Suzuki Repair: 4wd hubs, manual hubs, geo tracker


Question
Sorry, I forgot to say, they were in fact MANUAL hubs, not automatic. That's why I was surprised, yet I was told and shown that they were in fact no good anymore (and I experienced it myself when I tried to engage  them in snow but they stopped working). Could it be that I didn't engage them ENOUGH over time to keep them lubricated or whatever? or could it because they were factory hubs? Thanks
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Followup To
Question -
I have a '96 Geo Tracker, basically the same as a Suzuki. It has very low mileage, less than 60,000, and I've only used the 4WD a dozen times or so over the years. Yet, I needed new hubs because the original ones went bad; 'fried' I was told. Is it common for hubs on these vehicles to go bad so quickly? Thanks
Answer -
I assume the hubs were automatic engagement hubs.  They do have a tendency to wear out whether in two or four wheel drive.  That's why most "serious" off road vehicles use manual hubs.  Yes, you have to get out of the vehicle to engage or disengage them, but they're much tougher and longer lived.  To get someting one place, you have to give up something somewhere else.

Answer
Yeah, It's possible.  I had to replace a set of hubs on a friend's jeep that had lived in texas for 8 yrs.  The hubs were so corroded inside from the salt air at the coast that even if they had been capable of moving, there wouldn't have been enough metal left to transfer power.
Take 'em apart and re-grease anually.