The Huffman Hub Company of Albuquerque, NM

UPDATE IV: Well how about this .... There was an early Huffman hub that didn't have the fancy 'weapon-looking' topper (as seen in the pics below). Instead, a cylindrical key was supplied to help select whether the hub was engaged or not. This ad is from the September 1962 issue of Four Wheeler Magazine.

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UPDATE III (May 17, 2020): In September of 1964 the Huffman Hub company posted this full-page ad in Four Wheeler Magazine --

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September 1964 Four Wheeler Magazine

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(UPDATE II: Finally got a look at the 1967 article about Floyd Huffman that appeared in the August 20, 1967, issue of the Albuquerque Journal (pg 28):

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UPDATE: Dan shared pics of a set he just bought from Paul:

huffman-hub-company-hubs-lores

Post originally Published April 8, 2017:

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In December of 1958, Floyd G. Huffman filed a patent for a new type of hub structure. His patent, designed to "provide a hub structure that can be simply and quickly manually operated to release the front wheels so that they will rotate freely on the axles without the necessity of having the gears etc. rotate simultaneously when the front wheel drive has been disengaged" was finally approved in April of 1961.

Later that year, in October of 1961, he filed incorporation papers for the Huffman Hub Company. He was a one-man show and enjoyed his independence. One of the hub's unique features was a weapon-like piece of steel that sat atop the hub (but not evident not he patent).

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Between August 1964 and May of 1965, Huffman advertised in Four Wheel Magazine. Perhaps by the summer of 1965 he'd built up enough dealers (150 in eight states), that he didn't see the point of advertising? That isn't clear.

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According the 1967 article at the top of this post, when he needed money, he hit the road, obtaining hub orders in New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Colorado. Then, he'd return to his home in Albuquerque and, with the help of his granddaugther, would machine, assemble and ship the hubs. He claimed he was making 100 hubs a month and he saw great potential in reaching 1000 hubs a month.

I could find no more information on Huffman and his hubs after 1967, but I suspect the financial realities of operating a one man show proved impractical and he shut down the business.

4 Comments

  1. Ranger Bob in Colorado
    I have had Dual-matics on on my 1948 CJ-2A since 1957 and on my 1952 CJ-3A without any problems. My 1952 M-38 does not have free wheeling hubs and never have had trouble with transfer case with 39,000 miles. I went through the case to replace seals and reline the emergency brake seven years ago. That is all that needed to be done.
  2. Dianna
    Hello everyone’. My name is Dianna Kaye Huffman. I am the 11-year old who was helping my Papa. I am so happy to see these comments and to learn more about the design of my Paia’s invention. I loved him so much and we were great buddies.
  3. Dianna
    Hello everyone’. My name is Dianna Kaye Huffman. I am the 11-year old who was helping my Papa. I am so happy to see these comments and to learn more about the design of my Paia’s invention. I loved him so much and we were great buddies.
    1. TimD32
      Hi Diana, that's really neat that you found eWillys and your family's history along with your photos. Such neat stuff. Dave the founder of eWillys had done extensive research on the Hub designs of Jeeps and saved and found so much content. It possible I may have some of the books on these in my Library. I can be reached at "Post@eWillys.com" if you have anything more you wanted to share and I might have stuff in my records to share with your Family, I would have to look. Let me know.

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