Brian Stutzman
Member
Anyone know if there are after market manual hubs. Has anyone taken on this project. This has to got to help MPG.
Manual Hubs
- Thread starter Brian Stutzman
- Start date
Help Support Ford SportTrac Forum:
Kevin Palmer
Well-Known Member
I do not see how manual hubs will save fuel in the case of the Sport Trac.
Why,,,
Only the front axle shafts turn while in 2 wheel drive. Which means, the front drive shaft, and third member are doing nothing but going for a ride. If you install manual hubs this is still true with the exception you could stop the axle shafts from turning.
These shafts are fully lubricated and ride on three sets of bearings each. I cannot believe it is any measurable force required to turn these shafts.
Sooo, in adding manual hubs, which will weigh more than the present single gear that is in the hub now, you will add weight but be able to stop the shafts from turning which take very little force to do in the first place.
I believe that the potential gain of adding the hubs will be lost in the cost of the hubs. By that, the money spent on the hubs will take MANY THOUSANDS of miles to recoup the initial cost.
Why,,,
Only the front axle shafts turn while in 2 wheel drive. Which means, the front drive shaft, and third member are doing nothing but going for a ride. If you install manual hubs this is still true with the exception you could stop the axle shafts from turning.
These shafts are fully lubricated and ride on three sets of bearings each. I cannot believe it is any measurable force required to turn these shafts.
Sooo, in adding manual hubs, which will weigh more than the present single gear that is in the hub now, you will add weight but be able to stop the shafts from turning which take very little force to do in the first place.
I believe that the potential gain of adding the hubs will be lost in the cost of the hubs. By that, the money spent on the hubs will take MANY THOUSANDS of miles to recoup the initial cost.
Chad Merry
Well-Known Member
Cannot be done, front wheels are a direct connection to the front diff by the CV axles.
Kevin Palmer
Well-Known Member
Chad,
Though I have not done a search for Sport Trac in particular. This type of swap is pretty common. If you remove the cover from the hub you will see a large floating gear that locks the axle shaft to the hub. Once this gear is removed, you can replace it with a manual hub.
I know for certain this is true with Rangers, F-100' and 150's as well as may Explorers.
I have to think it is out there for the Trac as well, but like I said I have not nor do I have a need to investigate this.
Are you saying the Trac cannot be converted or this type of hub in general???
Though I have not done a search for Sport Trac in particular. This type of swap is pretty common. If you remove the cover from the hub you will see a large floating gear that locks the axle shaft to the hub. Once this gear is removed, you can replace it with a manual hub.
I know for certain this is true with Rangers, F-100' and 150's as well as may Explorers.
I have to think it is out there for the Trac as well, but like I said I have not nor do I have a need to investigate this.
Are you saying the Trac cannot be converted or this type of hub in general???
Gavin Allan
Well-Known Member
Lots of vehicles have had manual hubs to help with gas mileage. I have had B4000s and Rangers that had automatic-disconnecting hubs. I''ve always wondered why the Trac doesn't have 'em too, but I figured that Ford thinks drivers are too dumb to know how to lock 'em in and out, and how to use a manual transfer case.
Wish the Trac had a manual transmission and manual transfer case option. Guess in a year I'll be wishing that ford still made the Trac...
Wish the Trac had a manual transmission and manual transfer case option. Guess in a year I'll be wishing that ford still made the Trac...
Chad Merry
Well-Known Member
The reason for my reply, was because the splines for the CV's are machined into the bearing. That is why it cannot be done. You would need a completely different style differential and hub/bearing to put in a manual hubs.
The conversions you saw for Rangers , Explorers, and F-150's were equipped with the older D35 TTB front end. Which would be 91-94 Explorers and Rangers.
The conversions you saw for Rangers , Explorers, and F-150's were equipped with the older D35 TTB front end. Which would be 91-94 Explorers and Rangers.
Last edited by a moderator:
Andy Chase
Well-Known Member
I don't know if it would improve MPG, but in my 93 F-150 it came stock w/ automatic hubs. Worked good for the most part. But they do fail. Mine went and my local shop put manual hubs in, and I never had a problem after that. W/ Manuals, it is essentially fail safe, meaning you'll always be able to lock them in unless there is a part broken in the hub, w/ automatics, more things can go wrong and it may not engage the front hubs.
If I ever have the choice again, I will get manuals put into my vehicles. My local shop at first did a free swap of auto hubs because they had some many laying around since a lot of people are getting automatic hubs at the dealership and they swap to manual hubs right away. It sucked when mine went out, I was ice fishing and backed my truck down the boat ramp to load up the gear we brought out onto the ice (it was barely driveable so I chose not to risk putting the truck through the ice). After we loaded up, I could hear the gears grinding and slipping in the front hubs, I had to back on to the ice and floor the truck up the ramp to get up it. Luckily the ice was thick enough so I didn't go through.
If I ever have the choice again, I will get manuals put into my vehicles. My local shop at first did a free swap of auto hubs because they had some many laying around since a lot of people are getting automatic hubs at the dealership and they swap to manual hubs right away. It sucked when mine went out, I was ice fishing and backed my truck down the boat ramp to load up the gear we brought out onto the ice (it was barely driveable so I chose not to risk putting the truck through the ice). After we loaded up, I could hear the gears grinding and slipping in the front hubs, I had to back on to the ice and floor the truck up the ramp to get up it. Luckily the ice was thick enough so I didn't go through.
Scott Gabriel
Active Member
all you need is Ranger 98-00 Axle shafts, avm hubs, and a pair of the wheel hub bearing assemblies from a 98-00 ranger as well.
The ONLY plus side i see, is if you break a cv shaft, you can unlock that side and still drive home
you MIGHT also gain a mpg or 2, but I doubt it
ScottG
The ONLY plus side i see, is if you break a cv shaft, you can unlock that side and still drive home
you MIGHT also gain a mpg or 2, but I doubt it
ScottG
Chad Merry
Well-Known Member
You also need a TTB front axle. It cannot be done with a Sport Trac.
Scott Gabriel
Active Member
chad, 98+ rangers 4x4 and edge's had a torsion bar front end
and use the SAME dana 35 that 98-00 explorers and sport tracs do
and the 98-00 4x4 rangers with vaccum hubs, and AVM makes a manual hub kit to replace it
edit* had the wrong dana listed
and use the SAME dana 35 that 98-00 explorers and sport tracs do
and the 98-00 4x4 rangers with vaccum hubs, and AVM makes a manual hub kit to replace it
edit* had the wrong dana listed
Last edited by a moderator:
Chad Merry
Well-Known Member
Sorry but they are not the same as the Sport Trac.
Johnny O
Well-Known Member
This has been talked about much over the years on a Ranger board where I am a moderator (www.therangerstation.com). Many rumors over the years about manual hub availability but I've never seen any actually come to market. A lot of people got excited over one particular manual hub (I forget the manufacturer) but it turned out to be a model year typo in their literature.
'98 to early '00 Rangers did indeed have a vacuum hub disconnect which the '95-'01 Explorers did not have even though they had basically the same front end. Fact is though that for years the Ranger guys have been swapping out the hubs and shafts with Explorer parts because the hub disconnect system proved to be troublesome and unreliable.
I suspect you would also have to swap in the vacuum system to control the hubs and I suspect that might be more work than it's worth.
Ford's own testing revealed that the "always live" front end with synthetic lube in the axle only resulted in 0.3 mpg less fuel economy.
'98 to early '00 Rangers did indeed have a vacuum hub disconnect which the '95-'01 Explorers did not have even though they had basically the same front end. Fact is though that for years the Ranger guys have been swapping out the hubs and shafts with Explorer parts because the hub disconnect system proved to be troublesome and unreliable.
I suspect you would also have to swap in the vacuum system to control the hubs and I suspect that might be more work than it's worth.
Ford's own testing revealed that the "always live" front end with synthetic lube in the axle only resulted in 0.3 mpg less fuel economy.
Last edited by a moderator:
