Manual/Auto hubs and sand driving?

[zavetsky]

I am getting ready to take a trip to the Outer Banks area and need 4wd to get to the house we are staying in...about 10 miles from the main road to the house, all beach! We'll be staying a week, so the potential is about 100 miles of driving on the beach plus exploring stuff......

I have done this trip many times before, but with trucks that had conventional manual hubs or vaccuum disconnects.....

First time for my Explorer....

Do you think I should definately swap my auto hubs for manuals? I don't get stuck (much) but the sand IS very deep in spots and U have never had an Explorer on sand.....

The truck has about 71k on it......

I am a little nervous with all the stories about bad auto hubs......

 

[SteveVB]

Have you had any problems with the hubs? If they are ok now the auto hubs will be fine. My navajo has been up to Corova more than a few times with the auto hubs. This year with the rain(im guessing) the sand isnt too bad. I drove an Expedition this year - third week of July and until you got to the CG station it was cake, past that it was more blow type sand. Have fun!

Question if you dont mind; Is it your house or do you rent? If you rent what company are you using? Just doing some research for next year.

Watch out for those hurricanes!!

 

[Ru Dawg]

OBX!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey bud it's your lucky day!!! I grew up on Hatteras Island! I just bought my '95 Explorer in June this year. I took my 4x4 down to Hatteras in July. I was a little nervous bout the auto hubs vs that OBX soft deep sand. Didn't have any probs at all. We took it on the beach every day for about 10 days. The only thing I reccommend is to slack down the tires (even though the owner's manual says no to). I have the Wrangler rt/s and had to slack them to about 10lbs. SHE ROAD GREAT!!! Just remmember to take it VERY slow and steady through the soft stuff! Let me know if ya have any more questions about OBX. Oh, and if ya want to know, the BEST place to eat is in Buxton on Hatteras Island at TIDES restaurant on HWY 12!

 

[leebo]

your auto hubs should do just fine....but if you're still a bit scared go get yourself a Hi-Lift jack just in case. That way even if you do get stuck your taken care of.

Have Fun

 

[zavetsky]

OBX

Actually, I was also looking into trying to figure the best way to do tow hooks (so I can actually use my trusty keeper strap when needed)......

As far as the hubs go, they do occasionally make that spinning sound when I take a corner too hard....then I gotta stop, lock em in and unlock them again.......

Of course, the trip is gonna be in jepoardy if I cant get my Firestone ATXs replaced before the trip! :-(

To be honest, I haven't had the truck off road much since I bought it last November..........I'm REALLY looking forward to it!

(BTW....we rent a house thhrough "Karichele Realty"...contact me at zavetsky@home.com if you need the number......)

 

[ND Explorer]

Is your explorer a 91-94 or newer? Ru Dawg said his was a 95 which has a different 4x4 assembly than the earlier models which sucked. From what I understand the biggest risk is rocking your explorer back and forth if it gets stuck. The slack created from the forward/reverse shifting can snap off the plastic tines that lock the hubs in. I lost the hubs on mine in slushy snow. I love my manuals and would recommend them to anyone, if you've got the time and $200 I'd switch before you have a problem. Just my 2 cents, have a great vacation!