Jumping in on this one as I have Spyntec manual hubs on my '09 JKUR. I opted for the Spyntecs after I'd gone from 3" to 4" springs. I couldn't get rid of front driveline vibration uness I had the caster dialed back to basically zero. Adding the Spyntecs was a 100% fix in that regard, because, of course, at highway speeds the front differential was not spinning. Manual hubs have many other advantages as well, starting with stronger bearings for larger wheels & tires, ability to run in 2wd lo (unlock the hubs in 4wd lo), axle shaft breakage options, etc. There is a small performance and fuel mileage improvement as well. Highway handling is significantly improved, too.

The downside is complexity, risk of broken hubs, maintenance requirements, and of course the inconvenience of having to get out & lock in the hubs. Then there's cost, which with Spyntecs gets to be a lot and for most guys the show-stopper. They really only make sense if you add them when doing your initial build. They require a change to 5x5.5" bolt pattern wheels and a swap out of the rear axle shafts for a set with dual bolt patterns. On a Rubicon they required new front inner shafts & u-joints, moving down to the smaller 760X size. I'm told Spyntec now provides Rubicon size larger stub axles. Since I have a Rubicon and had that step down I opted for CTM u-joints which have worked fine, no issues at all. However, they sell for $250 each. RCV will now make you a set, but that's going to set you back something like $1,200. You can justify the rear axle shaft upgrade as a sound move considering the tendency for the stock ones to bend. But I thik you get the idea, ther's a lot of cost beyond the price of the hub set. I sold off my first set of wheels, the front shafts, unit bearings and rear axle shafts which got back some of the expense.

After installation I had one set of spindles wear prematurely due to my setup error. Otherwise the only other issue was a broken hub engagement ring. I added RCV's hardened inner drive gears to the Warn hubs, no further issues. They've been on there for 40,000 miles now. From a quality standpoint they are superbly made and the service from Matt at Solid Axle / Spyntec has been outstanding. Would I do it again? No, I'd be way ahead had I just stepped up and gotten an angle corrected aftermarket housing.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone. I never thought about the unit bearing vs the serviceable bearings on the hubs.

Any brands people typically go with?

 

I like manual hubs for the front its just they want an arm and a leg for them also you have to go to either a 5x5.5 or a 8 lug setup.

 

Meant to mention earlier that Teraflex has
An 8 lug full float kit, front & rear that features manual hubs. Costs a fortune, plus one of your children.

 

I cant wait for a review on this .. Somebody has to own one by now lol

 

I've been looking at axles as well. PR44 is obviously on the list but Teraflex is looking good with control arm skid plates (don't understand why Dynatrac doesn't have these standard), multiple track bar mounting holes and a oil drain plug.

Anyone have anything bad to say or experience with Dynatrac vs Teraflex?

 

You can move the lower control arm mounts up on the axle and have to worry about skids or worry about hanging up on them. Helps with geometry if you are lifted as well for a better ride.

 

I have the Teraflex R44 Rubicon replacement housing and love it. Matched up perfectly with my Terafkex suspension. Build quality is outstanding, welds are works of art. Gear setup was a breeze, too. I got a smoking deal on it from Northridge and sold my stock housing. Probably have $700 total in the swap. As I've said before, the aftermarket replacements are so good I wouldn't put a dime into beefing up the stock housing.

 

How would these hold up with 37s or 40s and someone who can be heavy on the skinny pedal?

 

40s are far too much for a D44, especially if you are a weekend warrior. 37s can be done, but you have to be cognizant of what you're doing. Reversing up some rocks in 4 low is a great way to blow the front gears.

The aftermarket 44s are essentially a $5k housing. You still have all the weak parts that aren't designed to handle large tires (ball joints, unit bearings, brakes, steering, etc).

Other issue with 40s is D44s are not wide enough. Even with 37s, it's the low back space that adds stress that it could do without.