[octanejunkie]

I've always wanted manual hubs, I don't need 4WD on the fly, but I didn't want to source 1st Gen Tacoma spindles/knuckles and CV axles like outlined here:


Manual locking hubs for a 3rd gen ?!!?!

Per the last post, however, I found Off Road Solutions who has a manual hub kit for the 3rd gen 4runner that includes hubs, bearings and locks:

ORS Manual Hub Conversion Kit - Products - Off Road Solutions

Getting a quote from them for all the parts/manual lock options but I'm curious what others have done

(I already know what @habanero did lol)

Would you go manual if you could?

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[19963.4lsr5]

The thing about winter driving for me and the old CJ was having the hubs locked in before needing to grab the lever. Otherwise you in the ditch locking in the hubs and hoping for the best.

My Cummins had a vacuum disconnect like the 4Runners and if it ever failed I was going to tear the vacuum motor off and use a manual choke cable to lock the front axle. I figure I’d do the same for the Toy if it ever fails.

3 4Runners and only the 96 had a problem with the ADD. It was a bad vacuum switch on the inner fender. Easy fix…..


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[octanejunkie]

Originally Posted by 19963.4lsr5

The thing about winter driving for me and the old CJ was having the hubs locked in before needing to grab the lever. Otherwise you in the ditch locking in the hubs and hoping for the best.

My Cummins had a vacuum disconnect like the 4Runners and if it ever failed I was going to tear the vacuum motor off and use a manual choke cable to lock the front axle. I figure I’d do the same for the Toy if it ever fails.

3 4Runners and only the 96 had a problem with the ADD. It was a bad vacuum switch on the inner fender. Easy fix…..


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If I know I need 4WD I can easily lock the hubs in advance, that's no biggie for me.

I'd rather my CVs not spin all the time and if I bust one on a trail I can disengage the hub vs have to replace it trailside.



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[spartacus]

I like the auto function don't have to get out and lock the hubs specially in the winter. It's easier to trail repair one nut vs bunch of little nuts or you can unlock and drive out.
Some claim Manual hubs are easier on boots when lifted because the CVS don't turn

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by octanejunkie

If I know I need 4WD I can easily lock the hubs in advance, that's no biggie for me.

I'd rather my CVs not spin all the time and if I bust one on a trail I can disengage the hub vs have to replace it trailside.



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I've seen more cvs fail on a locked then an open front diff. The guys with dual locks take the hardest lines.

[RandyBobandy]

You can keep add and have manual hubs if you want, that’s what I did and it works great, just lock the hubs and it acts like a stock 4wd system.

You do need to reuse your stock spindle and put the manual hub components in it if you want to keep abs though

[Brian.]

I did manual hubs on my 97 T100 mostly for the 2mpg fuel economy when on longer highway trips. I've never been into anything more technical than a dirt road, but did spend a decade in the Rockies with all the associated snow/bad weather.

I *never* missed having on the fly 4wd because I'd simply lock the hubs if there was any chance of needing it. Often ran with them locked and never needed 4wd, but never was caught the other way.

I didn't bother with the 4r because of the cost/complexity but I would have liked the couple mpg back. The 4r replacement has manual hubs again from the factory.

[19963.4lsr5]

Originally Posted by RandyBobandy

You can keep add and have manual hubs if you want, that’s what I did and it works great, just lock the hubs and it acts like a stock 4wd system.

You do need to reuse your stock spindle and put the manual hub components in it if you want to keep abs though

This seem like the best of both worlds.


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[octanejunkie]

Originally Posted by RandyBobandy

You can keep add and have manual hubs if you want, that’s what I did and it works great, just lock the hubs and it acts like a stock 4wd system.

You do need to reuse your stock spindle and put the manual hub components in it if you want to keep abs though

That's the plan
I was not going to remove the ADD diff.

How about the axles, tho. I'm running extended axles I didn't want to rebuild the CV stubs...

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[octanejunkie]

Originally Posted by 19963.4lsr5

This seem like the best of both worlds.


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That, is the point of this thread

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[JZiggy]

Personally I would not be excited by the Warn lockouts on the ORS kit. Just my own prejudice against non-Aisin componentry LOL

[19963.4lsr5]

Originally Posted by octanejunkie

That, is the point of this thread

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Sorry, you never mentioned keeping the ADD. I thought you were going to couple it manually and use the lockouts.


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[mtbtim]

Here's two videos on the subject. I kept the A.D.D. system along with having hubs I can unlock to save wear and tear on my CV axles because most of my driving isn't off road. With hubs you can unlock, this means you can use 4 Lo on the pavement. When paved roads get ridiculously steep and go on for a long time, I've used 4 Lo to keep my trans temp down. You can't go very fast, but you're still able to make forward progress without having to wait until your temps drop down. I also like the fact that if I do break a CV, I can just unlock provided the terrain allows me to limp out in 2wd. If not, it maybe allows me to drive to a better and more convenient area to do the swap instead of the middle of the trail.



The first video was done on a rig without ABS (@JZiggy's Rig). The video below shows the difference when you want to maintain ABS function.

[JohnMc]

Originally Posted by octanejunkie

(I already know what @habanero did lol)

Heh, she got me a set of Tacoma hubs for Christmas.

I've got them off at a machine shop now, pressing the manual hubs out of the non-ABS uprights, and putting them in (with new bearings) into some ABS uprights I got from a junkyard.

I stripped them all the way down first, cleaned and reassembled the Aisin hubs. Just waiting to get them back from the machine shop, and for the Toyota reman CV shafts to arrive at the dealership.

Where we'll try returning some ADD/fixed hub shafts as cores to see if they're OK with that, and keep the rusty/crusty manual shafts that came with the hubs as spares to take with on our long summer trips. Since they're a bit harder to find, apparently.

I briefly entertained the idea of replacing the ADD passenger leg on the diff with a fixed Tacoma left (plain tube and a solid shaft), but... more effort for very little gain.

I may still disable the ADD, and leave it in '4WD mode'. One less thing that needs to work out on the trail. Just lock the hubs, and engage 4WD with the manual transfer case shifter, no electronics, no vacuum involved. And just a light bit of rewiring to make the dash light turn on/off based on the 2/4 position switch in the transfer case, instead of the ADD position switch in the front diff.

Or... not. It's even easier to do nothing and leave ADD in operation. I've never had any issues with it over 12 years of wheeling with it.

And once the manual hubs are installed, I'll crank the front ride height up an inch or so, level it out with the rear. It's a SS 1.2 with the Radflo coilovers, I've kept them a bit lower so far to keep the CV boots from chewing themselves up in everyday driving. With them only turning when the hubs are locked, they can stand some more rib abuse.

[phattyduck]

Originally Posted by JohnMc

And just a light bit of rewiring to make the dash light turn on/off based on the 2/4 position switch in the transfer case, instead of the ADD position switch in the front diff.

The factory solution is a shorting plug right there at the diff. You could/would do the same.

-Charlie