I know if I drive around in my jeep with the front hubs locked I notice a difference in gas mileage and street power. Does changing my 93 4Runner to manual hubs free up the front driveline and who makes the best ones? I don't need the shift on the fly of the always on stock, I'm either on the street or offroad.

James Dean

 

I put Mile Marker manual hubs on mine which are basiclly the same as warn. i have a 91 and i noticed considerably more power and about 1-2 more miles to the gallon. for 100 bucks i'd go for it. over time youll appriciate it.

 

Y'all that have think you've noticed more power and an increase in gas milage with the addition of manual hubs (in either a Jeep or 4Runner) have something else going on, especially if you think you're seeing 1 ~ 2 mpg increase.


In reality you're notice NO increase in either power or gas milage.
Done both vehicles (as have a lot of others that I run with) and no power changes and no increase in gas milage.
There is very little "drag" with freewheeling the front end (which is what you're doing with the hubs locked when in 2wd)..
You're CV's will thank you though.




Fred

 

Its also nice to be able to unlock the hubs when something breaks like half/shafts or gears.

 

Yup, that's one of the main advantage of them.
Anyone doing a manual hub swap with the intent of gaining power and/or milage is going to be sorely disappointed.
Those are not the reason(s) to be doing the swap.



Fred

 

Toyota OEM (Aisin) are the best. I noticed no change in power or MPG.

 

I also didn't notice a power gain or MPG gain. I installed my Warns because I keep blowing CV's.

Plus it's nice to say "I've gotta lock the hubs"

 

Aisin's saved my but a couple times, broken half/shafts wheeling. At least I was able to drive her home both times. No mpg gain, no power gain just peace of mind.

 

Same here - no significant change in mileage, even though the truck does seem to coast easier.

A LOT more options if something breaks offroad with manual hubs...(I would love to do the FROR full floater conversion so I could have them on the rear too!)

 

i saw at least one mpg and when i drove a short couple miles from dirt to dirt with them locked in 2wd it was very slugish from what im used to now.

 

Then you most certainly have something binding up in the front.
I (and everyone else that I know) can tell no difference in driving with the hubs locked or unlocked.
You should set the front on jackstands, lock the front hubs, turn the wheels by hand and see what the problem(s) is/are.




Fred

 

No mileage change, only theoretical.

However, if you have a locker up front, manual hubs are a must. I have a TrueTrac limited slip and if I drive on the highway with the hubs locked (in 2wd) there's ALOT of drag, and I have noticeably less power.

 

Considering that if your Toyota came with "always locked" hubs, it had ADD, which means that when in 2wd the driveshaft isn't spinning anyways.

The only gain manual hubs offer on an ADD system is the reduction of wear on CV's(and more noticably: boots)

 

So with the auto hubs, the CVs still spin?

I don't like the idea of that...

 

Bingo. Stopping them is the real reason to go with manual hubs

 

Simply a false statement.



Then you have something pooched with the LS.
There is no difference in what turns, with or without a locker.



Fred

 

No, not if the hubs are unlocked.



Fred

 

hey fred he said auto hubs.

 

Auto hubs or ADD ?
Auto hubs unlock and lock, similar to manual hubs, but do it "automatically" when pressure is applied via the pinion (when the vehicle is shifted into 4wd).
After the vehicle is in 4wd and then shifted back to 2wd, you have to back the vehicle up several feet to get the auto hubs to unlock.
If you don't "unlock" the hubs after being in 4wd, then yes, the axles will turn because the hubs are still locked.
What am I missing here ?



Fred

 

Actually, with a locker the DS WILL spin. The ADD simply slides a collar over that uncouples the PS (IIRC) axle from the diff. With an open diff, this means all the torque goes to the uncoupled side and therefore nothing spins. With a locker, this won't happen so the driveshaft will spin whenever the driver's side wheel is turning.

NOTE: Auto hubs are relatively rare on Toyotas. If you think you have "auto" hubs, you very likely have "always locked" hubs (actually drive flanges)