Hello everyone!
I'm new here and so far I like what I see.

I know this issue i'm having might be getting old to you guys, but still I need some help. My 1986 4runner came stock with automatic locking hubs. The other day I was coming home from UGA and the front wheel on the passenger side was making this really annoying grinding noise, I figured either hub or my bearing. It got so loud that if I pull up to a red light, the people inside the store at the intersection was turning their heads. Well I pulled over and tried for about 15 minutes to get the hubs to unlock by backing up and pulling forward over and over and eventually I got them to unlock, and the noise stopped...well when I got home I guess my dirt road made it start doing it again. I pulled the auto locking hub off the passenger side , and if you shake the assembly you can hear stuff jingling around. Since i've never messed with auto hubs i'm not sure what it is. So i've read here and a few other places that you can change it to manual, and increase the life of the axles and other things. I want to know if I can just go to pull a part or something and just get manuals and just pull the autos off and swap them. And what all parts and some techniques anyone would recommend for the process. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

 

I found this helpful when I put my WARN Manual hubs on: http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/autohub/

I know allot of people plug the quality of the AISIN Hubs - but I wanted to be different!

 

check with dirtoyboy. he can help you out alot with getting stock used AISIN manual hubs.

 

Definitely swap them for some manual hubs. Aisin hubs are the best but if you're not too hard core Warn hubs will work too.

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/autohub/

I'm pulling off my Warn hubs now to replace with Aisin hubs so I'll sell you a set cheap.

 

Wow those replys were pretty quick. That sounds good, how cheap are you willing to sell?

 

PM sent, here's some pics of them.

 

I've got a set of Warn Premiums on my truck like Dales - I love 'em. They're super easy to install (though I didn't need the spline kit for your Auto hubs). Took me about 30 minutes per side to install - most of the time was taking the tires off and applying gasket to them.

 

This is probably a dumb question...Well the motor in my other truck just crapped out on me this morning, which leaves me with 2 front yard ornaments lol. Is it even possible to drive my 4runner without the locking hubs? Since the wheel rotates without them. I'm just not sure if the axle would slide out or not.

 

I wouldnt recommend Warn hubs. The design is inferior to Aisin/ASCO hubs because they dont use cone washers. I have seen many pairs (of Warns) go in the garbage..just FYI

 

I wouldn't do that, you might screw up the splines on the axle. Plus wouldn't you get dirt into the CV or bearings?

 

Maybe if I strip the gears out of the hubs and bolted it back up? Wouldn't that be the same as manual locking hubs with them unlocked? I don't think i'm gonna risk it driving an hour to school with no hub

 

Not really, the manual hubs have a gear with bearing surface that goes over the axle splines and supports the axle when they are unlocked.

 

Which explains why there is a big washer that screws onto the axle...I just thought about that

 

do yourself a favor, ditch the auto locking hubs, and get manual locking hubs.

 

Warn hubs work very well. The only design flaw I can see is the nuts coming loose where the Aisin Hubs would use cone washers. That's why God invented BLUE LOCTITE! Guess what? Mine stay on there just fine. My hubs lock and unlock every time, and they stay locked when I need 'em to.

I hear claims all the time that Aisins are stronger than Warns. This may be true - but I have never seen any evidence or real support for this claim other than someone saying "I've seen Warn hubs get thrown away before."

Warn Hubs are easy to find, inexpensive (compared to reman Aisin) - and they have a LIFETIME warranty on them.

 

How much are Warn hubs? Aisin hubs are usually about 60 dollars used

 

Maybe the motor on my other truck is damaged beyond my budget allows, because my aunt is anxious to get rid of her 96 tacoma 2wd ex cab.

Anyways, I appreciate all advice that was given, looking forward to getting some manual hubs soon! As long as my hubs don't mess up or my cv breaks, i'm fine with anykind. It's no rock crawling kinda truck, so I won't be doing anything harsh to break them.

 

The used Aisins for 60 bucks are pretty much just taken right off a vehicle - which is fine, and it's a good price. I'm the kinda guy who has to either have new or rebuilt stuff on things like this. I almost purchased a set of rebuilt Aisins but they run $250 from WABFAB. They're great hubs and look and function like brand spankin new - but I ended up spending $140 on my brand new Warn Hubs.

Nothin wrong with used though.

 

Just FYI, you can buy a rebuild kit from Toyota for about 10 dollars. It takes less than an hour to rebuild BOTH hubs.....It's actually very very simple

 

While we're on the subject of rebuilding a set of Aisin hubs here's the info I've been using and bookmarked:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=281879

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...volved-127956/

http://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota...b-rebuild.html