Opinions on Hubs

So in conjunction with doing the Disc Brake Upgrade on my D27, I'm also planning ahead a bit for the future, in that I know I'll be tossing a locker of some sort in there in the next year or so. I'm not planning on building a crazy rock crawler or anything, but I do plan to drive the hell out of it, and actually *use* the 4wd as much as possible.

So, herein lies where I'm looking for opinions/information.

Jeep came with a set of selectros on it, when I bought it, and they work fine, but they just don't seem particularly strong, so I want to replace them, especially with a locker. Wheelie recently had a set of old school M2 Warns in the classifieds, and I'd venture they're plenty strong. But I'm also considering just dropping the 2 bills on a set of new warn premiums.

Any big advantage to the Warn Premiums, over something like the older M2's?

(Yes, I know wheelie sold his. But they're not exactly rare in the classifieds, on fleabay, whatever.)

 

10 spline hubs are so hard to sell that I don't even save them anymore unless they are really nice. My guess would be that USA made hubs of the 70s are probably superior to Chinese made ones. Always carry a drive flange in case you blow up a hub. Doesn't take up much space and you can't break one.

 

Have you considered using the factory drive flanges instead of locking hubs? If you do want the option of free wheeling hubs, you can swap the flanges for a set of the original Warn summer hubs for the occasion.

 

Agree with Daryl 100%.
Any of the brands worked well back in the day.
I don't believe "premium" of anything made today is anywhere close to what was made 40 years ago.
Just my opinion.
What you already have is probably better than what you can get today.

 

Not entirely certain I'd agree with that. Just based on basic physics. The selectro's I currently have, have the three little "arms" that engage things. I'm just having a hard time seeing how that's ever going to be as strong as a Warn style splined hub.

I've kept a drive flange in the toolbox since the day I got it, just in case one of them ever decided to give up the ghost on me, while I was out crawling around the hills.

 

go early bronco d30 internal spline hubs and spindles and never mess with jeep 5 or 6 bolt hubs again .

 

The internal splined hubs are the strongest by far for a locking hub. Drive flanges are the strongest. The Warn ZA bodied external hubs are very strong (newer models, been running them as FF hubs for years). You can pick them up and feel the heavier weight due to the higher density of material compared to other hubs of like type. The Warn M-2 or whatever are strong hubs but can be problematic to lock in if everything isn't in alignment. I don't like Selectro's as they can rub on a bank and unlock (been there done that) and aren't all that strong to begin with. Lots of times the aluminum ramps break on them internally. How often have you seen people looking for parts for them on here? Milemarkers are junk and I won't even recommend them to anyone.
After 22 years in the business and trying several different brands this has been my and my customers experiences. Your mileage may vary of course.

 

Both of my jeeps have Warns and I have another set of Spartans in the garage. Of course I also have a drive flange in the tool box.
The dualmatics sort of worked but unless you are going for a period correct, don't bother.

 

I agree the Ford internal setup is superior to the external setup.

 

bigger bearings needed too ....

 

As Nickmil posted above, don't use the older style Warn hubs with a front locker.
Many times I had to drive in circles to get them unlocked after a day on the trail...

 

Drive around in reverse.

 

Do you need to change to 19 spline axle shafts?

I run the new "premiums" on my FF differential. I have 35's and a Power lock. I have not done any real taxing of this setup, but so far they work well. Make a funny ratcheting noise in reverse occasionally. They seem to be well made and can be purchased for under 200 bucks. FWIW i have used selectro, dualmatic, warn older, (not m2 vintage) and warn new. They all have worked fine for what i was doing. I would just buy the new Warn ones and bolt them on.

 

you can run the jeep inner axle and d30 bronco outers ,,,,,,the bearings are different so you need bearings spindles and hubs , and if you have drum brakes the hole for the spindle is large so ford backing plates are needed also .,,,I know a lot of EB guys and to them the d30 is junk and all parts are cheap. I have a set of spare outers,,,, actually I have a whole set of inners and outers with solid joints coming out of my rig right now .. since I went 30 spline ......

 

So as I can se the outer axle shaft and therefore the spindle is longer. This would be the way to make a FF D44 axle, but the custom axle shaft would need to be longer than the one for use with the d30 stuff. That locking hub is broke

 

when that hub shattered that sound was AWESOME !!!!

I use the standard NT jeep inner and the joint is the same for d30 jeep to bronco ....