Nissan D21 Auto Locking Hubs

DerrickS

Member
Joined
May 13, 2009
Location
Black Mountain
Can anyone tell me about the pro's and/or con's of having the auto locking hubs on a 1996 Nissan D21? I currently have the manual hubs, but I noticed in the factory service manual that there are auto hubs available. It looks like they are dead simple, but I'm not sure specifically. If they are good to use, I might look at sourcing the parts from a u-pull it yard or something.

Comments?
 
I had them... worked fine until I needed them to be locked. Ended up in a long (read: PITA) tow out of the woods.

Replaced with manual hubs and never had an issue afterwards.
 
Thanks y'all. Just what I wanted to hear.
 
Skip them. The way the Nissan autos work is this: When torque is applied from the CV shaft a cam assembly turns and locks the dog clutch in the hub assembly. When you reverse direction (like rocking in mud) the hub will actually unlock and re-lock in the opposite direction, shock loading the hub. Good way to break a hub or CV. Depending on what vintage you get the cam may even be made of plastic and has a habit of breaking.

The Nissan manuals, especially the AVM-manufactured ones that came stock on your '96, are basically indestructible. Keep them!
 
That's what I was thinking from looking at the exploded view. Probably explains why I don't see many auto hubs on these things.

Thanks-
 
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