Auto Hubs working again, cross my fingers

[Beertime9]

Well it snowed here in Colorado last weekend, went to use 4 wheel drive and no go. After a complete inspection of the auto hubs, I noticed the cam in the hub was worn down to a point which did not allow for enough travel of the gear to engage the hub.(It only needs about 1 1/4 inch of travel) I read all the threads on aout hubs and decided to go to manual, for about $200. Well since the hub was in good shape except for this one worn piece I decided to make a spacer to take up the slack. I found a large washer at the hardware store and ground down the inside so it would fit over ther splines inside the hub. I had to remove a little from the outside of the washer to fit so when it push into the hub it would clear the retaining clip for the spring. Lube it up and stuck it on, and it worked, at least for awhile until I get the money to go manual. If I had a lathe I could have made a bushing from brass in a few minutes, but had I did what I could with the tools I had. At least it works for awhile, though it is a lousy design that has it's faults, and yes, they are weak, and manual is a better way to go. But on the other hand you can't beat spending 63 cents versus $200.

Don

 

[slim]

Hello don, I read this post some time ago. Are your auto hubs still working with the washer. Further, I think my brother-in-law is having the same problem. His look to be in great shape, however they will not lock. We found the packed with junk, we cleaned them and lube-d them with oil. Still, the hubs will not lock. Saturday, we plan trying a spacer like you did. Finally, can be more specific regarding the washer and exactly where you placed it.

Thank you

Paul

[Edited by slim on 12-08-2000 at 04:52 AM]

 

[Beertime9]

Paul,

I know what you are saying, I took mine apart 10 times before I figured it out, here is what I found out. When you take the hub out and look at it you will see the gear in the hub that the cam on the spindle rides against. That gear will not slide out because the hub is worn a little and it will only slide off the back side of the inner gear. If you have a snap ring pliers and take out the inner gear the outer gear will come with it. Now you can inspect that gear, I noticed on mine that the inside part of it had little teeth sticking up, which I thought was odd, but after the tenth time I realized that this part was worn down about a half inch. So this is when I realized it did not have enough travel to engage the hub, also my cam assembly on the spindle does not have and plastic thrust washers behind them so there was another 1/4" or so, have no idea where they went? So back to hub gear, I went down to the hardware store and found a washer that was big enough to fit the dimensions of the gear where the cam rides against, I found one but I to grind it for about hour to fit exactly for the O.D. to fit in side the cam ridges and the ID to go around the inner gear. If you inspect that gear you will see how much it is worn down and that is how mush you need to make back up, I thought about a plastic spacer but I don't think it would hold up.(You just need to build up the surface where the cam assembly pushes against) My theory on whole crap hub is that this gear wears down, allowing partial engagement, then finally the gears break because they are only partially engaged, thus you get the popping sound just before they go, mine just clicked because the gear was just hair from engaging, but was popping the weekend before. Some reason I see from the threads it is ther drivers side first that seem to go, the right side needs to have the same repair job, it is just about a quarter of an inch away from not engaging.


Good luck,

Don

 

[slim]

Don, first of all I want to thank you for your time and help. Saturday we worked on the hubs, I see we see where the spacer is needed. However, we did not make the spacer yet. Greg, my brother-in-law works in a shop with all the equipment needed to make a spacer, grooves and all. Also he is going to make a few spacers in different thicknesses. Finally, I will post if we are successful with making the auto hubs work again.

slim

 

[Beertime9]

Your welcome, it really is a stupid design, that gear is pot metal or low grade crap for sure. I don't think you need to to make a spacer with grooves or splines, it just needs to fill the gap for the cam, if you make a washer with an OD that fits down in that space and an ID to go over the splines you should be good. If you are going to make some, make them about 1/16" thick then you can send a couple my way, or heck you could make afew bucks and sell them on here. I use to have access to a lathe, and then I could have machined a whole rod and cut off what I needed.
Good luck,

Don

 

[slim]

Don, I will pass that information onto Greg tonight. Also, I will tell him you what you want. If it where up to me I would make anyone who wanted spacers a set. Unfortunately, it is up to Greg since he is the one making them. However, since you figured out how to make autohubs work again I do not think he would mind making you a set. As for selling them here, again only Greg can answer that, I will have check with him. Again, thanks for your help.

slim

 

[slim]

Don, I have good news Greg's auto-hubs are working again. Also he said "definitely", he will make you a set. He wants to know exactly how thick you want them, he made his 70 thousands (1/16th" is 62 thousands) and what material you would prefer. Further, they can be made of anything you would like, Greg's choice "stainless steel". Finally, Greg asked I give you a big thanks from him.

slim

 

[Beertime9]

Glad to hear he got them working, if he will make me two of the same that he did, whatever metal he wants to make them with will be fine. What ever he wants to do will be greatly appreciated, let me know and send me an email at don_schro@yahoo.com, and I will send you my address here in Co.
Tell Greg thanks in advance,

Don

 

[BoatsRcool]

slim, do you think he could make me some too? I would pay him!

 

[Anime]

eh

I wouldnt mind having a set to use either...can anyone make those gears out of stainless..thatd fix the cruddy metal prob right?

He should really consider selling whatever he can come up with as hub rebuild kits. I'm sure $20-50 depending on whats included would steer alot of owers toward buying the kit rather than converting to manual hubs, and some owners just dont want to have to lock their hubs in the mud or snow

Ask Rick..I'm sure he'd let you sell these on the site or something

 

[bigtime57]

SPACERS WORK GREAT???? WELL THEY WORK?

I READ UP ON MAKING SPACERS FOR THE HUBS. I MADE TWO SETS OUT OF BRASS ON SET IS 1/32 AND THE OTHER IS 1/16 TRIED THEM BOTH AND THE 1/32 STAYED ENGAGED MOST OF THE TIME IN 4X 4 BUT WHEN THE BITE ON THE TIRES GOT HEAVY BOOM!!!! I THEN TRIED THE 1/16 AND IT WORKS GREAT IN HEAVY CONDITIONS THIS IS A SIMPLE AND EASY WAY TO BANDAGE UP A SORRY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT (HUBS THAT IS). THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE HAD OCCUR (TWICE IN ABOUT A 3 MONTH PERIOD) WAS WHEN I GOT IN MY 91 EXPLORER TO GO TO TOWN IT WAS FELT LIKE IT WAS IN 4 X 4 WITHOUT BEING ENGAGED, WHEN I GOT UP TO SPEED IT WAS TRULY IN 4 X 4 . I STOPED AND BACKED UP A FEW FEET AND OFF TO TOWN I WENT. I MIGHT TAKE THE SPACERS OUT AND SHAVE A LITTLE OFF OF THEM TO HELP THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY EASY FIX AND WOULD RECOMMEND ANYONE TRYING IT BEFORE SPENDING THE BIG BUCKS ON NEW HUBS. I CHOOSE TO GO THIS ROUTE BECAUSE IN KENTUCKY WE PROBABLY WONT HAVE 10 DAYS OF SNOW ALL YEAR AND I DONT GO OFF ROAD IN MY 91 I DO NOT KNOW HOW WELL THIS WOULD WORK ON A DAILY BASIS OR LONG TERM USE BUT I HAVE 179,000 MILES ON MINE AND IT TIME FOR THE OL "FIND THIS BABY A NEW HOME" AND SAVE THOSE BUCKS! GOOD LUCK

 

[Yomie]

Bigtime, Where in Ky are you??? I'm around Louisville!

 

[slim]

Hello everyone, sorry I have not been here in a while. I lost my Internet privileges at work, I wonder why. I was on this message board all day. I am pleased to see how many of you are fixing you hubs.

HEY DON I HAVE YOU SPACERS, I just need to send them. I have five five sets made of cold rolled steel, they were made on a lath. Further, I am told I can get as many of them as I want.

Again, sorry I cannot be here as often as I used to.

slim

 

[mmcgovern919]

Slim,
How much are you charging for them?

 

[slim]

I don't know how much to charge. Ask don, he has a extra set. This was don's idea, I do not want to steel his thunder.

slim

 

[mmcgovern919]

Don,
Are you going into the spacer making business? If so, how much are you charging?

 

[Beertime9]

Originally posted by mmcgovern919
Don,
Are you going into the spacer making business? If so, how much are you charging?

Slim and myself have not really talked about costs, but like with any new idea there are a ton of R&D costs, and in this project it was huge. So if I am to recover my R&D costs it would make the the spacers cost more than the new hubs. So taking take all this into consideration, I came up with this formula:
Time to figure it out (16 hours)+ Beer(cannot disclose)+ trying to file down a huge washer (3 hours) + more beer (too much) + the satisfaction of beating the system by making the my hubs work again (very gratifing) + watching everyone else get their hubs working = FREE !!!!!
Now that is on my end, as for Slim, I think he is due a couple of bucks for his time and material + shipping, but I cannot put a price on his time. I am honored that Slim is giving me the credit, but I am not one to charge for an idea, but I would charge you for material and shipping if I were to make them, that is only fair, don't you think?

Slim,
Thanks for the offer, but I think you took the idea a step farther and promoted the idea,(that is what this site is for, it is all about helping others fix stuff, so we don't have to spend all of our hard earned dollars) charge what you may, you derserve it. Besides that new baby may need a college fund. Let me know how much I owe you and I will pay you to ship mine.

Don

 

[slim]

Hello everyone, I belive we are talking about a price for the spacer. Like Don, I am flattered that people want these spacers I am having made. Again, I just want to help others the same way I have been helped at this site. However, I have spent a lot of time and energy both in getting the word out and with getting the spacers made. Honestly, I wish I could just give the things away. In fact, I will do just that, I will give away the spacers I have left, two sets.

I know, earlier I had said I would have ten sets. Unfortunately, there was some missed communication. I received ten pieces not ten sets.

Don, you should reiceve two sets of spacers in the mail today. Of course I am left with three sets, I will give two of them away.

mmcgovern919 and brad have both asked for a set, e-mail me you addresses and I will get them in the mail.

In the future, if there is a demand for these spacers I will have a large gross of them made up, also I will charge a fair price.

slim14277@yahoo.com

thanks

slim

 

[kdogg212001]

hey slim is it possible that i might need these spacers as your talking about to everyone?? i mean my 94 xlt is seeming to engage all but the front driver side wheel!! which i have been told could be the hubs or something else!! but i would be interested if you could talk a lil hub talk !! lol

 

[F14CRAZY]

That post is about 4 years old yo