Locking hubs on rear axle?

the rear axle on my truck has an open diff (no locker). Is it even possible to just add locking hubs on the back instead of a whole new locker?

 

Nope, and that's a different kind of locker altogether. Locking hubs disconnect the hub from the axle and won't help offroad, the only reason they exist is to be able to switch between 2wd and 4wd. Adding them to the rear would give you the option of 0wd, or front wheel drive if you have 4wd and unlock the rear.

 

Adding them to the rear would give you the option of 0wd, or front wheel drive if you have 4wd and unlock the rear.[/QUOTE]

Sounds like a Honda Ridgeline

 

From what I've heard, some jeepers have swap in 'full-floating' rear axles that have those manual hubs. No real offroad advantage, but it allows them to flat-tow the jeep long distances without removing the driveshaft.

 

You don't need that to flat tow a jeep, just put the transfer case in neutral. Floating hubs are pretty silly for something as light as a jeep -- their purpose is for carrying incredibly heavy loads without needing an axle that can hold it directly.

 

The original WW2 era jeeps had full floating rear axles and 3 shift levers, we've gone downhill since then

 

WW2 era jeeps were heavy trucks that would actually carry heavy loads. Nothing at all common to Fiat's "Jeep" brand of tin cans.

 

There's more reasons than just payload rating for full floating rear axles on off road trucks, primarily that breaking an axle doesn't result in the wheel coming out of the axle.

Seeing this in your rear view is pretty deflating.

 

They were referred to as "1/4 ton". They are smaller than the current 2 door CJ jeeps.

 

I hate C clip axles, lucky tacomas don't have that crap.

 

You mean Willys? They are the size of golf carts.

 

While free-float axles do avoid this, lots of load-bearing axles avoid this problem too. Most have retainer plates that hold the axle/bearing assembly in place even if you break an axle, as long as the break isn't just behind the hub, which would be unusual. The c-clip Dana 30 and 35 are complete garbage, which is why Jeep stopped using them. Most Jeepers and rock crawlers just use Dana 44 or 60's with standard load-bearing axles.

 

It is even more fun when the wheel and axle go rolling past just as the backing plate hits the ground

 

This being a Toyota board, it's probably worth mentioning that FJ40, FJ60, FJ62, 79-95 mini trucks can all benefit from full floating axles because their axles are C-clip retained. So a twisted axle can lead to a wheel backing out like that. Not that it's really a big enough issue until you really start pushing stuff and even then it's the guys running 35+ and Marlin Ultimates that really destroy stuff. Oh and the heavy Cruisers can twist splines, too. Of course full floater add their own problems, broken studs, wheel bearing repacks.

 

My 1978 2wd Toyota pickup did not have a C clip rear end, it had ball bearing pressed onto the axles. If the axle broke the wheel and axle wouldn't come off but since it's not a full floating axle it wouldn't be usable. These ball bearings are much better than the bearings in C clip axles. I believe Tacomas use the same design. I do not know what 79-95 mini trucks used but I suspect they are not C clip.

C clip axles are bad not only because only the C clip holds the axle in but because they have needle bearing that run on the axle. These are the worst bearings you can use find for carrying a load and when the bearing wears out the journal surface on the axle is worn out too so the axles need to be replaced.

 

If they didn't undo the nuts it wouldn't have popped out like that....

But no, that isn't actually a reason for floating rear. If you blow your bearing, even a floating hub will pop off.

 

I was thinking older Cruisers, which have the c-clip axles and the rear pumpkin cover to access it.

It's the wobble when your axle breaks that destroys the bearing in a semi-floating axle. If you decouple the two functions then you're less likely to lose a wheel bearing. In either case of course the bearing failing would result in the wheel coming off.