My original manual front hub lockouts (98 Tracker ) are getting very corroded and the housings are about shot.

How about the Warn, or Superwinch, or procomp or lastly the AVpro after market models?

I keep hearing that they tend to come loose after time which just doesn't make sense!  Has anyone really experienced the bolts coming loose on after market lockouts?  If so was it poor installation or design?  It just doesnt make sense that quality aftermarket companies would make a product that they know fails in that critical a location!  Plus they have been in use by Jeep and other companies for years!

I'm looking for serious advise from anyone with real knowledge and experience.  Not just "I heard they come loose"

Thanks for any advise.

PS; and I know Aisins rock and I would go to a pair of them if I could find a pair in like new condition but I am just trying to expand the options so to speak.

I have seen them come loose and have had the stock auto hubs come loose on my own rig. The problem is in the attachment bolts. The stock manuals use cone shaped split washers in a tapered hole which securely locks the bolts in place. The auto hubs and every aftermarket hub that I have seen use just normal bolts, either hex or allan style heads and at most a flat lock washer of some kind. The vibrations from the road/tread/etc cause this style setup to work loose over time. Now if you could get the mounting holes of the aftermarket hubs tapered like the stock manuals, then use the stock manual bolts and cone washers, you would never have a problem. Likewise you would also be fine with aftermarket hubs as long as you remember to periodically check the bolts...

I've seen a few aftermarket hubs come loose. Not sure why though, my OE hubs are allen heads and have never come loose. I suspect that the bolts might have been incorrectly torqued, either too loose or too tight such that the bolt is overstretched.

Are any of the aftermarket hubs any stronger than the stock aisin units(manual hubs). I have heard that on toyotas that the stock hubs are the strongest. I wonder if it is the same for suzukis?

Just find some Aisin manuals and use them with the conical washers.  Work great.

You don't really have to worry too much about strength I don't think.. I think the cv cage will split first..


and as far as the aftermarket hubs coming loose............................

>>>>>>LOCKTITE<<<<<<<<<

I think spider trax still sells a bolt kit to fix the warn hubs. oh ya, I have been wheeling with 33's and only five bolts on one stock hub for about three years (knock on wood)with no probs yet. and yes I have about 100 to 1 low range.

This may add confusion to the issue but I have looked at a number of 98 Trackers, mine included and they don't look like Aisin hubs.  They look like a Warn model that I have seen on Ebay  (NEW WARN 39198 with 26 spline outer axles.)

All Aisins that I have seen have bolts in the cap as well as the flange and the Warn and Mine don't as well as the other 98 Trackers I have seen

Any ideas ?

On my tracker, they are anodized black with a black dial to lock them, and they dont say aisin on them, but I am pretty sure aisin makes them. They are the exact same thing that the samurai has, but instead of silver and chrome, they are black anodized with a little different style of dial(doesnt say aisin in the center) but aside from that they look exactly the same as samurai ones, and you can even put samurai hubs on your trackick.

This may add confusion to the issue but I have looked at a number of 98 Trackers, mine included and they don't look like Aisin hubs.  They look like a Warn model that I have seen on Ebay  (NEW WARN 39198 with 26 spline outer axles.)

All Aisins that I have seen have bolts in the cap as well as the flange and the Warn and Mine don't as well as the other 98 Trackers I have seen

Any ideas ?

They are the same hubs that are fitted to the UK models, including mine. I have heard that they are made by Warn and they do have 'Made In USA'  cast in them. I wouldn't bother with them, go for the Aisins instead. Those 'Warn' hubs have a nasty plastic cam arrangement that is prone to breaking. The bolts don't come loose though!