Lock Out Hubs?

[Crazy Horse]

Does anyone know if lock out hubs are made for the front end of the Dodge 2500? I've never seen em, and I've never seen any listed in any aftermarket application guide.

 

[Archive]

Unless something new has been developed, the answer to your question is no. We researched this about 8-9 months ago and even had a guy that lived near the Warn factory helping us. The only way to get hubs on our Rams is to change out the front end.



If someone develops a way, it would sell like hotcakes, That was a huge thread!

 

[JWhitcomb]

I have never owned a 4x4 so have no knowledge as to what these hubs do. However I see them a lot on many vehicles so am puzzled why none for Ram. Anybody care to educate me a bit?

 

[DAWG-1]

Manual Hubs

Hi Crazy Horse,

You can contact Dynatrac at 714-596-4461 their website sucks, no information. They sell 3 different kits, stage I thru stage III. I checked into this on my '95. I dont think it was cheap. Hope this helps .

 

[GKR]

There is a company called Dyna-trac I believe that has a kit for this now. I'll try and find the article again but it did away with the axle disconnect, the tapered axles( which are turned down to dana 44 diameter) for the disconnect and allowed for different axle strength upgrades and the use of locking hubs. I'll forward more details as possible.

 

[Crazy Horse]

DAWG 1 and GKR, Thanks for the info . I just emailed Warn so we'll see what they say. Warn can't still be mad at Dodge for the 94 model year change. I did tell them there is quite a need for them. I can't believe Dodge doesn't have any thing, but then again lockout hubs would save alot of wear and tear on the 4wd front end, not to mention what we would all gain in fuel economy.

 

[cap-n-cray]

Hubs

I had automatic locking hubs on a 1966 Jeep made by Warn. You could lock them solid manually but if they were in auto they would lock as long as you were applying power to the front end. When the power was removed they would free wheel. They were great untill you went down a hill. Coasting down hill meant no power to the front and you would loose four wheel drive. It was nice not having to get out to lock the hubs all the time. It did save wear and tear on the front end and did save on gas. I would be interest in locking hubs.

 

[MidwestMotorman]

I kind of like not having to get out and lock in those hubs. Not to mention the extra maintenance of repacking the bearings. If they ever do go use locking hubs, I hope they use steel and not the aluminum ones that the bolts corrode and freeze tight in.



Has anyone had any problems with the solid hubs on the front of their 4x4? I had to have a new one on my 99 at 155 miles because the bearing was too loose, it ate the inner seal and threw grease all over the inside of the rim. I never inquiried if this was a frequent occurence or not. I can not say I have run into another that was bad.



I know the older (80-something on down to 74) non-lockout dodges were known for wearing out the bearings and eating spindles. Does anyone know if the newer styles are greasable? The older ones had the grease zerk on the bottom. I guess you were lucky if you found one that was actually greased regularly.

 

[Crazy Horse]

cap n cray - I have NO USE for any automatic locking hub, I need manual locking hubs so I can disenguage the front axles from the tires, so everything is not spinning when driving on pavement. It would also allow all you camper and 5th wheel people to use the 4 Lo gearing capacity the truck has when you are in 2wd.

 

[tgbol]

Warn has discontinued the auto locking premium hub. I loved them on a blazer axle I had under a '58 Chevy 1/2 ton. You could lock manually like a regular hub, or let the sprag clutch do it.

Any time the axle shaft turned faster than the wheel the sprag would lock. If the wheel turned faster than the axle it would freewheel. for real off road work you had to lock them, but if you came across a mud hole and wanted a little security just pull the transfer case in to gear and the hubs would lock.

 

[BV]

Locking Hubs

I have been emailing my neighbors (Warn Industries) off and on now for 3 years asking for a conversion kit. Even asked them how many folks would it take to make it profitable (no reply to this question). Still no kit available.



DynaTrack was around $2,500 if I remember correctly so it was out of the question for me.



Crazy Horse - BD makes a kit so you can use 4x2 low range by blocking the vacuum to the CAD (center axle disconnect).

 

[Crazy Horse]

"The 94 and up Dodge pick-ups use a center disconnect system. This system

does not have provisions for a hublock at the wheel end".



Michael McEwen

Technical Customer Service Representative

Warn Industries, Inc.



Hey BV This is the reply I got from Warn Industries, not much intrest is there?

 

[Loren]

It's not a question of lack of interest. The center axle disconnect uses a different type of hub at the wheel from the older style axles. You can't build an unlocking hub for them. That's why an axle swap is required if you insist on unlocking the wheels at the hubs.



Loren

 

[WOWZY]

I've kept this article in my Favorites so that if my Dana 60 go KABOOM I'll be ready with all of Dave's valuable info on this swap.



http://dodgeram.org/ki4cy/4x4/dynatrac/front_axle.htm