Rear selectable hubs? Why not?

6BangBronk

6BangBronk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Location
Durham
I've had this idea in my head for a while now considering I'm not a big trail person. And I've searched the Internet with no prevail. What would be wrong about putting selectable hubs on the rear? I'm a fan of spools but on the street, it would be nice to hop out, unlock a rear hub, and drive on home after a day of wheeling. Or vise versa in my case, get stuck in the front yard sort of thing, hop out and turn hub, move on. Just trying to find a cheaper route to an ARB. I just wouldn't get the moneys worth of an ARB. I'd probably only have to lock it once or twice a year myself...

Seems simple to make an adapter to accept a D60 front spindle onto a 14B rear. Get some custom 35 spline shafts and then load the rear like a D60 front. Could even use stock disk brakes and all.

Any input? Links? Or am I not seeing something obvious? :shaking: Has it ever been done?
 
The biggest problem you would have is your buddies unlocking your hubs while you're sitting at pizza hut not paying attention.
 
The other prob would be you'd be one wheel drive...ie...more wear on one tire.
 
yea, it will pull to one side. but here is a picture of it on an AMC 20

ai22.photobucket.com_albums_b323_JonMetty_IMG_3645.jpg
 
You could unlock them and do front diggs :Rockon:
 
sounds like if you only need it locked once or twice a year you need to look into a limited slip. By the time you get custom axles, hub & rotor asly., 35 spline hubs, ect you'll be close if not more money in it than with a locker. Not to mention if you ride around with just one hub locked and you accelerate depending which one you have locked it will eather throw into a dich or oncomming traffic.
 
lbyota85 said:
sounds like if you only need it locked once or twice a year you need to look into a limited slip. By the time you get custom axles, hub & rotor asly., 35 spline hubs, ect you'll be close if not more money in it than with a locker. Not to mention if you ride around with just one hub locked and you accelerate depending which one you have locked it will eather throw into a dich or oncomming traffic.
Click to expand...

Been stuck with a limited slip before... No fun!:shaking:

As for cost, could do same with a 60 rear and 44 front ends then.

So the "pull to one side" is the obvious I'm missing as to why EVERYBODY don't have them? Seems like a limited slip that spins only one tire would pull to one side? I guess the side gears equal it out enough to get going? I know Detroits pull to one side for a moment when you accelerate or decelerate, seems like something that wouldn't be too drastic and easy to get used to? As that goes then why not use them on "trail only" type buggies?

Only thing about spools is that I bet they wouldn't be too fun with a heavy load in the bed? Seems like an axle breaker? I've searched "hauling with spool" alot too and haven't found anything. I know you can work a detroit pretty good by letting off on corners, ect.

I love options and to be able to lock any hub at any time would be a wonderful thing. I swear I just can't picture why no one runs them? At least on the trail? Front digs, best scenerio for flat towing, effective way to lock unlock from fully being locked (spool in the F and R), easily converted to dual piston rear disks. Then there's always that situation where you WANT it to pull to one side or the other.
 
hubs

It will be very dangerous to drive on the highway with one hub unlocked. I have a spool and it is a bear to drive even a short distance with a broken axle.(one wheel pulling) I ran locking hubs on the rear for a while. If you are wheeling hard, you will find they will bust the hub gear inside your selectible lockout consistently.
 
i think i saw this 5 or 6 years ago over on the rangerstation. i dont think it ended well. The rangerstation has shutdown and re opened since then so the thread is gone.
 
About the only benefit I can see is if you were gonna flat tow the vehicle.
 
BigRedB2 said:
i think i saw this 5 or 6 years ago over on the rangerstation. i dont think it ended well. The rangerstation has shutdown and re opened since then so the thread is gone.
Click to expand...

Welp, speaking from minimal experimentation under my belt guys, you just never know til you ask since there's no poop to be found on this. And then you got to analize from every aspect with open mind and not just take word from others that have never experienced anything like and only preaching their own brainwashings such as all you get on PBB.

LARRY SMITH, good word! Nothing like hearing something from even a couple different directions from a been there - done that standpoint. Thanks man!

:beer:
 
6BangBronk said:
I've had this idea in my head for a while now considering I'm not a big trail person. And I've searched the Internet with no prevail. What would be wrong about putting selectable hubs on the rear? I'm a fan of spools but on the street, it would be nice to hop out, unlock a rear hub, and drive on home after a day of wheeling. Or vise versa in my case, get stuck in the front yard sort of thing, hop out and turn hub, move on. Just trying to find a cheaper route to an ARB. I just wouldn't get the moneys worth of an ARB. I'd probably only have to lock it once or twice a year myself...
Seems simple to make an adapter to accept a D60 front spindle onto a 14B rear. Get some custom 35 spline shafts and then load the rear like a D60 front. Could even use stock disk brakes and all.
Any input? Links? Or am I not seeing something obvious? :shaking: Has it ever been done?
Click to expand...


Here's how I would look at it. By putting selectable hubs at the end of your custom axleshafts, you are putting the weak link there. Now granted, hubs are easy to change in the field, but should the breakage also cause damage to your custom axleshaft, you are really screwed because you no longer have junkyard parts availability to get you back on the road.

ARB is not your only option any more to fully spool your axle when you need it and keep it open otherwise. Depending on your application, there is the OX locker (cable actuated) and there is an electric option that I'm not sure of the manufacturer. Both are cheaper and less prone to hiccups that ARB's are notorious for.

All in all, I'd say the selectabe hubs on the rear are ONLY a good idea for someone who will flat tow a LOT.
 
This was actually somewhat common about ten years ago. Currie or somebody offered kits to convert several SF rear axle assemblies to FF. You'd remove everything down to the bare housing, then bolt on their spindle and hub. They were usually 35 spline/D60 based, but there weren't cheap pucks available, so they had Warn make up a special 35spl lockout with a set screw to keep it engaged.

It was a problematic system. The lockouts broke or disengaged, sometimes causing damage to Detroit side gears due to sudden unloading. If you broke a shaft, you could remove the broken bits and unlock the hub, but you can do the same thing with any other FF axle, so nothing special there. Warn started making a 35spl puck shortly after that, and the idea fell out of favor.
 
saf-t scissors said:
This was actually somewhat common about ten years ago. Currie or somebody offered kits to convert several SF rear axle assemblies to FF. You'd remove everything down to the bare housing, then bolt on their spindle and hub. They were usually 35 spline/D60 based, but there weren't cheap pucks available, so they had Warn make up a special 35spl lockout with a set screw to keep it engaged.

It was a problematic system. The lockouts broke or disengaged, sometimes causing damage to Detroit side gears due to sudden unloading. If you broke a shaft, you could remove the broken bits and unlock the hub, but you can do the same thing with any other FF axle, so nothing special there. Warn started making a 35spl puck shortly after that, and the idea fell out of favor.
Click to expand...
I saw this kit on a 44 rear in a xj about 6 years ago sitting out side clemson 4x4 and was scratching my head. I think its a bad idea cause when you turn your wheels with hubs locked the load put on the rear hubs would be brutal compared to locking hubs on your front axle which are turning with the front wheels moving the stress to the joint vs. the rear which is fixed straight ahead. It would prob be similar to the stress put on front hubs and joints when turning with a spool or welded. I think?:rolleyes:
 
I've run a WARN full float kit in my spooled trail Jeep for several years. I've yet to break a hub, but driving on the street with one unlocked is down right scary. I'd much rather drive it fully locked and spooled any day.
 
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