Lock \’Em In: The Enduring Cult of Manual Hubs, Solid Axles & 1970s CJ-5 Renegades

“Before electronic dial switches, touchscreen crawl controls, and computer-managed differentials, engaging four-wheel drive required boots in the mud and cold metal in your palms.”

There is a sacred ritual known to anyone who operates a vintage 4WD rig. You pull over at the trailhead where the asphalt dissolves into washboard caliche. You step out into the dust, walk to the front wheels, and twist the knurled dial on the Warn locking hub clockwise until you hear a sharp, mechanical CLICK. The front axle shafts are now locked to the wheels.

1. The 1970s CJ-5: Short Wheelbase, Big V8 Rumble

With an 83.5-inch wheelbase and an optional AMC 304 cubic-inch V8, the mid-70s CJ-5 Renegade was a raw, bucking mountain goat. It didn’t have sway bar disconnects or leather heated seats; it had steel leaf springs, a Dana 30 front axle, and a Dana 44 rear with manual drum brakes. On high-elevation sand dunes or steep shale climbs, a CJ-5 demanded complete driver commitment. Our Rusty CJ-5 Renegade Sand Dune Crawler Tee celebrates that unfiltered carbureted era.

2. Solid Front Axles vs. Independent Front Suspension

Ask any rock crawler why the first-generation 1985 Toyota 4Runner is revered as a holy grail. 1985 was the final production year featuring a factory solid front axle paired with the bulletproof fuel-injected 22RE engine. When one wheel is forced upward over a boulder, the opposite tire is pushed down into the dirt, maintaining mechanical traction without reliance on traction-control brake pulses. We immortalized this legend in the 1985 4Runner Solid Axle Summit Division Tee.