Can someone PLEASE explain the difference between Warn locking hubs, a locker, etc???
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,692
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From: Mercer County, NJ
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 HO
I know pickups have them still. Wasn't sure if pumpkins are designed different on manual hub vehicles. Thanks.
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,692
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From: Mercer County, NJ
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 HO
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,692
Likes: 6
From: Mercer County, NJ
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 HO
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: California
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 i6
Locking hubs are a different animal from a differential locker. With the Dana 30, the wheels are connected to the axles and the differential at all times (with the exception of some older, pre-92 cherokees I believe, someone correct me if I am wrong). This means that when you are driving in 2wd, the front wheels will be spinning the shafts and gears and your front driveshaft. Warn lockout hubs allow you to disconnect the wheels from the axles, so that they are not always spinning while driving around in 2wd. They can be convenient if you have a "locker" in the front axle so the wheels don't bind up on turns.
CF Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
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From: York, PA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Schirm is correct, the hubs do not involve the transfer case directly. The Np242 full-time feature acts as an open differential between your front and rear axle. When you put it into 4hi or 4lo, it locks the power between both axles, just as a locker would in your D30.
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,692
Likes: 6
From: Mercer County, NJ
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 HO
Schirm is correct, the hubs do not involve the transfer case directly. The Np242 full-time feature acts as an open differential between your front and rear axle. When you put it into 4hi or 4lo, it locks the power between both axles, just as a locker would in your D30.
CF Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,169
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From: York, PA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Not fully exactly. The np242 has a viscous coupler which allows a difference in speed between the front and rear wheels. This allows you to drive in full time on dry pavement and not bind up cause the wheels are all trying to go the same speed. Secondly, when the np231 and 242 goes into hi or lo yes it sends power to all the wheels but not like a locker. If you have open differentials, like most stock jeeps have, and a rear and front wheel come off the ground, since Those have the least "resistance" they will spin freely and the tires on th ground will just sit there. Now if you have a locker then if a tire comes off the ground, the locker "stops" the resistance and transfers it to the other tire so they both spin at the same time on that axle only. So if the rear is locked and the front isn't and the front comes off the ground, hope your tires in the rear have enough traction to push you forward. Now my fingers hope so hope this cleared up everything. Oh and locking hubs just lock the "rim", in reality the hub, what it's attached too, and the axle that goes into the pumpkin. Unlocked hubs just spin the hubs and tires. D30 and all late year Cherokees hAve one piece hubs
Not fully exactly. The np242 has a viscous coupler which allows a difference in speed between the front and rear wheels. This allows you to drive in full time on dry pavement and not bind up cause the wheels are all trying to go the same speed. Secondly, when the np231 and 242 goes into hi or lo yes it sends power to all the wheels but not like a locker. If you have open differentials, like most stock jeeps have, and a rear and front wheel come off the ground, since Those have the least "resistance" they will spin freely and the tires on th ground will just sit there. Now if you have a locker then if a tire comes off the ground, the locker "stops" the resistance and transfers it to the other tire so they both spin at the same time on that axle only. So if the rear is locked and the front isn't and the front comes off the ground, hope your tires in the rear have enough traction to push you forward. Now my fingers hope so hope this cleared up everything. Oh and locking hubs just lock the "rim", in reality the hub, what it's attached too, and the axle that goes into the pumpkin. Unlocked hubs just spin the hubs and tires. D30 and all late year Cherokees hAve one piece hubs
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Mercer County, NJ
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 HO
I said when in hi or lo it sends power to the wheels but not like a "locker" and then go on to explain about lockers. I never sai the 231 wasn't a locked TC
It was because o empties last sentence I described lockers and such. He referred to a TC and a locker in the same paragraph in relevance to the D30. Just doesn't paint a clear picture to someone who doesn't know what a locking hub, lockers and etc, is. That's all
Last edited by sycoglitch; Mar 21, 2013 at 05:50 PM.
I was talking in reference to the axles not the transfer case. I'm sure in my jumble I said about the difference between the 242 and 231.
I said when in hi or lo it sends power to the wheels but not like a "locker" and then go on to explain about lockers. I never sai the 231 wasn't a locked TC
It was because o empties last sentence I described lockers and such. He referred to a TC and a locker in the same paragraph in relevance to the D30. Just doesn't paint a clear picture to someone who doesn't know what a locking hub, lockers and etc, is. That's all
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,692
Likes: 6
From: Mercer County, NJ
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 HO
CF Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,169
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From: York, PA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0



