hubs won't lock

[egggmann]

my 2000 xterra let me down in that blizzard in the Sierras last week by not going into 4WD.

I took it to the dealer this week to get other service done and to check into the 4WD problem and they told me that the problem is in the hubs. Thankfully it isn't the transfer case or something worse but they want to charge me $260 just to open them up and look inside...

My questions are these:

1- can I easily open the hubs and have a look?

2- could the hubs have been frozen and just not engaged? (but it seems like they'd engage now - I don't trust the svc center rep so i'll have to find out on my own later)

3- i did try and engage at speed (slightly above 25mph- bad move, i know), could that have sent the hubs into some position so that now they won't lock?

4- does some easily fixable part break first to spare a big problem when you try and engage while going too fast? if so, what is it?

I just don't want to give these guys $260 to open the things up and then $260 to close them plus whatever other stuff they run into...

Thanks in advance.

Egggmann

[OffroadX]

You can certainly remove the 6 hex screws per hub and pull the outer hub body off to look for something unusual (pieces or loose parts).

[chubbybubba1]

Do like I did. Get rid of the autohubs and for around $150 put on a set of Warn manual hubs or Mile Markers. I like them a lot better.

[cgipson1]

Funny... I am having the same problem with my X. Hubs wont lock.. and I know I didnt engage at speed (although my wife may have.. she does it in her toyota all of the time). I put the truck up.. and am getting power to the front axles... just nothing at the wheel. Guess I am going to pull the hubs and check them out.. and probably go with some Warns. ANY ADVICE on what to look for from the X-Perts out there?

Charlie

[cgipson1]

Follow up to previous message:

I got the Warn hubs in and got them installed. I have read in other threads that some instructions apparently say to install some of the stock washers off of the old hub assembly... my instructions said only to put the snap ring back on after installing the Warn hub body. So that is what I did.. and I LOVE THESE THINGS! Now I actually feel like I have a four wheel drive vehicle. They lock up solid! Still not a locking differential, but as close as you can get for the money! The stock hubs had a plastic ring in them that was broken in several places... both of them. Really easy install.... just needed new snap rings (I.D. about 1.054 after miking the shaft where they fit). Highly recommended after-market hubs... beats the daylights out the stock hubs! I went out an played in the snow (2 ft +) to test them... and no problems!

Charlie

Originally Posted by cgipson1

Funny... I am having the same problem with my X. Hubs wont lock.. and I know I didnt engage at speed (although my wife may have.. she does it in her toyota all of the time). I put the truck up.. and am getting power to the front axles... just nothing at the wheel. Guess I am going to pull the hubs and check them out.. and probably go with some Warns. ANY ADVICE on what to look for from the X-Perts out there?

Charlie

[chubbybubba1]

Thought you'd like the Warn's