question about manual locking hubs. true 4x4 and wheel spacers

[hudson966]

i have a 2008 ranger sport 4x4 and was curious about switching to manual hubs. what are the pros and cons of this switch? another question i want to know about were to get wheel spacers cause i like the look of a wide stance just looking for about 1 1/4 or smaller not interested in changing wheels cause i like the stock. also would really like to have true four wheel drive instead of only one wheel spinning on the back in snow how do i change this and will manual hubs in the front change this one wheel spinning bull shit haha.

 

[clifford97]

im sure someone else will fill u in more completely but as i know it, manual hubs are sometimes stronger and deff more reliable(pro) but you have to MANUALY(hense the name) get out and lock them, meaning you wont have the little switch or button to put it into 4w.(con, esp when your hub is a ft underwater or mud or snow)

wheel spacers i dont know much on. but i know that they can fail and break. but i just DONT KNOW!.....lol

one wheel spinning no what hubs you use wont affect your one tire fire. limited slip or LOCKER (as more people prefer) will take care of that need one for the front AND the rear to have ALL 4 wheels moving at the same time. it will only affect the axle it is on, u put one in the rear the rear wheels will be locked, front-front. but like i said im sure someone else will better inform you and probably correct me.

 

[holyford86]

there were no locking hubs on an 08, the front axleshafts spin all the time

 

[adsm08]

You have a live axle up front. Not hubs, always engaged, don't screw with it. There are no real pros to the swap. It's a lot of work, a lot of money, and creates a weak point in your front drive train that doesn't currently exist. It also won't help you in the MPG department any.

As for "true 4x4". Get a limited slip carrier for the rear and have that put in. Don't put a limited slip or locker in the front if you want to drive this thing on the road. Unless you put a selectable locker in up front ($$$) it will have pretty crappy steering. Most of the 2wd L/S trucks can go anywhere the 4x4s can and then some anyway.

For what it's worth, I have a 4x4 with two open diffs, and even high-centered with 3 wheels off the ground, I've never been stuck anywhere.

As for wheel spacers, if you want them (and I got nothing against them) make sure you get the good ones. Get the ones that have their own studs on them. The ones that just get slapped between the wheel and the hub remove threads for the lugs to grab on to and create a potentially dangerous situation. Also, if you run spacers expect to wear out wheel bearings and ball joints faster than normal.

 

[disciplerocks]

Spacers are expensive, get yourself some wheels with a wider offset for about the same.

 

[hudson966]

thanks for the help as for the backspacing on rims what do they come stock with and what would i need to get to get that wide look

 

[Bennybooster]

Smaller number the farther they stick out, this is 3in of backspacing on a 10in wide wheel with a 10.5 in wide tire

 

[heptofite]

leave your 'stance' alone.

if you start jacking around with the offset you'll start chewing up wheel bearings.