Why not external hubs?

[PsychoticDeadGuy]

Well, i just did my 3/4 ton conversion on my 10b and the parts i used was the backing plate, spindel, rotor, and selectro heavy duty external hubs off of a 76 K20. why dont people use these oldie parts, there so much beefier than the new stuff. the backing plates are really think all the way around and the hubs, oh my god, the hubs are so cool. there easy to use and set up and there beefy. so why doesnt anybody use this style hub anymore. when people do the 3/4 hubs on there 1/2 ton, why not go and look for the 76 and older stuff?

 

[ramses]

I wondered the same thing myself, until I broke one of the plastic knobs on my truck lol. Ive still yet to find anywhere that still sells them. Parts for the big hubs are harder to find than parts for a Dana 60, at least around here. Ive actually seen as many Dana 60's in my life as 44's with the big hubs lol. Ill be selling mine soon when I swap a 60 in if youre interested. They are great hubs in my opinion though, ive never seen one broken other than the only weak point I know about which is the plastic knob likes to strip out inside. My friend is gonna fix that for me though, hes gonna make me some knobs out of metal(hes a machinist)

 

[PsychoticDeadGuy]

plastic knobs? where are these?

mine look like this

where are the plastic knobs you are talking about?

 

[BigOrange90Jimmy]

The plastic he's referring to was on the Spicer style hubs. They were similar to the internal hubs used now, only.......not.

 

[ramses]

Lol sorry I didnt see Selectro for some reason I must have read it too fast. I thought you were talking about the big Spicer hubs they used on 44's in the early 70's.

 

[PsychoticDeadGuy]

so, are there any downsides to the hubs i am now using? they seem really beefy to me but i havent seen any on anyother rigs...why not?

 

[POWERMAD]

It's not that people don't like the lockouts it's the smaller spindle and bearings that go with the hubs that people don't like.
And some have problems with the lockout mounting bolts backing off.
I used copper PTO lock tabs on my last one to keep them from loosening up.

 

[JIMs70K25]

Main number one reason:

On external hubs the piece that transmits power from the axle to the hub is bolted on, i.e. those 6 3/8" bolts have all the torque to the wheel going to them then the hub, on intenal hubs power goes from the axle to the hub, those little screws on internal hubs only hold the dial on, they do not see any power. Basically internal hubs take a weak link in the chain out, similar to the the sleeve between a SM465 and NP205, there is no sleeve on a 400/205 combo. I had selectros and spicers on the two 70s I had.

 

[HarryH3]

Upgrade to grade 8 bolts, with lock tabs, and they'll hold up to plenty of abuse. There are only 8 3/8's bolts that hold the axle flange to the hub on a 14 bolt FF.

 

[79Beast]

I think the main reason few people use the external hubs is because the internals are much more common. The externals look REALLY cool, but they aren't much stronger than duct taping the stub shaft to the bearing hub. Unless you don't mind grenading hubs every time you even think about opening the 4 barrell, stick with the internal style.