Auto hub questions (Added Pics of internals)

[Ejay11]

I recently bought a 94 X and have the rotors and auto hubs at my home where as the vehicle is 60 miles away. I replaced the wheel bearings and have cleaned the old grease out of the hubs and the alum/plastic assembly with the spring around it and will be soaking these parts in ATF. My question is how do these hubs lock, it would seem that pushing or pulling while turning the 3 lobe piece which is above the female spline in the hub should lock the spline to the hub somehow. I understand how to check this when its back on the X but am curious if there is a way to bench check it.
Thanks
Ej

 

[92exp4x4]

The hub senses the torque from the axle shaft and uses those ramps to push some collars together, is about the best way to describe it. I can post the service manual's explanation to this thread later. I'm away from home currently.

 

[Gary Crist]

I always had to back-up to make sure they dis-engage. They will click on un-lock.

 

[Ejay11]

Seems to me like I should be able to make the female spline in the hub lock to the hub somehow on the bench, maybe I am looking at the way these work incorrectly.
thanks
Ej

 

[92exp4x4]

So it didn't really say what i thought it would, but basically the cam on the spindle mates with the cam in the hub and locks the hub housing to the axle shaft. I think it ramps up or down engaging splines in the hub housing that also spline to the stub shaft.

Hopefully the attached will help.

 

[Ejay11]

Thanks so much for posting this info, I really appreciate it, however I still don't understand how the hub locks and causes the rotor/wheel to spin. I can freely turn the female spline inside the hub, it must somehow lock to the hub when the cam mechanisms engage it. Not sure if I should remove the circlip in the hub to open it up, because I think its probably fine but wanted to check it.
Thanks
Ej

 

[92exp4x4]

Yeah i know what you mean. Ive often wanted to do the same thing. They have always been a bit of a mechanical mystery as too how the parts interact to make it do its job.

 

[Ejay11]

I removed the center small circlip and removed some of the auto hubs guts. (couple pics attached) It would appear the cams move the outer gears in the hub down to mate with the gearing that is removed, somehow locking it to the hub itself. I do not plan to remove the larger spring clip which appears to retain the outer gears. There was a lot of dry grease in here which I have removed, so maybe it was worthwhile opening them up which involved fighting the circlips.