If you could buy automatically locking Warn Premium hubs, would you pay $250 for a pair? I am talking about in-the-cab, push-button hubs that lock and unlock without having to reach any further than the dashboard. You could also lock or unlock just one of them. Would you all be interested, and if $250 is too much, what would be fair?

Sure, I would buy them IF:

1. There was a manul way to lock them if the remote locking mechanism fails.
2. They were just as strong or stronger than current manual hubs.

They would be a Warn Premium hub inside. So just as strong. Your other suggestion is possible, but will be hard to design. I agree that a backup is a good idea, though.
Thanks

Originally posted by DRM
Sure, I would buy them IF:

1. There was a manul way to lock them if the remote locking mechanism fails.
2. They were just as strong or stronger than current manual hubs.

Exactly!

Originally posted by elf_cruiser
They would be a Warn Premium hub inside. So just as strong. Your other suggestion is possible, but will be hard to design. I agree that a backup is a good idea, though.
Thanks

Hard to design? If you are doing a sliding cam design, then all you need is a tapped hole in the body top that would normally have a plug in it. If the electronics fail, you can remove the plug, then screw in a bolt that forces tha cam to slide in and engage the hub - locking it in place.

I will be sure to send you the address where to send my royalties ;)

too lazy to step out and turn your own hubs? That's what passengers are for. :flipoff2:

I'm sure there is a market out there for it. Personally I wouldn't.. I can just turn my own hubs in, no big deal. Plus having something on the inside of the dash to activate them is just another thing to have go wrong.

Originally posted by twaldher
too lazy to step out and turn your own hubs? That's what passengers are for. :flipoff2:



I would think the benefit would be to be able to unlock one or both hubs as needed on an obstacle... But maybe his intention is just to add mall wheeler coolness to any rig ;)

Cool idea, but you have to get out to air down anyway. That's usually when I lock in my hubs.

Isn't that similar to what Ford uses in the 4x4 Super Duty? Don't they have a vaccuum connection for in cab shift on the fly, but also have a manual "knob" if they vaccuum fails? I think they are even made by Warn.

International used "Auto Locking" hubs in the Scout II's. It was a manual locking hub with roller clutches. The hubs had an auto position and a lock position. In lock the hub worked just like a manual in lock, in auto when you shifted into 4hi or 4lo the drive shafts would turn against the roller clutches and drive the wheel. Couple of problems with the design; they worn out, they don't work in reverse, you could over power them, and they are prone to breaking. My 2 cents, as far as a vacuum or cable, more stuff to worry about, at least the IH hubs were a single unit and easy to replace on the trail.

Joe

I think some of you guys are missin the point here...

An automatic hub will ALWAYS be inherently weaker and less dependable than a manual hub (of the same outer dimensions) for the following 2 reasons:

1. Any automatic-actuation mechanicals inside the hub will necessarily rob space that could otherwise be used on a beefier drive flange between the driveshaft and the hub cone.

2. An auto hub must necessarily be more complex than a manual hub. More shiat to go wrong...


My $.03USD

Jake:flipoff2:

I think what he's doing is taking a warn hub and adding to it. If that's the idea then it would probably be a bit bigger than the warn hub on its own, but it would allow for the locking and unlocking from the cab. This would be nice for guys that want to run a spool up front and unlock one or both hubs for turning. You could unlock the inside hub in the turn and allow the outside wheel to help drive the front around. Then lock 'em both when you needed it.

Great idea, easier than getting out and locking/unlocking all the time. Personally, I'd rather have 'em both locked and run an ARB for control, but then I run full-time and don't have a choice on the hubs anyway.

Cool idea!!

-John

so i guess the question is, are these going to be available? and who is going to make them available? and how reliable would they be? any answer?

- jake

Originally posted by elf_cruiser
If you could buy automatically locking Warn Premium hubs, would you pay $250 for a pair? I am talking about in-the-cab, push-button hubs that lock and unlock without having to reach any further than the dashboard. You could also lock or unlock just one of them. Would you all be interested, and if $250 is too much, what would be fair?

YES, I think $250 is a good/fair price (flange style hubs are $180 or so already).

Were I see them the best is on my tow rig. I want to run Unlocked as often as possible, for the reason that hub-locks were invented in the first place" less wear and tear, and better fuel economy. But there are *some* situations were, suddenly, you need 4WD, and rather than get out (usually in some nasty situations) and lock the hubs, I would much rather just hit a button on the dash.

I would also be great for a tool-around rig. Just out playing around, logging roads, easy trails etc. Not 4X4ing, but just driving around on a sunday drive, where you would only need 4wd say 99% of the time. So why run around fully locked. Just hit a button for the 5 seconds you need it, then back to unlocked.


Last place I see it, on a street/winter driven rig, EXPECIALY one with a fromt locker. Impractical/Scary to run locked, but there are short times when you need/want it.



Whats the story??, what applications are you looking at?? Just empty questions, or are you seriously looking into it??



-mark

elf_cruiser,
It sounds like your going to replace the dial portion of a Warn premium hub with some sort of remote locking mechanism. If you could do this without modifying the locking portion so you could swap the dial back on if you had to, I think you'd be onto something. Another option would be to add a motor to the outside of the hub to spin the dial remotely. Might work on other types of hubs as well, just make sure you could manually bypass the motor/solenoid if necessary.

I think auto hubs on a tow rig/daily driver are very helpful. I was determined to swap them out on my wife's explorer when we got it, but I found I really liked them for when an unexpected snow storm hits. 4wd is just a push of a button away, and no stopping on a snowy interstate to get out and lock hubs. I was also skeptical about their reliability, but once I took one apart and saw how they worked and how to fix them once they wore out, I have a lot more confidence in them. It still doesn't cure their one inherent weakness though. That is they must unlock and relock everytime you change direction. They can die a quick death if you get stuck and and must rock back and forth to get unstuck. I was thinking about adding a manual dial so they could be locked up in such a situation while preserving the autolock feature. That would be just the ticket for my intended use.

I also have a set of Warn Lock-o-matics on my Jeep like the ones mentioned above that were available on Scouts. They are nice in a couple ways. They sort of allow you to have a full time 4wd in that they don't bind around corners like locked hubs do. They would also be handy for a welded diff for the same reason. They are also handy for the unexpected snow storm, but without a shift on the fly transfer case, you must stop to engage 4wd. The other downfall is they have no compression breaking.

Also, to answer your question, I don't think $250 is a bad price to pay as long as they are reliable. What are your plans?

Thanks for the input guys. There are no definite plans yet. I am just trying to get a preliminary idea of how much interest there would be in such a product. And, without going into specifics, the design would be a Warn hub with a new outer case instead of the dial. It would use an electronic motor to turn the hub in or out, so no clutch packs, or vacuum lines. Keep voting!

The less shit on my rig that can fail the better...

Read:

Points
Carburator
1410 Driveshaft
35 spline axles
Spool

Get the picture? I bet you can sell them, I am just not interested.

Good luck!!

When am I going to see the 42.5?