Is there electronics in them? What makes then engage / disengage?

When I go from FW to REV I have a loud clunk from my front end.

If I turn the front driveshaft by hand, at first it seems to "skip a tooth" when I change direction then it feels fine...

I just did the Auto/Manual swap. My 4wd works, but 4wd drive light. What controls this?

Thanks,

-Steve

I belive that when the CV turns the inside of the hub that a collar is rotated into position to lock the hub.  When the CV turns in reverse it backs out the collar.  No electronics involved.

The 4WD light is powered from a switch on the transfer case.

I belive that when the CV turns the inside of the hub that a collar is rotated into position to lock the hub.  When the CV turns in reverse it backs out the collar.  No electronics involved.

Yeah, I think this is right. Basically when you put it in 4wd and go forward, the cv axle turns, engages the hub. When you go into reverse, the cv axles turns in reverse, backing out of the hub, and then turning into it again and reengaging it.

Personally, I'm not a fan of auto hubs for this reason. All the engaging and disengaging when you're going back and forth and back and forth, either to get yourself unstuck in the mud, or to try to get up a hill by backing down and trying again.

My differential blew chunks because of my auto hubs. I did a lot of back and forth and back and forth and back and forth to try to get up a hill once, and "kablam!". 

I'm not a fan of 'em either, but when you know how they "lock in" you can be careful (at least I have and haven't suffered breakage yet).

If I was running mud, I would ditch them in a second, but loose rocky trails haven't been a problem as long as I'm careful after I here them "click" off (I go gently till they click in again then I can punch it).

I also think that being locked in the front I never get into a spot where one disenguages while another is enguaged. They either both click in or both click out ...

My bro-in-laws F250 has hubs with 2 positions, AUTO and LOCK.  I wonder if in AUTO they work like our auto hubs, but in lock work like our manual hubs.  Sounds like the best of both worlds.  Of course I could be completely wrong about them.

Good info,

Thanks!

-Steve

I love my auto hubs, willl never give them up.  the only down fall is, when youre stuck and rocking back and fourth, the sometimes disengage if one wheel is in the air, usually followed by a loud crunch when it engages again under (full) power.  once you learn to use them, they are awsome. 

Now here is a question I have a set of auto hubs off of a 92 sidekick.
In a pinch could I swap out my manual hubs for these???
87 Samurai

Do most people perfer auto locking hubs? Yes it does take another skip for the manual hubs but which is truely better? The sammi I am looking at has manual locking hubs, what would happen if I forgot to engage them while using 4WD? Anything bad? What if I forgot to unlock them after I took the vehicle out of 4WD?

what would happen if I forgot to engage them while using 4WD? Anything bad?
You get stuck

What if I forgot to unlock them after I took the vehicle out of 4WD?

The only negative here is slightly more wear and tear on the CV shafts.  I normally lock my at the beginning of winter and leave them locked.