driveshaft spinning while it's disengaged...no worries. Manual hubs are so much more of a positive Lock then Auto hubs. so save your pennies and make the 15 minute swap out when you can.

 

[kifferarri]

anyone know of there being 2 differant styles of auto hubs? i ripped a bunch out of the junkyard, took em apart and cleaned the living bajeebuz out of em, but i have 2 differant styles of guts... one have what looks like a plastic cam (on the spindle/wheel bearing nut...) and metal internals with just 2 sets/rows of large, long teeth... the other has the same style my X has with what looks like a metal cam (on the spindle/wheel bearing nut), metal internals, but have one set of longer teeth, and two smaller rows... i can get pics if no one knows what im talking about. did they change the guts on the hubs between years? which ones are better? can i miss match parts (like use the metal cam insted of the plastic one, assuming it is stronger)? and last but not least, can i use either style on my X?

so far, the ones i know i can use, work, i think they just needed a good cleaning... and the others, theres no apparent problems, just very dirty and packed with grease

 

[Foxracin]

I noticed some metal cams at the junkyards looking around for manual hubs. Dont know what the difference it but I wondered the same myself.

 

[Tony H]

anyone know of there being 2 differant styles of auto hubs? i ripped a bunch out of the junkyard, took em apart and cleaned the living bajeebuz out of em, but i have 2 differant styles of guts... one have what looks like a plastic cam (on the spindle/wheel bearing nut...) and metal internals with just 2 sets/rows of large, long teeth... the other has the same style my X has with what looks like a metal cam (on the spindle/wheel bearing nut), metal internals, but have one set of longer teeth, and two smaller rows... i can get pics if no one knows what im talking about. did they change the guts on the hubs between years? which ones are better? can i miss match parts (like use the metal cam insted of the plastic one, assuming it is stronger)? and last but not least, can i use either style on my X?

so far, the ones i know i can use, work, i think they just needed a good cleaning... and the others, theres no apparent problems, just very dirty and packed with grease

There was a guy on this Forum a few years back that rebuilt and made more robust parts for these weak Hub Locks . just maybe you found one of his Units.

 

[kifferarri]

i think these are stock... because mine has metal cams, and mines a 94... but then i found this set in the yard, it had plastic cams, but much more robust internals (the larger sets/rows of teeth, and matching ones inside the hub hat)... i guess what im asking is if they changed the auto hubs internals over the years? like 91-92 had one style, and 93-94 had the other? or maybe its from a ranger?

 

[Tony H]

my '91 was plastic.
Not sure, maybe they did use metal in the later years. don't know..never heard anything about it.