Locking Hubs: Warn - Mile Marker - Superwinch

[Bersaglieri]

Our 2003 F350 SRW needs new locking hubs for the front end. Does anyone have positive or negative things to say about the Warn, Mile Marker, or Superwinch hubs?

Here are the options I've seen:

Mile Markers: PN 449SS: Mile Marker 449SS - Mile Marker Supreme Locking Hubs - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Housing Material Stainless steel
Housing Finish Polished
Dial Material Stainless steel

Warn Standards: PN 11690: Warn 11690 - Warn Standard Manual Hubs - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Housing Material Cast aluminum
Housing Finish Chrome
Dial Material Aluminum

Warm Premium: PN 38896: Warn 38826 - Warn Premium Manual Hubs - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Housing Material Cast aluminum
Housing Finish Chrome
Dial Material Zinc aluminum alloy

Superwinch: PN 400439: Superwinch 400439 - Superwinch Premium Hubs - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Housing Material Cast aluminum
Housing Finish Polished
Dial Material Nylon

I see all but Mile Markers have aluminum housing and dials. The Mile Markers are stainless steel "jackets" with die cast aluminum cast inside. The Superwinch have nylon dials which makes me want to steer clear of them.

If you plug the vacuum lines do you need to do anything else to convert over to full manual hubs? I see some kits list "conversion kits", are these necessary for Super duty trucks?

I'm leaning towards the Mile Markers since they seem to have stronger materials and reasonable price.

-Dustin-

[dazdillenger]

My last 99 I had mile marker hubs, I got a great deal on a hub/winch combo so I said WTH. They worked flawlessly without any issues until I sold the truck, and still work well. I've had warn premiums as well, and can't say anything bad about them either, but the mile marker hubs seemed to be of a higher quality.

[Raul@Stealth Automotive]

had the warn premiums on both my trucks and loved them... thats the way i would go....

but i would get them through here since we have them cheaper: Hubs

[dazdillenger]

Here is something to consider-

The mile markers are all metal, and 1/4 turn
The standard warn hubs have a plastic knob, and are a 1/4 turn
The warn premium hubs are all metal, however they take nearly a full turn to lock.

During the winter I had issues with the warns being a bit too stiff-I needed a pair of pliers a few times. Not so with the mile markers. Finally, the fact the mile markers are stainless sold me. I wouldn't hesitate to buy them again, and they are cheaper!

[Bersaglieri]

Our truck has a standard warn on one side [previous owner] and when I had it apart it seemed surprisingly cheap. Looks like it's going to be between Premiums and Mile Markers, and ease of locking in the winter is important to me. Plastic knobs are a no-no in my mind.

I checked Mile Markers site and it shows a part number 95-32721 conversion kit, is that necessary for a 03 Powerstroke?

-Dustin-

[xraypipeliner]

Not sure what mine are, they were replaced right before I bought the truck. But they are plastic and I live in Michigan. Have never had any problems in the winter.

[NCHornet]

For replacements Warn Premium are the only choice for me.

But there is little wrong with the factory hubs. They get a bad wrap by people who fail to perform proper maintenance and then blame the ESOF for them being stuck. My ESOF system has never left me stranded. I have performed the proper maintenance on the hubs and vac lines going to them. I am ordering this next week which will eliminate the vac line to the hub problems.

http://www.dieselsite.com/1999-2004f...ofhosekit.aspx

[444 ci]

i have superwinch hubs on mine been flawless for going on three years.

[Ryan Rønning]

Warn Premiums are the way to go.

[dieselcrawler]

I hhave the standard warns on my yellow truck, and have had a snapring on the back of them come off, rendering them useless... they won't ingauge, fixed it once, and might be an issue again, because I had to get pulled out the other night at the county fair due to not having 4x4. Rather embarassing too, a 4x4 John Deere lawn tractor pulled out my F350 dually... So, I'll be checking the hubs for the popped off snap ring, and concidering other hubs when I replace the ones on my red truck. Also not too impressed with ammount of plastic/light parts in the standard Warn hubs... just expected 'more' when I ordered them.