Re: Lock-o-Matic hubs....

[n9ads@domain.elided (Howard R Pletcher)]

The IH/Warn Lock-O-Matic hubs are really two hubs in one body.  The
manual part is just like the manual hubs with a moving collar that
engages splines attached to the end of the axle shaft and provides a
solid lock-up when engaged.

The automatic part is a design called a Sprague clutch.  It has a large
nut attached to the end of the axle shaft (with 10 flats I think it is). 
On each flat is a roller about 1/4" in diameter.  On the outside is a
round housing that is attached to the wheel hub that is just big enough
for the roller to rest freely inside the body when it is in the center of
the flat.   When the axle starts to rotate, the nut forces the roller out
against the outer body and wedges it there, causing the hub to rotate. 
When the axle stops turning, the nut returns to the center of the flat
and the hub turns freely.

To make this work, there is a cage that positions the rollers with nylon
friction shoes that ride on a smooth ring attached to the spindle.  When
the axle starts to turn, the shoes and cage hold the rollers back so they
can wedge into place.  Because the flats on the nut are symmetrical, this
action will happen in forward or reverse.  And in either direction,
whenever the hub turns faster than the axle shaft, the rollers return to
the center of the flats and release, so you do not get any retarding
action in the auto position.

The smooth ring on the spindle is the lock "nut" for the wheel bearing
nut.  Rather than having two actual nuts, the outer one is round and you
tighten it with a spanner wrench or a socket with two pins at the end (or
a punch in one of the holes for the pins for us shadetree mechanics) and
then lock it in place with three set screws that go into a slotted washer
between the two nuts.  Covered with grease, it's hard to figure out how
to take it apart if you don't know about the set screws.

I think you should be able to exchange hubs between the two 44's--I
believe the outer ends are identical.

Howard Pletcher
Howteron Products Scout Parts

On Sun, 25 Oct 1998 22:10:19 -0600 "The Lublin Family" <lublin@domain.elided>
writes:
>Hello all:
>
>Can someone explain to me how the IH Lock-O-Matic hubs work?    I have a
set
>of them on a Dana 44 sitting out back of the barn.   They look like
ordinary
>lockout hubs with the dial and all.   I have never before seen Automatic
>locking hubs with a dial like that.
>
>Seeing that my '74 3/4 ton 4X4 has a Dana 44 front, would those hubs
work on
>my truck?    My truck does not have lockouts on the front.   Since it
was a
>military truck, they ordered it without them.   I dont like having that
>constant front end drag.   Seeing I am kinda frugal, I am kinda curious
as
>to the interchangability of those hubs.   The Dana 44 I have is off a
'76
>Scout Traveler.
>
>

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]