4WD front hubs

[markgoldhunter]

just a question to do with hubs. do you set them to 'lock' or 'auto' when normal city type driving. i have a Nissan Patrol myself which i have the front hubs set on 'auto', it is in for repairs at the moment and have been lucky enough that a mate has lent me his Patrol for the time being and i noticed that his hubs are set on 'lock. it has been my understanding that you use lock when either the auto wont engage or if you break an axle and need to lock at least one side in. any thoughts please. mark.

 

[mudgee hunter]

My understanding of the old manual " lock hubs" is ...
They just disengage the hub from the axel on that side only.
Hence why you have to lock both individually.
Designed for less wear and tear unneeded on the front diff centre.
If you are in the old rear wheel drive mode, your front diff won't be turning over. But idol.
Locking in the front hubs in rear wheel drive only mode only, I think will just spin the diff centre .
Your front diff might be just an open diff centre, or LSD, , or remote diff lock.
It is good practice to engage them to help lube them occasionally.
All wheel drive mode varies as well.
This can make one wheel at the front work the same as ONE of the rear wheels.
Depending on if you have LSD in back, + / front as well.
Center diffs can offer full lock ratio ( front and rear shafts turn locked in at same speed/ratio.
Or in all wheel drive mode, the front usually get 45% of the power, but has the ability to clutch itself to various revolutions, depending on turning etc.
Early 4x4s only offered a centre diff lock, that kept the front and rear drive shafts locked in sync.
And had nothing to do with diff centre locks or LSD capacity.
If you had it locked up in the front, and in 4x4 etc, you would of found it very hard to turn on bitumen, sealed roads etc.
Heaps of combinations regarding 4x4 drive trains hey.

 

[mudgee hunter]

Imagine an old Holden with an open rear diff centre. Jack up a rear wheel, and put it in gear, it will only spin the lifted wheel and not go anywhere.
Now picture that exact same set up on the front.
In 4x4.. but with the " hubs" unlocked, that won't even turn a wheel over.
Your diff and that ONE axel are going to spin, but you hub is disconnected from the axel.
If you have LSD up front, both axels and front diff are going to spin, but not the wheels on either side. (Disconnected)
Even if you have both hubs locked up, and jacked up, and an open front diff centre up front, the jacked wheel will spin, but not the one on the ground, unless you have an LSD or centre diff lock.

(Ignoring any drive/ traction from rear wheels. That is )
Remember true fitted 4x4s have 3 diff locks of type.
Rear, centre and front.
Open diffs front and back, or a combination of either open and lsd are ancient.
Open diffs up front in a 4x4 these days........cost cutting. Lsd at a minimum

 

[Rockhunter62]

Hi Mark, your best bet would be to join a Nissan Patrol forum and ask the question there. There would be patrol owners there that will be able to give you the correct info regarding your particular model. You will also be able to get any other questions about your vehicle answered.

Cheers

Doug

 

[Mike678]

The old type free wheeling hubs , should be set on free when on the bitumen . Other wise you will have more tyre wear . I have mine on free most of the time except when the going gets tough . Mine is 30 year old Landcruiser MWB .

 

[Dihusky]

Used to have a 3.0l Patrol and hubs were always in Auto, don't remember ever using Lock but had the car in 4x4 mode plenty of times and the front wheels would always engage, never got stuck.

 

[mudgee hunter]

The old type free wheeling hubs , should be set on free when on the bitumen . Other wise you will have more tyre wear . I have mine on free most of the time except when the going gets tough . Mine is 30 year old Landcruiser MWB .

How would you get more tyre wear when locked in?
* if you have an open diff, and/or not in AWD? When the front drive shaft is not turning?

 

[mudgee hunter]

Hi Mark, your best bet would be to join a Nissan Patrol forum and ask the question there. There would be patrol owners there that will be able to give you the correct info regarding your particular model. You will also be able to get any other questions about your vehicle answered.

Cheers

Doug

So you don't really know....
Anyone can say "Google it"! :lol:
Too out of focus for you.... :lol:

 

[Rockhunter62]

Hi Mark, your best bet would be to join a Nissan Patrol forum and ask the question there. There would be patrol owners there that will be able to give you the correct info regarding your particular model. You will also be able to get any other questions about your vehicle answered.

Cheers

Doug

So you don't really know....
Anyone can say "Google it"! :lol:
Too out of focus for you.... :lol:

I probably do know MH but it is best if Mark gets his answer from a dedicated Patrol forum. It's best to keep your mouth closed and thought to be a fool instead of opening one's mouth and known to be a fool.

Cheers

Doug

 

[Mr Magoo]

For the sake of peace and love. Here's the diff builders tune.
[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/---aL9TdeI4[/video]

 

[madtuna]

This harmless comment...

"Hi Mark, your best bet would be to join a Nissan Patrol forum and ask the question there. There would be patrol owners there that will be able to give you the correct info regarding your particular model. You will also be able to get any other questions about your vehicle answered."

Totaly harmless and you blew a neck vein.

For what it's worth, I agree with him.
As can be seen time and time again, ask a mechanical question on a gold prospecting forum and you'll get 20 different answers. Not saying you wont get the correct answer here but realistically best to ask to ask it on a forum dedicated to the vehicle.

Now, if RH62 was holding himself out to be a "guru" he would have tended an answer yes? He didn't but by your answers it's you that is sounding like the guru.

I for one know full well RH62 has rebuilt a diff and is disgustingly handy with the spanners keeping machinery both light and heavy maintained on a daily/weekly basis.
No where in RH62's initial answer did he mention you or google or have a go at you. You miss read the intent.

 

[7.62marksman]

 

[Ridge Runner]

For Normal On/Off Road Driving you should set the Hubs to Auto but for Off Road, IE Sand, Long Drives on Bush Tracks and Extreme Off Road you must set it to LOCK,

The reason for this is In Auto If the Vehicle rolls backwards the Hubs Unlock for about a Quarter of a Turn and then it will Lock and then it will do it again when you try to drive forward again and In AUTO The Splines are Never Fully Engaged., But In The LOCK Mode It Stays Locked no Matter if you Go Forward or Backwards and the Splines Engage Fully,

Move this Video ON 6 mins 34 seconds and Andrew explains Why and How,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTKa10sJlPs&list=PLU_uUsO6k-N5ABcaEJnQqniVk7Iasg_cK&index=24

 

[Tathradj]

Set them on Auto for general road use.
When going bush, Set them on locked.

Settle down guys.

No body likes an argument. :Y:

 

[markgoldhunter]

Thankyou all for each and every comment. In amongst all that too-ing and fro-ing I think i have found the answer I was looking for. Cheers Mark.

 

[Nightjar]

Have owned three Nissan Patrols, well two, one of the shorties had a Ford badge.
All three had limited slip rear and either "Lock" or "Free" front manual hubs.
Only ever lock the front when going gets tough.
Front being free is handy when greasing the tail shaft, murphy's law always puts the nipple in hard to get at position, but being free the shaft can be rotated by hand.
Rear tail shaft, ]

 

[Tathradj]

Lot more fun that with a constant drive 4x4. ] ]
Fitted with a rear lsd.
Generally half shift between low and high to unlock it all.
with one front jacked off the ground. :awful: :awful:

Cardinals are a lot of fun. ]

 

[Shep]

My bush car doesnt have freewheeling hubs and has drive plates instead. Front diff is always turning at road speed,
no issues caused and no reliability issues Like with driveshaft disconnects or freewheeling hubs.

 

[Goldchaser1]

I for one know full well RH62 has rebuilt a diff and is disgustingly handy with the spanners keeping machinery both light and heavy maintained on a daily/weekly basis.
No where in RH62's initial answer did he mention you or google or have a go at you. You miss read the intent.

Ah well there ya go,man of many talents i see!
All ive seen is pics of 966s or diggers bogged past there axles or tracks.....
:lol: :lol: :lol: