Warn Hubs.......Still Good?

[Fordum]

Many many years ago, I ran Warn Lock-o-Matics on my '60 Jeep. Stupid automatic design, slipped when you really needed them.
But, if you got out and turned the dial, they were solid. No slippage, no failure to engage if you were able to turn it all the way.

If the teeth were not lined up, you had to rock the wheel or axle before you could go all the way to lock.
I didn't mind, because when they said locked, they were locked. Every time, no excuses.
A few years later, they put a set of springs in between the dial and the lock plate.
So you could turn to lock, and if the teeth were not lined up, they would snap in when you moved the axle.
Of course, sometimes mud dried grease or whatever caused them to fail to lock.
I hated that. A friend of mine had them on his power wagon, and after I had to pull him out one night, we took the springs out and replaced them with solid shafts.
Now you might have to rock something, but when it said locked, it was locked.

I have the Ford modular type hubs on my '89 250. I got in a sand bed the other day, and the left front failed to lock.
They are not the automatic three bolt type, they have the red dial in the center.
Obviously there is something amiss in the module. I pulled the outer hub part, and it goes in when you turn it to lock.

Instead of repairing it, I want to replace both of them, and I am looking at the Warn Premium hubs.
My truck used two different axles according to the Warn site. I checked the axle, and its the 19 spline Dana 44.
Summit sells the Premiums for $105 with free shipping.

Warn says I need the replacement axle nuts if I have the three bolt automatic hubs, which I don't.
Summit says I need the nut kit regardless.

Unless I hear some other suggestions from you folks, or quality comments about the Warns, I am going to order a set from them, probably tomorrow.

I'm going to take a chance on the nuts. If I need them, I'll order the kit later.

So, any comments on Warn Premiums?

 

[ccarley]

I bought some a few years ago for my Suburban, and I believe it's the same part for the Dana 44. Well, a 6-lug 44 at least as they were the same part I used on my Wagoneer which did have a 6-lug 44.

They are exactly as you say, spring loaded, so you can turn the dial to lock without the teeth locking. They have worked every time though, even when in freezing temps. Unlocking is nice as well (I've seen some folks rocking their rig to unlock their hubs).

One thing I do notice though is the dial is fading. Kind of odd, but oh well, I got them for function not for the look.

Clay

 

[Larry]

Well, I’m not a fan of any Warn hubs. Not that I have had any quality problems with them, I just get tired of having to reach behind the wheel and spin the axle shaft in order to get the hub to fully lock or unlock. It is usually only one side that does at a time but it will change sides each time. That’s been my experience with every Warn or even Mile Marker hub on D44 and D60 axles.

My answer to Warns are Superwinch hubs. They’re inexpensive and only a ¼ turn and I’ve never once had to reach under the truck to spin the axle shaft to get them to lock or unlock. I’ve never broke one yet either. Part number 400518

 

[79HeavyChevy]

I'm running a set of the standard warns in my 10 bolt currently and have no complaints at all. I like the fact that they are a 1/4 turn and have a very positive locking feel to them.

I used to have the mile marker premiums in my k10 and couldn't stand them. They fit horribly, you could have all the bolts snugged up and still rock the locker up and down in the hub. Not to mention every time we would play in mud or water it would wash all the grease out of the wheel bearings because they were too loose to seal. I will give them the credit that they always locked in though.

I've had buddies with the superwinch hubs as well and heard good things.

 

[sw99]

Was just looking at those Larry. I have always used the WARN Premiums but wonder if it's really worth it...

 

[tRustyK5]

Find some all steel Spicer hubs...

I pulled my Warn Premiums in favor of these.

 

[82355]

I've broken a Superwinch Lockout, but it was because I exploded the 30 spline outer in my Dana 60, and it was collateral damage. I have Yukon's now, and they are pretty tough.

Martin

 

[sweetk30]

warn and most others these days will fail in the open position if thay brake.

I run old school spicer . if he dial brakes the hub fails LOCKED and still keeps u wheein .

I know Yukon hubs are a copy of the old spicer stuff. looks like dana 50-60 only

if you look a warn basic to prem all you get is a fancy dial face these days .

 

[paratrooper307]

I've got the Warn premiums and haven't had a problem. They always lock up and they feel like they're well made. It may just be superstitious, but I didn't want any plastic pieces on the hub, and since you can find a set for about 100 bucks (10bolt or D44 type) I figured they were worth it.

 

[imiceman44]

warn and most others these days will fail in the open position if thay brake.

I run old school spicer . if he dial brakes the hub fails LOCKED and still keeps u wheein .

I know Yukon hubs are a copy of the old spicer stuff. looks like dana 50-60 only

if you look a warn basic to prem all you get is a fancy dial face these days .

I run the spicers, I collect them like others collect hubcaps.

 

[bigred88]

I broke a Warn standard, don't even know when. It wasn't when wheeling, cause I haven't done much of that in a while... But because of the lack of 4WD usage, I didn't even know until I was pulling the front end apart to replace ball joints and the driver's side hub came out in pieces- blew the whole back end out of it. It was on the truck for about 5 years.

I replaced them with Warn Premiums, don't know if they'll hold up any better.

 

[Fordum]

Its interesting. The Spicer, and Yukons look an awful lot like the ones on my '79 F150.
They are not the same, they look heavier than the Fords, but seem to work the same.
I hated them on that truck. They failed to lock in on a regular basis. But, once locked, they were very strong, and never failed to unlock.

They had a "spur gear" type thing on the end of the axle. Then they had a big steel chunk that engaged the inside of the hub and had a matching gear hole in the middle.
There was a big spring behind that chunk. When you disengaged the hub, the plastic cam pushed on a two fingers on a ring that rode on that chunk. The chunk pushed farther into the hub compressing the spring and unlocking from the spur gear.

To lock it, you released the ring, and the spring was supposed to push the chunk out until it slid over the spur gear.
The chunk had all the teeth on the outside to engage the inside of the hub, so there was a lot of friction. And if the spindle bearings were worn letting the axle droop slightly, that would cause the hub to fail to engage until you rotated the wheel a few times, and sometimes not even then.

I often had to pull the outside part off and tap and wiggle until the chunk slid out. Usually in deep mud.

Finally, one day, I was rebuilding a hub by pulling it apart, removing all the grease, and replacing it with a thin lube with teflon to make it easier to slide.

When I went to put it back together, I noticed that the spring had one end larger than the other.
It would fit either way. Big end out, it slid over a boss on the chunk like it was made to.
But, little end out, it went up inside a recess within the boss. Checked the factory manual, and it said big end out. But in the meantime, I had tried the big end in, and noticed it rubbed on the spines on the inside of the hub all the way in. Hard.

A light dawned. With the big end out, it rubbed on the splines taking away most of the force needed to move the chunk when it was supposed to.

I turned the springs around, and they became a lot more reliable.

As for the Yukons, it looks like they have solved most of the problems I was having with the Fords.
From the pics, it looks like they have a brass sleeve on the part on the axle that fits inside the chunk that engages the hub splines.
So, a worn spindle bearing has no effect. Plus it looks like the spring is the same size on each end.

However, even though they do make a set for my Dana 44 19 spline, they get about $325 for a set.......

Don't have that kind of coin with the medical bills I have outstanding, so I think I will go with the Warns for now.
Hunting season is descending like the stroke of doom, and I have no 4wd at this point.
But, when my finances improve, I may just swap out the Warns for a set of Yukons.
To tell the truth though, I probably do not need the extra strength. I drive in bad places, but seldom put my truck to the kind of loads you folks do. No rock crawling, not many rocks in Fl.
Mud does not present the shock loads. Plus, instead of just powering out of a bad spot, I stop, get out, and use the winch.

You guys would be so bored riding with me............

 

[82355]

Yeah, my Yukons take some rocking to get to engage or disengage, but they're not as bad as Spicers. For as much as everyone brags about Spicers, I always thought they were junk. Cheesy plastic dials, and they suck to engage disengage. The only problem I have ever had with Warns was exploding them due to broken stub shafts.

Martin

 

[imiceman44]

Yeah, my Yukons take some rocking to get to engage or disengage, but they're not as bad as Spicers. For as much as everyone brags about Spicers, I always thought they were junk. Cheesy plastic dials, and they suck to engage disengage. The only problem I have ever had with Warns was exploding them due to broken stub shafts.

Martin

Believe me I hate how Spicer hubs lock unlock, but as fordum HSS noted, when they really give you trouble it's because there is something wrong with the hub, beating or something. I have lost a dial because the bearings were fry and the hub overheated, and melted the dial.
That is why I snag them when I ring them.
I do have a couple vehicles with the warn premium and one with a selectro hub and they are easy to lock but when the dial had problems I was stuck open.

 

[Fordum]

Yeah, I was driving down the beach Mullet fishing one August, and got in soft sand. Went to turn the hubs, and the left one would not turn.
The Ford place had repacked both front bearings the day before, plus there was nothing to hook my winch to, so I was really ticked off.

I did not have an Allen wrench the right size, but I pulled a nail out of an old pallet that had washed up on the beach, and pounded it into about the right shape on my front bumper with a hammer I did happen to have.

Turned out that they had missed getting the little pin in the ring to lock the wheel bearing nuts.
It had backed out enough to cause friction and get things hot.

That caused the two fingers on the hub to melt into the plastic knob just enough to lock it, but not enough for the hub to engage.
I got everything apart, tightened the bearing nut up as best I could, and got the pin in the ring.
Turned the hub to lock, put it all back together and went on fishing.

Monday morning when they rolled the door open at the Ford shop, my truck was sitting about 1 inch from the door.
When the guy opening the door saw my face, he broke and ran for the shop manager.........

Got an entire new hub assembly for free out of that one.........

 

[Blue85]

I like the Warn standard. It has the same 1/4-turn engagement as the Superwinch, and the same internals as the Warn premium. The premium is harder to see which position it's in when it's dirty and has that silly gold color.

I was thinking that one of them still has a lifetime warranty?

 

[badmix]

I have Warn Gold Hubs, havent had any issues with them, I wheel/engage them atleast once a month for light trail riding, nothing major.

I dont know if how hard you wheel will play any role in their reliability

 

[sweetk30]

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310930

 

[blaznjon]

I have used both styles of the standard warn hubs on d44`s and 10 bolts.

I like the older standard kind like on my 73 they are almost 3/4 turn to lock. I don`t know if its because they are older and worn more but they are smoother and easier to turn.

seems like the newer ones, the 1/4 turn ones are harder to turn when in snow or mud.could be that the newer ones are a courser thread to engage.

I never have broken one, but have broken u joints .

 

[Fordum]

Picked up the hubs on Monday. Opened the box in the parking lot and looked them over.
I don't know what the standard ones look like, but the premium ones still have the 3/4 turn to lock with the brass colored knobs.

They looked OK. The wavy spring that they use to engage them gets really stiff when you start to compress it.
Unless it breaks, its going to force the parts together even if things are not well greased or smooth.

Even though I spent years cussing them, I still would prefer a solid drive. I look back with some fondness at my hours of climbing out of the Jeep, trying to turn a hub, failing, trying to rock a muddy tire, or climbing back in bumping the gears slightly and trying again.

Even though it was a huge pain, I knew once that hub said "locked" it darn well was locked.
I could not do the reach behind and turn the axle joint trick, since mine were sealed and ran in oil.

As stiff as these springs are, they are about the best of both worlds. I can turn it to lock even if the gear teeth are not lined up, and they will snap into place when they do.
First one that breaks though, is being replaced by a solid piece of metal..........

I will try to get them on this week and give a final report. Probably post some pics before I do for anyone who has not seen that brand.