[hiram]

me and my neighbor did it on his bronco and i thought it would be a fun project. but would there really be any benefits from it??

[badoosh27]

they are more reliable in the long run, but since your jeep is so new, theres not really a need for them. i would hold off until your auto locking hubs start giving you trouble to do it. the only downside is that you have to get out to lock them...

[BlueFlame]

TJs don't have auto hubs, so they won't give any trouble.

A conversion to manual hubs for the TJ costs about $1000.
Not necessary, they don't provide any mileage or reliability increase, mostly they are only seen on hardcore trail rigs.

[GroundAssault]

I hear its really expensive to do it on the TJ D30. Unless you have an aftermarket axle I would wait

[Zar]

Originally Posted by BlueFlame

TJs don't have auto hubs, so they won't give any trouble.

A conversion to manual hubs for the TJ costs about $1000.
Not necessary, they don't provide any mileage or reliability increase, mostly they are only seen on hardcore trail rigs.

Correct me if i'm wrong pls.

Is this statement really true. Jeeps axels and drive shaft in the front are always spinning aren't they? always engagned alway adding friction even when you are not in 4WD?

So if you were to install manual hubs the front axel and drive shafts wont spin until you lock the hubs.

which also means that there is less friction when drving in 2WD which should amount to some increase in MPGs should it.

I did this mod to my 2000 xterra is was simple, took 1-2 hours. but then again i had auto hubs.

I'm curious what you guys think.

[neZZr]

Originally Posted by Zar

Correct me if i'm wrong pls.

Is this statement really true. Jeeps axels and drive shaft in the front are always spinning aren't they? always engagned alway adding friction even when you are not in 4WD?

So if you were to install manual hubs the front axel and drive shafts wont spin until you lock the hubs.

which also means that there is less friction when drving in 2WD which should amount to some increase in MPGs should it.

I did this mod to my 2000 xterra is was simple, took 1-2 hours. but then again i had auto hubs.

I'm curious what you guys think.

Yes in theory, however the gains will be minimal at best.

That's not to say that it isn't a worth while swap, but don't expect fuel savings to pay for the hub kit any time soon.

[mudmonkey2400]

Originally Posted by Zar

Correct me if i'm wrong pls.

Is this statement really true. Jeeps axels and drive shaft in the front are always spinning aren't they? always engagned alway adding friction even when you are not in 4WD?

So if you were to install manual hubs the front axel and drive shafts wont spin until you lock the hubs.

which also means that there is less friction when drving in 2WD which should amount to some increase in MPGs should it.

I did this mod to my 2000 xterra is was simple, took 1-2 hours. but then again i had auto hubs.

I'm curious what you guys think.

If you jack up the front of your Jeep and put it in neutral, you can literally spin the front driveline with your pinky finger. How much friction do you think there can be?

[Zar]

Originally Posted by mudmonkey2400

If you jack up the front of your Jeep and put it in neutral, you can literally spin the front driveline with your pinky finger. How much friction do you think there can be?

Enough to effect MPGs.

But, I didnt buy the jeep for the best MPG, and I never have done a MOD of any kind in hopes of better MPGs.

Yet, i wonder if there is a benfit to having the front drive line always engaged, spinning . some people hardly ever use 4WD.?

[FLATFENDER54]

Originally Posted by Zar

Enough to effect MPGs.

But, I didnt buy the jeep for the best MPG, and I never have done a MOD of any kind in hopes of better MPGs.

Yet, i wonder if there is a benfit to having the front drive line always engaged. some people hardly ever use 4WD.?

It's not "engaged" just turning/spinning freely

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by Zar

Correct me if i'm wrong pls.

Is this statement really true. Jeeps axels and drive shaft in the front are always spinning aren't they? always engagned alway adding friction even when you are not in 4WD?

Modern axle design and improved bearings means manual or automatic hubs are no longer needed to reduce bearing wear or improve fuel economy. So it is true that the TJ's front hubs are fixed, which means the front driveshaft is always spinning. However, the TJ's transfer case has a true neutral for the front driveshaft so the front driveshaft isn't spinning anything inside the transfer case.

Manual hubs are only installed once you get to a fairly hardcore level for purposes of broken axle component isolation, locker disengagement, 2Lo mode, etc.

[mdm]

Originally Posted by Zar

..Is this statement really true. Jeeps axels and drive shaft in the front are always spinning aren't they? always engagned alway adding friction even when you are not in 4WD?...

Yes this is true.

Originally Posted by Zar

..Is this statement really true. Jeeps axels and drive shaft in the front are always spinning aren't they? always engagned alway adding friction even when you are not in 4WD?...

Yes this is true.

Originally Posted by Zar

…So if you were to install manual hubs the front axel and drive shafts wont spin until you lock the hubs...

This is also true.

Originally Posted by Zar

…I did this mod to my 2000 xterra is was simple, took 1-2 hours. but then again i had auto hubs...

Your Xterra had automatic hubs so all you had to do was replace them with manual hubs. The task on a TJ is much more involved. Take a look here.
http://www.stu-offroad.com/axle/hubconv/hub-7.htm
and here.
http://www.stu-offroad.com/axle/hubconv/hub-1.htm
As you can see you are comparing apples & oranges.

Originally Posted by Zar

…which also means that there is less friction when drving in 2WD which should amount to some increase in MPGs should it...

This is moderately true but look at the math.
Cost of kit $1100+.
If you currently get 15 mpg, improve your mileage by 1 mpg (this is a 6%+ improvement which you won’t even come close to getting) you will pay for the kit in around 55,000 miles. Your actual mpg improvement would probably be closer to 1%, if that.

If your purpose for installing this kit is to save fuel, is it really worth it to you?

Originally Posted by Zar

Correct me if i'm wrong pls...

Your call, have I corrected you?

[neZZr]

Originally Posted by Zar

Enough to effect MPGs.

But, I didnt buy the jeep for the best MPG, and I never have done a MOD of any kind in hopes of better MPGs.

Yet, i wonder if there is a benfit to having the front drive line always engaged, spinning . some people hardly ever use 4WD.?

Several benefits. The unit bearings require less maintenance (zero) compared to manual hubs, and are thus more reliable than hubs that most people probably don't ever service anyway. Less parts to fail. As well as ease of use.

[Heyduke]

Plus from what it says in the ad, Warn only recommends you go up to 32 in tall tires. For that amount of money you'd think they would add some beef to your driveline. 30 spline outters with matching unit bearings and some chrome mollys would be money better spent.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by Heyduke

Plus from what it says in the ad, Warn only recommends you go up to 32 in tall tires.

That 32" limitation is BS thrown in there by Warn's staff of attorneys. Warn's small (for 5x4.5" bolt pattern wheels) hub kit for the TJ is regularly used with 35" (likely many 37" too) tires on locked axles on the hardest trails in the US. The small hub kit uses the same internals (like the spindle & bearings) as their bigger kits.

[Zar]

from what i remeber reading on the warn kit is that when installed it adds 3/4" width to each side as well.

if that is true how do you get the rear to match without adding spacers, i'm not a fan of spacers anytime. i've already reduced my backspacing to 4".?