Offroad-Express

First of all, could someone explane how the standed auto locking front hubs on a SWB manual GQ safary work, they have to setings, auto and lock.
Second, i have noticed a clicking noise coming from the front hubs over the larst month or so, only when in 4wd. I think DaveM said something about this in another thred i can no longer find. Well today it all went bad. Was driving down the road in 2WD and then BANG CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK Sounds like there is a bucket of rocks in the dif! Now Im no machanic but it sounds like the auto hub is trying to engage while im driving on a flat, strate road at speed in 2WD. It sounds like the stastioneray spline in the dif is trying to engage into the turning hub while im driving, dont know if this can hapen or not? Sounds VERY expencive to. I pulled out the front drive sharft and it was still clicking very loudley so i put the front hubs in lock and this has stoped the noise and made it drivadel agane. Is this dif a throw away or can i fit some manual locking hubs? Im gessing the spline in the dif is nacked, is that fixibel or will it be easer to replace the dif?
All this hapend after i nearly slid down a rather large bank (did eneyone there get a pic):oops: and my batterys went flat at extrem park thismorning. drowning my sorows in plenty of red wine at the mo. Not the day i had in mind but thats ok, will just fix it all and give it a go next time round.
Think you were right coxy, the MT in the wrangler MTR stands for minimal traction!
Eney help on my dif isue would be much appreseated.

Adam.

auto hubs are engaged when the truck is put into 4wd , to disengage you reverce for 6ft or more with the truck in 2wd , you can hear them click out , repeat twice to make sure they are out
MTR's need to spin to clear , they work well mine were to narrow for the safari

There should be nothing wrong with your diff the same thing happened to me a month ago and I was sure I had to buy a new ARB locker($1400+) but in the end it turned out to only be the hubs so I put on Superwinch manual hubs ($375) and the problem is now all gone

OK, thats good news. Is it just a simpel swap of the huds or is there more to it?

have a spare hub PR for when you break one

Rick at 4wd accesories has got mine the whole clicking noise/problem with those hubs are the auto engage part which if you take out renders the whole thing useless so he is trying to develope a part to go in the auto mecanisum place so its just free or locked NO AUTO

If he ever works it out I will probly keep them as spares

So if you do replace them with manual hubs before he figures it out keep them cause you should end up having them as spares

doby wrote:OK, thats good news. Is it just a simpel swap of the huds or is there more to it?

Yea pretty much took 15minutes to do both sides

Sounds good. 4WDbits has got GQ superwinch hubs for $309 inc gts. Might have to get a set next week.
Thanks for the info.

had the same problem with mine about a month ago just replaced them with super winch hubs problem gone ,30 min job all done
vince

PR wrote: so he is trying to develope a part to go in the auto mecanisum place so its just free or locked NO AUTO

Best way to fix them is to reverse the whole internal part of the auto hub, sure you have to put them in to use 4x4 and take them out afterwards but they do the job.

Friend has a GQ that we do that to on every trip and only takes 5 minutes per side.

PR wrote:Rick at 4wd accesories has got mine the whole clicking noise/problem with those hubs are the auto engage part which if you take out renders the whole thing useless so he is trying to develope a part to go in the auto mecanisum place so its just free or locked NO AUTO

If he ever works it out I will probly keep them as spares

So if you do replace them with manual hubs before he figures it out keep them cause you should end up having them as spares

Do you know if he has figured this out yet? My front right hub started making a rattle noise after I had put it back into auto after a play up the hill the other day, and as mentioned above it stopped when I flicked it to manual so its the same problem I'm assuming.

Was going to go and have a word to rick about it today but I may leave it till after Christmas, unless the longer its left the worse it gets but they should be fine in lock as far as I know, as I'm going away to Nelson and want all as much money in my account as possible in case something went wrong up there with something else.

Cheers.

PigFmr wrote:had the same problem with mine about a month ago just replaced them with super winch hubs problem gone ,30 min job all done
vince

Is there any advantage to using 'superwinch' or other after market ones?
I think I've found some of the same ones I had on there for well, well under $309.

If i remember correctly original manual locking nissan hubs are the strongest but expensive. Superwich hubs will be perfectly fine though and if you can get your hands on a set of hubs from superwinch, warn (or any other reputable brand that makes them) for cheap then go for it.

Sweet. Cheers for the help. Think I'll grab some second hand Nissan ones off trademe if their stronger.

Check with someone like monstr or mudhaw because they will know for certain.

Genuine Nissan manual locking hubs are the strongest. Nissan auto-locking hubs locked in by hand are next strongest, followed by Superwinch / AVM / Aisin etc

The superwinch are the better aftermarket hub. Reason: when the locking gear engages on the spline it will still work when it is in three pieces as it is all held in place, even when broken. I had a broken one and it worked for 6months hard bush drivibng before I eventually got round to fixing it. The other aftermarket brands do not work as the locking gear does not stay in place when broken.

GQTROL wrote:Genuine Nissan manual locking hubs are the strongest. Nissan auto-locking hubs locked in by hand are next strongest, followed by Superwinch / AVM / Aisin etc

Thanks for the info. I found some auto locking ones locked in by hand on trademe for $130, and thats whats already on there so I'll nab them. That way theres a spare for next time.

What causes them to break out of interest? Driving on to hard a surface? I was on hard clay at the time so I figure thats probably it.

Was that a Manual/Auto one pathfinder67? Was it making a lot of noise? You'd think you would end up damaging something else leaving it broken for that long. Good info about that brand. Thanks.

They break because they are the weak link, unlike a hilux/surf where the cv is the weak link usually. It was making no noiser and if you had an idea of how the locking gear is held in place you will understand that it would not do any damage to the spline. The only reason I found it was because I was going to regrease them.

Well I got a the replacement this arvo so I put it on tonight but I couldn't get a part of the old one off. It was the bit that goes right at the back and has another bit inside it that turns around. (Sorry about my crap description).
Is that a vital part to change? Its not rattling and clanking like it used to but I thought I heard few wee noises when I was heading up a parking ramp (think the echoes amped up the sound)

If it is best to take it off, is there any knack to it? I tried to lever it off but it wouldn't budge. Cheers.

The biggest reason they try and engage by themselves is if they are clogged up. Take the hub off and give it a really good clean with degreaser. All it needs is some engine oil or similar. DO NOT grease on a factory auto/manual hub as it will try and engage all the time. ie click when driving in 2wd.