Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   4x4 Technical (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-technical/)

-   -   Thar CRDe: Switch to Manual Locking Hubs (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-technical/138394-thar-crde-switch-manual-locking-hubs.html)

My auto-locking hubs don't work, or work sometimes or maybe work on one side. There is no indicator light telling you the status of your hubs (nothing to tell you whether you are in 4x4 mode either for that matter). You are supposed to backup a meter or so after you go from 4x4 to 4x2 to release the hubs. If you are lucky you will hear a barely audible clicking noise as the hubs release. But maybe you will hear no noise, maybe you will hear one side or the other click only. The first indication you may get telling you something ain't quite right is when you drive away, hit the brakes and a God-awful ratcheting noise issues forth.

What to do? You disable the auto-locking feature and bolt on some manual locking hubs, right?

Questions:

1.) How do you disable the auto-locking hubs? Are these vacuum assisted? Do you just pull off the hoses?

2.) What manual locking hubs will work well with the Thar?

3.) These are the same hubs the Scorpio uses. They did not work well 6 years ago and they probably are not working well now. I remember posts from 6 years ago from threads on Mahindra's "Great Escape" wherein several Scorpios had hub problems....am I right?

I have seen Scorpio's running manual hubs. Considering both are same, it should not be a problem and should be a bolt on solution. (IIRC, Warn, Lambda etc... have them)

Wont a better option be to swap to fixed flanges? Cheap and Best

Not sure, if in a Borg Warner, the majority of the TC does not spin in 2WD mode, if so, FWH is useful. Otherwise, I don't think there's much to gain by a free wheeling hub.

There is a team-bhp member who has converted his Scorpio 4x4 to manual locking hubs from Lambda so you should be able to do this on the Thar too.

Transfer case doesn't spin the front axles. The FWH prevent the wheels from churning the front axles and differentials continuously when not needed. The benefits are minor but there are definitely some benefits.

Yes Tini, I understand that.

In T18, the rear wheel out is from the transfer case, so, even in 2WD with FWH, most of the TC along with the GB is spins. My question was, is it the same case with Borg Warner? I guess with the rear wheel out from the Main Gearbox, in 2WD with FWH, it should be more efficient than the T18?.

If not, like you said, the gains by installing a FWH is minimal. You can only 'save' your front differential gear/bearings, front axle etc..

So, I personally think a fixed flange means, less hassles and one less part to maintain/bother about.

Remember reading about them on karizma9292's thread, here is the relevant post. It seems he got it from the Lambda factory in Bangalore.

I have never had auto locking hub failure even at last year's MGE , but still i bought a pair of FWH just for peace of mind . I bolt the FWH just for these OTRs . Last month we went on a private OTR to sakleshpur with the auto-locks , touch wood i had no failure . But for this years MGE i will bolt back the FWH because who knows when i will run out of luck:D .

Rear output has to be from T-Case for all T-Cases. Otherwise your gearing will me mismatched when you go to 4 Low.

Hmmm......so you guys think it is just a matter of bolting on the manual hubs?

Yes.

It has been done on one thar and a Scorpio in our group..

Swastik fans in Bangalore can get you those.

Infact yes, you can just chuck those auto lock which i feel is a troublesome contraption. It takes about an hour or so max to remove and refit the 'auto lock' with the manual locking ones from Lambda. I have seen some imported ones also, but Lambda ones works just fine. While fitting ensure the spring washers are used along with some thread lock solution for the base. A proper install ensures trouble free experience with these.

Servicing is also quite easy and actually DIY. Had them in my earlier CJ and now in Gypsy. Pretty reasonable too.

I have had Lamda before on another vehicle. I was just worried about taking off the hubs of the Thar CRDe (Borg-Warner) and doing something stupid in the process by mistake.

Thanks all.

That part is taken care of at the factory, so there is not much you can do wrong :)

Dear All,

I am in the process of procuring a 2014 Thar CRDe, however I am confused between the pros and cons of a fixed flange vs free wheeling hub.

I am told or I read somewhere that people have issues when speeding over 100kms in a Thar CRDe with fixed flange as the front axles are always engaged, while as it’s not the case with free wheeling hub.

I have read through many posts and instead of getting any brighter I have got more confused :Frustrati.

Please advise

Thanks!

The new one's are coming with Auto locking hubs.
I have one with fixed flanges;manufactured in Nov 2013.

I was under the impression that they replaced the auto-locking hubs with fixed flange ones around September 2013. Did they switch back to auto-locking hubs recently?

A noob question, how does one find out whether the hubs are auto-locking ones or fixed flange ones? Are there any visual differences?