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automatic hubs??

8

82K5_6.5L

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i was just wondering, i have automatic locking hubs in the front, and i was told if u had automatic hubs u had full time 4wheel drive...i dont think this is true, cuz u know you have to shift into 4HI or 4LO..but thats what i was told by somebody with a fellow blazer..can anybody help me?
 
ok, if you have a lever on the floor with 2H, 4H, N, 4L then it isnt full time 4WD. as far as the hubs, they will have a 4X4 sticker on them and nothing that you can turn to free or lock. they are usually vaccume or electric, depending on what type you have.
 
wow..thanks..yea it says 4x4 on it like u said, im not sure what kind they are, but i am going to replace them with manual hubs, i dont want to because i like not having to get out and lock the hubs..but recently i replaced my driver side wheel bearings and my 4 wheel drive hasnt worked since then..is there something that i may have put it wrong or backwards to mess up 4WD?? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
you may have used too thick of a grease on them, or may not have re assembled it correctly. if you go with manual hubs you will love them, even though you have to get out, you know the 4wd will work when you need it. and that beats the crap out of getting out
 
Definitely go with manuals... yes, you have to get out and lock them, but at least you know for sure when they are locked and when they arent. Those autos are POS. After going back into 2WD they are often still partially engaged, and you have to reverse a little to completely disengage them. Besides, manuals (like warns or something) are much stronger.
 
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wow..thanks..yea it says 4x4 on it like u said, im not sure what kind they are, but i am going to replace them with manual hubs, i dont want to because i like not having to get out and lock the hubs..but recently i replaced my driver side wheel bearings and my 4 wheel drive hasnt worked since then..is there something that i may have put it wrong or backwards to mess up 4WD??

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Getting out to engage them is a good thing. You will know for certain they are locked then. You also will be able to check out the line you plan to take as well. This is a good thing to look into where you plan to drive before hand.

Auto hubs are junk IMO. They will fail you when you need them the most. Once you swap them out you will be glad you did...!
 
On an 82, the auto hubs aren't electric or vaccum. As soon as the front axle spins they will engage. To dissengage you have to shift back to 2h and back ub. It is a spring driven device that, like others obviously agree, screws up quite often. Manual hubs are easy to put in, and will save your front end and gas if the auto ones are remaining engaged.
 
Oh, BTW, if you put in manuals, and the person at the parts store tries to sell you an installation kit, or spindle nut kit, you don't need them for your front axle. Your stock spindle nuts are just fine with warn hubs. Just did this a year ago when I got tired of cleaning and rebuilding my auto hubs.
 
I changed my auto's out for manuals as well and it is much nicer. If you go the manual route, I recommend the Warns. I first bought the Mile Markers and after 2 weeks, noticed something was wrong with my left front hub. Took it apart and found about 6 pieces of Mile Marker (2 week old) hubs. Took them back and got the Warns.
 
i broke mine in 30 minutes...lol Milemarker blows! I went to plow my g/f's drive way and the weather was awful so i locked the hubs and drove there in 4wd i made my 1st pass and i heard a loud bang and shortly after i noticed only front pass. wheel would spin, so i took the hub apart, sure enough, as i opened it the "guts" fell it my hand. i was slightly aggrivated /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif
 
Your automatic hubs are made out of steel and are, if not as strong, stronger than manuals. The disengagement can be an issue, but if you are wheelin and you need to unlock your hubs for small period of time, just shift out of 4 wheel drive until you need it again. The only advantage I see in having manuals is if you need to release just one wheel during wheeling.

Keep the auto's and invest in some other mods that will make you happier.
 
Hmm. My truck was sold as "full time" and it has 2H, 4H, N, 4L. I went to have it towed yesterday and they lifted it from the front. I had the tranny in neutral and the tcase in neutral and he said when he tried to go forward it was dragging. He said its prolly fulltime. ??

I figured maybe the back drums rusted from sitting for 2 weeks w/o moving, but then again I backed the truck out and lined up to his tow rig so I guess they weren't cuz I didn't have any trouble backing up. Hmm.
 
The advantage to manual hubs is, they work. Plenty of people on here have already gone through this with them (myself included) No matter how well the automatics are taken care of, they WILL fail you when you need them.

Personally, I like the stock Spicers.
 
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