'75 cj - no locking hubs?

I just bought a '75 cj 258/t18 (my 1st jeep) and since it was about 4 hours away I had a buddy check it out and then did the deal with the owner over the phone. My friend told me it does not have locking hubs but the 4wd works well when shifted in or out with the transfer case. This is a pretty stock jeep with a slight lift but looks like it was used more on the road than off so my question is why would this not have locking hubs? I assume I'll need to put a set on to save wear and tear on the front drivetrain using it on the road right?

Terry

 

Yep.

 

If I remember correctly, locking hubs was an option in 75. Drive flanges were standard.

 

Jeeps came with flanges at least into the early '70s. I know my '73 and '75 (bought new) both came with flanges, and I installed hubs. They may have been optional by '75, but certainly not in 1973.

You don't really need locking hubs ... their importance is way overrated in popular thinking. For Jeeps, they were strictly dealer or owner installed, until Jeep realized they were losing money by not offering them.

Just about everybody has them though.

 

When I purchased my stock 75 in 1980, it did not have locking hubs. It was a dealer
or aftermarket option, that I added soon after; benefits being less wear/tear on the
front drivetrain and marginally better mileage. I rarely engage them anymore, just every
now and then to lubricate........

 

Thats funny, I almost never unlock mine.

Another benefit of locking hubs is that if your front driveshaft angle is less than ideal, such as mine is, not spinning the front end on the street cuts down on vibration. But yes, you do not Need them, and apparently they were optional.

 

Thanks to all. I had visions of trashed front axles & transfer case because it was run for 84K miles with no lockouts.

Terry

 

Don't want to hijack the thread, but any of you carry drive flange in the jeep in case of an exploded hub ?

 

On my 2a if i leave them engaged its slow as hell on acceleration. Its like a rocket in comparison when there disengaged so that saves gas for sure

 

Did they make them with auto hubs like chevys? Even though they always break. There for lazy people

 

Warn made a set of auto locking hubs that were called lock-o-matic that were auto locking or you could manualy lock them. I have a set on my 72 that work very well