Warn Locking Hub Kits
Located on the front axle of a 4WD vehicle you may find manual locking hubs. Take a look. They will be the small dials located in the center of the front wheels. They look simple enough, but the work they do is immense.
When driving your 4WD vehicle on minimal traction surfaces, it is essential that each tire has power and is fighting for every bit of traction. When four wheel drive is not being used, the front hubs are used to disconnect the front wheels from the front axle drive components. This would include the ring and pinion, axle-shafts, and driveshaft. Unlocking the hubs will allow the axle components to stop spinning, preventing the unwanted wear and tear on those parts. It will also help to improve the vehicle’s fuel economy since there will be less resistance during roll.
Arthur Warn (of the Warn company) invented the locking hub in 1948. Until then, most 4WD vehicles were “full-time” 4WD and suffered from poor street performance, terrible fuel economy, and excess wear and stress on all the drivetrain components.
As years went by, many of the 4WD auto makers have phased out manual hubs and replaced them with automatic ones. SUVs took the American auto marketplace by storm in the late 1980′s and well into the 1990′s and that is likely why automatic hubs were installed on so many 4WD vehicles. The car that everybody wanted to have was an SUV because an SUV meant 4WD. The problem was that most of these SUV drivers wouldn’t know how to put the vehicle into 4WD when the time came. To make the SUV more appealing, manufacturers outfitted them with automatic hubs to eliminate the “complication” of getting out of the vehicle to lock them.
As time has passed, SUV drivers from near and far have learned that these automatic units aren’t as wonderful as the auto manufacturers made them out to be. Sure, they were convenient… when they worked! It’s a well known fact that when you take something simple and begin to complicate it, failure is more prone to happen. The migration from standard hubs to automatic ones was no exception. Auto units have a reputation for their unreliability at critical times and for being weak under stress.
Manual locking hubs are stronger than their auto counterparts. It’s for this reason that off-roaders will always choose manual hubs over automatic ones. Even if an axle with automatic hubs has been routinely maintained, the serious off-roader can not rely on it because there are too many circumstances for which it will fail or just not perform when the moment is critical.
The simplicity, reliability, strength, and low cost of manual locking hubs have made them the ideal replacement for auto hub axles. The off-road marketplace is abundant with replacement kits that allow drivers to replace automatic units for manual ones.
Understanding how they work will help you get the most out of them and can make upgrading or repairing them a breeze.
If you’ve been thinking about converting your auto hub axle to manual hubs, you’re not alone. MY4BY OFF ROAD has the largest online selection of Warn hubs and conversion kits for all 4WD vehicles and has the parts to make your conversion a breeze.
Prepping Your Jeep Wrangler for the Winter
Winter almost always equates to more difficult and dangerous terrains and trails for any off-road enthusiast. However, more risk involved means more fun and excitement to the hardcore Jeeper. If you own a Jeep Wrangler, you know that winter can really be great time to go off-roading. That is if your Jeep Wrangler can take on the winter and what it brings to the table.
Integrating your Jeep Wrangler with the appropriate accessories can beef up your 4×4 vehicle and take on any trails on winter time. And there are a lot of Jeep accessories out there. This article will help you pick the best parts to transform your Jeep Wrangler into the ultimate winter 4×4 off-road machine.
Getting a top for your Wrangler should be a priority as rain and heavy downpour of snow and ice will be the norm of the weather. A winter top for your Jeep Wrangler will not only provide with some shade, it will protect you from the elements. Once the sun starts to peek through the cloud, you can just remove the top and bask in its warmth again.
Icy roads and snow-covered trails can be tough to drive on. It is best that you fit your Jeep Wrangler with tires that sport winter treads. These winter tires will give you a good bite on the road, thus giving you a great degree of control over your vehicle.
Aside from snow, mud also seems to be a normal sight during winter. And while it is fun to splatter mud all around, mud can get inside your Jeep and do some dirty work on the carpets and interiors. Fit your Jeep’s interior with floor mats and liners to help maintain your Jeep’s interior configuration.
If you plan to go on an off-road challenge during winter, better add these items in your pack as they are really essential – jacks, fuel containers, and camping equipment. Winter is very unpredictable and getting stranded is very likely. You don’t want to be in such situation when the winter air is blowing around.
Off-roaders welcome winter as the season brings a lot of risky prospects. Winter present them with trails that are clad in snow and ice and dangerous off-road routes that scare the hell out of ordinary drivers. Having said that, experienced off-road enthusiasts still respect nature and prepare well for a long drive ahead. If you are a hardcore Jeep Wrangler driver, you will do the same.