Fixed the Manual Hub Nut Problem

[Kirby N.]

Everybody has had problems with the hub nuts on the manual hubs, right? Mine were always loosening and wearing out my bearings or the keyed washer would thread itself and defeat it's purpose, well I fixed it.
What I used:
The smaller nut from the conversion kit for Manuals
A set of auto hub nuts and keys

I replaced the inner nut and lock washer with the auto nut and key, but heres where it got a little tough: The Manual huds are smaller on the inside than the Autos, so the auto nut is too large to fit inside.
A guy (Zensius I think) did this swap before I did, but he machined the hub a little to accomodate the nuts and it ended up exploding the hub. I chose to machine the Auto nuts. I took them down with my angle grinder and then put notches in them so a punch could be used to take them off and on. I only have 100 or so miles on them, but they seem to work good and I am alot more confident in them rather than the manual nuts. Let me know if you have any questions...

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Cool I might try this too. Since Have a bunch of Auto Hub nuts sitting around.

 

[410Fortune]

CAN YOU GET PICS OR DRAW diagram?

I am planning to machine a set of manual spindle nuts with set screws similar to what Warn did, but I am interested in any possible fixes and I know there are LOTS of others who need the help too.......

Thanks!

 

[zensius]

It wasn't me who attempted a fix like but I've been tryin to get info on this for a while. Thanks for more help Kirby

 

[Rick]

I agree with your method of machining the nut intstead of the housing. The housing is thin as it is and breaks easily under load. The nut is plenty thick to machine some material off. Now to see how well it holds up. Keep us informed.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Originally posted by 410Fortune
CAN YOU GET PICS OR DRAW diagram?

I am planning to machine a set of manual spindle nuts with set screws similar to what Warn did, but I am interested in any possible fixes and I know there are LOTS of others who need the help too.......

Thanks!

Jamie,

I tryed this on my Explorer and it did not help much. I am about to have to do some work on my explorers Dana 35 for band aiding purposes. So I am Going to try the auto spindle nut trick this time.

 

[jimbo74]

isnt there a fix of using a jeep spindle nut? i think there was a writeup for it on the explorer4x4.com site.... also, some other board i belong to said that you could use the hubs for a d35 rear axle for a full floater and could just use that and it would work?

 

[Kirby N.]

I will try to take some pics for 410. I have never heard of the D35 rear solid hub nut fix.

 

[Brian1]

I modified the lock washer on mine and I have had no problems with it coming loose. It was really simple to do if you have a welder. Dead Link Removed

 

[Brett]

I've got a set of warn spindle nuts with the allen screws. So far, all my worries with wheel bearings have not happened...

 

[Josh S.]

Hey Brian1, I noticed while browsing your page that you replaced your shifter bushing. Did this tighten up the shifter? Mine's pretty sloppy, and it now does not sit in the middle anymore, it leans over to the left(when in neutral. Do you thin kthis would help?

 

[Kirby N.]

I don't think you can buy the spindle nut with the set screws anymore.

 

[Brian1]

Originally posted by Josh S.
Hey Brian1, I noticed while browsing your page that you replaced your shifter bushing. Did this tighten up the shifter? Mine's pretty sloppy, and it now does not sit in the middle anymore, it leans over to the left(when in neutral. Do you thin kthis would help?

Yes it made it very tight for a few weeks untill it wore in. After that it felt normal. It still has a little resistance after about 2 years. I dont know if it would help you or not, the only way to tell is to take the shifter off by removing the 3 screws that hold the shifter and cap on and look at the bushing.

 

[Josh S.]

k thanx

 

[Brett]

Originally posted by Kirby N.
I don't think you can buy the spindle nut with the set screws anymore.

You can't. You'll have to score a set used. Very hard to come by, but it fixed my wheel bearing nuts from backing off.

 

[fobrnno]

i've done that about a year ago and it work out great .
i copied the shape from the warn nut and used a bench grinder to grind it round then used the cut off wheel to cut the four grooves so i can use the hub socket

 

[warmun45]

I learned the hard way with the auto nuts in the manual hubs.I lost my front left tire.Had to replace everything after that.Lots of damage.I think I will try it again,but i will grind the auto hubs.thanks,good post.

 

[Torqueranger]

Not to be Captain Obvious here guys but I just used alot of blue lock tight and ran the piss out of them with no problems ..

 

[4x4junkie]

I just run the outer locknut down to 250 ft-lbs instead of the 150 the books call for. Never have had one come loose (no Loctite or anything else needed).

 

[Kirby N.]

Old School post! This mod kept my wheel bearings alive with big tires but when I locked up the front I couldn't keep manual hubs alive so that is when I went to a Dana 44.

I just run the outer locknut down to 250 ft-lbs instead of the 150 the books call for. Never have had one come loose (no Loctite or anything else needed).

When I torqued the piss out of the outer nut the keyed lock washer would thread itself onto the spindle and turn the inside nut ruining the whole setup.

Not to be Captain Obvious here guys but I just used alot of blue lock tight and ran the piss out of them with no problems ..

Captain obvious- how do you go about removing those nuts when you need to service things