Hellos All, which do you prefer, manual or automatic locking hubs? I've heard the automatic ones will burn up. Is that right? Like some feedback. Thanks......Jackman

 

The auto locking hubs had a lot of problems making them unreliable. Most people swap them out for the manual hubs. I believe they are stronger also but not sure about that.

personally, I prefer the manuals. it takes the guess work out of knowing youre locked in!

 

there are more advantages to using manual locking hubs than automatic ones (as long as you don't mind getting out your car to lock them). Theres less moving parts in the maunual hubs, so theres less to mess up making them more reliable. They also relieve some of the stress of your CV joints if your running IFS and give a tiny little increase in gas mileage while off road as well as giving a tiny boost in the torque at the front wheels when in 4wd. Also to lock the ADD hubs I think you had to go in reverse for a couple tire rotations, I've never had to do that with my manual locking hubs. So unless your trying to stay clean and pretty when off-road get the manuals.

 

An '87 didn't have ADD, it had auto hubs, there is a difference. IIRC, the auto hubs only lock while moving forward, so if you get stuck and have to go in reverse to get out, you are doing it in 2wd.

 

Thanks fellas, that was my problem with the auto hubs, (getting stuck). I swaped them with some manuals from a 86 Runner and "man can you tell the difference." Lot of parts to switch out though, but worth it. Thanks again......Jackman

 

Not true! The auto hubs would lock in both forward and backward, but you had to back up to disengage, and it didn't always cooperate. Also, the engage mechanism with the tabs to lock/unlock would regularly get bent by the dealer doing bearing repacks, so I swapped in Warn manuals.

 

I had heard that they unlock in reverse as well...

But it's a moot point. Auto hubs = no good

 

The AUTO hub will unlock after 1/4 turn of the axle in reverse. This is the major flaw to the design. Often on the trail we need to back up in 4WD. Especially if the vehicle is stuck, and we're trying to free it by backing out of the hole it is in. With the AUTO hubs, once you shift into reverse and begin to turn the driveline the hubs will unlock, and you'll be left with only 2WD in reverse. The will eventually lock into 4WD again, but having them unlock on you at all is very troublesome.

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

It does say, however, that it will eventually lock again, so I suppose we are both right to some extent. Either way, this is the problem with these hubs.
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/autohub/