Manual hubs vs Auto hubs

[RangerNielsen]

I got in a debate with my dads mechanic friend with hubs. He prefers auto and told me I should put auto back on my truck, rather than manual. So my question is, which do you prefer and why?

 

[adsm08]

I am not fond of auto hubs for several reasons. With manual hubs you turn a switch and it's in. With auto hubs you have to pray and then sacrifice a choice bull to the 4x4 gods and hope it engages.

I also have gotten in the habit of locking my hubs to hold the front drive shaft still while I break the bolts loose. I have found that even turning the front drive shaft the whole way around to get at all the bolts is difficult with auto hubs because they keep engaging (mine actually work) and keeping the dive shaft from moving.

If I had the parts on hand or the money to go buy them my truck would already be back to manual hubs, but I have neither and I am willing to live with them for now to have the bigger brakes of the D35.


The only place that autos really have the advantage is in wear and tear on the front end. It's hard on the axle shaft U-joints to operate at such severe angles as are achieved during turns. Autos engage automatically (on paper anyway) when the front shafts start to turn and then can be disengaged by backing up a few feet. That way you don't have to stop, get out, and unlock them.


Sounds like your dad's buddy is just lazy.

 

[Dune Runner]

I run manual hubs. I like simple. I try to use the KISS methodology when it comes to mechanical things.

 

[6.2]

I like my live front end. No manual/auto shit to deal with. It's always locked in. Hit the 4x4 switch to engage the transfer case and good to go.

 

[adsm08]

I like my live front end. No manual/auto shit to deal with. It's always locked in. Hit the 4x4 switch to engage the transfer case and good to go.

Oh you poor boy, that's even worse.

First, it means you have the weak IFS front end. Second, it means you have the even more unreliable electronic shift transfer case.

What do your front wheel bearings cost again? $150? $200?

I can buy all four of mine and the dust seals for about $50. And you probably go through four sets to every one I wear out.

Then there is all that horribly complicated process of actually completing a 4-low shift, and still the prayers and burnt sacrifices to the 4x4 gods every time you want to put some power to the front wheels.

I pull on a stick and it's in. Probably even takes less effort than finding the switch and turning it. For 4 low, I just slow down and pull farther. No neutral, brake pedal, stand on your head, pull your ear lobe and turn left three times on your right foot.

 

[6.2]

Lol. You call it weak, I call it damn tough.

I put my truck through hell and back with zero issues.

No transfer case switching issues, and going into 4 low is easy

 

[adsm08]

going into 4 low is easy

Still harder than on my truck.



And yes, the larger numbers say that the IFS setup is weak compared to the TTB front end. You WILL go through 3 or 4 front wheel bearing per side for every one set that a TTB wears out.

 

[6.2]

Well I've got almost 200k kms and haven't done em yet. So I don't see the big deal.

And big deal, I have to use neutral to go into 4 low. If I need 4 low for something I'll be stopped first anyways.

I'd much rather have the common SLA IFS than the uncommon TTB IFS.

 

[adsm08]

I'd much rather have the common SLA IFS than the uncommon TTB IFS.

Um, they made the TTB longer than the IFS. And part's aren't that uncommon, you just have to know where they are. You won't find fish in the desert, and you won't find a cactus in the ocean.

 

[bmerr98]

I must be an oddball with manual hubs and an electric shift transfer case...

 

[6.2]

Ford is the only one that used TTB to my knowledge. SLA and modern IFS in general is way more widely used. Mechanics are familiar with it. TTB, not so much.

You like TTB, I like what I have.
You won't change my mind. And I won't change yours.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Still harder than on my truck.



And yes, the larger numbers say that the IFS setup is weak compared to the TTB front end. You WILL go through 3 or 4 front wheel bearing per side for every one set that a TTB wears out.

In all fairness you should have a D28 in the front of yours which I would put behind the IFS D35 in strength.

Um, they made the TTB longer than the IFS. And part's aren't that uncommon, you just have to know where they are. You won't find fish in the desert, and you won't find a cactus in the ocean.

You still have to "know a guy" to get a TTB aligned properly, they are a whole different kind of front axle. And they are only getting fewer and farther between.

Ford is the only one that used TTB to my knowledge. SLA and modern IFS in general is way more widely used. Mechanics are familiar with it. TTB, not so much.

You like TTB, I like what I have.
You won't change my mind. And I won't change yours.

Actually I used to have a FWD Mitsubishi Eclipse and it had a lightweight knock off TIB for a rear axle.

I like the TTB because it is far cheaper to lift and can get a ton more flex over the SLA. On the other hand given my druthers I would rather have a solid axle for a toy like my Ranger so I didn't have to align the thing every time I tinkered with it and it wouldn't be quite such an effective mud/snow plow.

T-case shift motors do go bad, I changed the one on my mom's '94 Explorer in the driveway one winter because it was helpless in 2wd... my brother had to lay in the mud under his '97 F-150 and beat on the motor with a wrench to get to engage. It just doesn't sound like much fun to me. Levers can stick from lack of use but I have had one (Ranger) for 13 years and another ('02 F-150) for 8 years and neither have failed me yet.

For hubs, manual because I don't know if anybody has figured out a way to make reliable automatic hubs. The live front axle is kinda cheating but it works. It is also completly irrelevant for this conversation.

 

[SenorNoob]

I run manual hubs. I like simple. I try to use the KISS methodology when it comes to mechanical things.

This!^

Not to mention that every auto hub I've looked at had some kind of PLASTIC drive component. Plastic and 4 low don't work well together.

 

[RangerNielsen]

Sounds like your dad's buddy is just lazy.

you would semi correct with that statement. He is a 35 year, now retired deputy, and is getting to about his 60s now, i think. As for the lazyness, i would agree. Its not that hard to get out and lock the hubs in when youre about to go wheeling or snow driving or anything.

Not to mention that every auto hub I've looked at had some kind of PLASTIC drive component. Plastic and 4 low don't work well together.

yes ive noticed that...
I had a 96 f250 with automatic, and when i was out playing in it, coming up a muddy incline, grab 4wd and sat there for like 6 seconds until the hubs engaged, and when i reversed up the incline, the hubs kept unlocking.

 

[ab_slack]

Manual. I like knowing it is in or out. The period when I had auto locking, it was quite annoying to get them unlocked and I was never entirely certain.

Also with manual, I just would lock them at the start of the season and then with manual shifter be in and out of 4wd faster than could do with electric/auto locking. For me that speed difference counts when traveling at speed and coming across a snow drift across an otherwise dry road. Happens to me quite often.