Switch to manuals. Then you won't have to worry about auto hubs breaking when you need 4wd.

 

I would love to do that if I could afford it but I can't right now so it's auto hubs for the meantime. I'm scouring junkyards to try and find either a whole hub or just the piece I need, the three pointed star looking thing on the backside of the hub body, the gear that actually locks the hub to the shaft.

 

I hope you are able to find a good auto hub or just the part that you need, but what about buying used manual hubs from the jyards for now instead? Not sure what the going price is for used manual hubs, but its got to be cheaper than new ones. Of course, if you find a good auto hub or part, you'd think that would cheaper yet. As I said, good luck.

 

Auto hubs are nowhere near as reliable as manual hubs, and the funny thing about a 4x4 is that when you need 4wd, you really need it. I would never trust auto hubs to work right after reading as much as I have about them in this forum.

If you're going junkyard hunting, just pick up a set of manuals. They can't be that much more.