[ninjamoses]

Question for the other smart people on here...

I've read plenty of times on various forums over the last year or two that you shouldn't use an auto locker when you have auto hubs fitted. I don't believe anyone has ever really said specifically why you shouldn't, just that it wasn't a great idea.

Now I have a fairly good understanding of how the front drivetrain works. The two obvious points that are relevant are:
- The front driveshaft doesn't spin unless the transfer case is in 4WD.
- The auto hubs don't lock unless there is drive going to them.

Keeping the above in mind, I personally can't see any reason why an auto locker is going to be an issue with auto hubs. The hubs won't be locked anyway with no drive going to them, so what does it matter if the front diff is locked or not? Or do the hubs have a tendency to sometimes lock briefly on the move even when you are in 2WD?

Can anyone shed any light on the topic? Is there something obvious I am missing? Or are these threads perhaps referring to the vacuum operated auto hubs found on later models rather than the mechanical ones on normal vits?

[SierraDan]

The auto lockers for the pajero are for the front and the have auto hubs so I doubt it's an issue.

[royce]

Interesting really, I cant think of any reason why not but then I don't fully understand auto hubs

IE if the hub freewheels when there is no drive how does it it go when engine breaking in 4wd? do they unlock? if so its good enough reason to turf the hubs anyway, if they lock based on resistance than perhaps the locker might give that resistance and therefore might cause trouble

[SierraDan]

In my old pajero, when you put it into 4wd the hubs locked in I assume by driveshaft activation. When you take it out if 4wd and reverse a few meters they unlock as the hubs go backward but the driveshaft stays stationary. When you reverse in 4wd they do not unlock.

[roughzook]

SierraDan wrote:

In my old pajero, when you put it into 4wd the hubs locked in I assume by driveshaft activation. When you take it out if 4wd and reverse a few meters they unlock as the hubs go backward but the driveshaft stays stationary. When you reverse in 4wd they do not unlock.

patrols are the same

[boostedbrick]

I was looking at putting an autolocker in the front of my frontera. It used the same hub as described above, and the people i spoke to about it had used them with no issues.

But people off the same fourm said it was a bad idea but never provided reasons. But it should work....

[Fatzook]

SierraDan wrote:

In my old pajero, when you put it into 4wd the hubs locked in I assume by driveshaft activation. When you take it out if 4wd and reverse a few meters they unlock as the hubs go backward but the driveshaft stays stationary. When you reverse in 4wd they do not unlock.

Thats my take on it too. I reverse down a steep loose dirt hill almost every day, and my hubs remain locked when in 4WD. I must select 2WD and reverse 3-5m before they 'click' and dis-engage.

[royce]

Fatzook wrote:

SierraDan wrote:

In my old pajero, when you put it into 4wd the hubs locked in I assume by driveshaft activation. When you take it out if 4wd and reverse a few meters they unlock as the hubs go backward but the driveshaft stays stationary. When you reverse in 4wd they do not unlock.

Thats my take on it too. I reverse down a steep loose dirt hill almost every day, and my hubs remain locked when in 4WD. I must select 2WD and reverse 3-5m before they 'click' and dis-engage.

when you say reverse, engine breaking down so the wheels are turning the engine?

[Fatzook]

royce wrote:

Fatzook wrote:

SierraDan wrote:

In my old pajero, when you put it into 4wd the hubs locked in I assume by driveshaft activation. When you take it out if 4wd and reverse a few meters they unlock as the hubs go backward but the driveshaft stays stationary. When you reverse in 4wd they do not unlock.

Thats my take on it too. I reverse down a steep loose dirt hill almost every day, and my hubs remain locked when in 4WD. I must select 2WD and reverse 3-5m before they 'click' and dis-engage.

when you say reverse, engine breaking down so the wheels are turning the engine?

Yes. I idle down the hill in reverse using the gearing to moderate my speed.