New here Q. about manual hub conversion

[T.L.]

Just got my '93 explorer and realy like it. It's just stock now, but plans are in place for small lift, tires, chip, engine work........ I need to do ball joints up front first, so I thought I might as well install manual hubs. are the original hubs dependable? What's the story with the wheel bearing retaining nut coming loose sometimes?
Any info is appreciated.

 

[IZwack]

Just got my '93 explorer and realy like it. It's just stock now, but plans are in place for small lift, tires, chip, engine work........ I need to do ball joints up front first, so I thought I might as well install manual hubs. are the original hubs dependable? What's the story with the wheel bearing retaining nut coming loose sometimes?
Any info is appreciated.

Most people just swap over to manual hubs since manuals are usually more dependable.

The wheel bearing retaining nut shouldn't come loose if its properly installed. I don't know how it is on the firt Gen's TTB axle but on a Dana 44 solid, there is a small little protrusion on one of the nuts that must catch one of the "holes" in the other nut to lock together.

 

[Happy Jack]

Yup same as the 44. There are two nuts and a washer. For the dana 35 Spicer #28068X. Don't spend the extra $$$$'s for the Warn conversion kit if you don't have to. Check for a local Spicer dealer or get them from a salvage yard when you get the lock outs. The Heep conversion lock out, Warn #37780, is said to be stronger than the std. lock out, Warn #29071, sold for the Ford 35.

Thing is on the 35 the wheel bearings are just a 1/4" apart. Not as much holding power as a 44. And the ball joint adjuster is just held in place by friction of a clamping bolt. I have thought about drilling a hole in one or two of the points of the adjuster and the top of the knuckle and installing a short pin or machine screw to help hold the adjuster in place. Most can keep the 35 going with up to 33 inch tall tires. But it really depends on driving style. Seems that once you go to 35's or larger tires problems seem to occur for many.

The inner nut adjusts the wheel bearings. My book says to torque this nut to 35 ft. lbs. while spinning the wheel to seat everything. Then back the nut off 1/4 turn and tighten to 16 inch lbs. I just turn the spindle nut wrench by hand till it's finger tight. The inside nut has a nipple on it. Make sure the nipple is facing outboard. The spindle has a grove cut in it. The inside of the washer has a tab that fits in that grove. The washer has a lot of holes drilled in it. Those holes are for the nipple on the inside nut to fit into. After you adjust the wheel bearings with the inner nut look and see where the nipple is. Then slide the washer on and see if the nipple aligns with one of the holes. If it doesn't move the inside adjuster nut so that the nipple will align with the closest hole in the washer. If it is in the middle of two holes go tighter on the inside nut. After this is done and you are sure that the nipple is in one of the holes in the washer is flat against the inner nut install the outer lock nut. This nut should be torqued to 150 ft. lbs. This is important to keep the nut from backing off.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

If your stock hubs are the automatic ones, there is a groove on the top of the spindle where a small key slides into the bearing retaing nut. Clean the goo away and use a magnet to pull out the locking key and then the nut will come off as normal. The manual conversion will repace this the style of inner and outer jam nut as described above.

 

[T.L.]

Thanx for the tips! I can't wait to play in the mud!

Cheers

 

[Minivek]

Hi all, I've got a question regarding manual hub compatibility, I say some superwinch or milemarker hubs on a mazda 4000 they don't look like normal explorer warn hubs they looked like this picture here, : sorry, I'm not sure we can post a website like this to get an image, just forget the rest of the info on the page please and check the picture out. http://performance.gearheadracingpa...ear=1994&modelid=103&partid=2263&brandid=2083 will these fit my explorer??

Also, those of you who have installed skyjacker springs, how likely are they to sag?? same rate of sagging as the old spring? Or if I truly want 2" of lift, I should buy the 3" spring? thanks for your help!!!


Thanks a lot and have a nice day!!

 

[Jason94sport]

This nut should be torqued to 150 ft. lbs. This is important to keep the nut from backing off.

This is what was happening on my Bronco II. I had to retighten the nut every few 100 miles. Even with more then 150 ft lbs.
This is why I'm not swapping my autos on my X.

The auto's work fine for me. The get a bad rep when the truth is they are fine in most conditions if they are maintaned.
Mine work everytime I use them.

 

[Minivek]

I've searched the site pretty good but haven't found the info I'd like any suggestions are welcome. same thing about the skyjacker springs.

Thanks and have a nice day

 

[sethdromgoole]

I can't get this locking key out no matter what I try. I don't have a strong magnet, and I tried fishing it out with a paper clip but the clip barely fits and the locking key seems very tight as if it is locked by the nut. Any suggestions?

 

[Maniak]

You hit the nail on the head. You may need to turn the nut a hair to get the key out. Last resort, just turn the nut with the key in. The nut will crack and break and come off. Many of us have accidentally done that before.

~Mark

 

[Happy Jack]

K, I have used some brake parts cleaner to break up the old grease. This helps but the problem is when the outside nut is torqued at 150lbs the lock ring and inner nut will also rotate and the lock ring will bite into the threads and is held with the inner nut. You bad try to see if you can move the inner nut a bit and use a pick like these to pull the lock ring off. http://www.mechanicstoolsupply.com/...ex.html_Q_Hooks_and_Picks__E_Hooks_and_Picks_

Good luck hope that helps. If the threads on the spindle are damaged too bad you will have to replace the spindle or it will not hold when put back together. I have seen a spacer used behind the inner nut to move the nuts and lock ring out a little bit so the lock ring will hold.

 

[wardbrandon28]

thats what happens when you take off the nut without taking out the key, but not always on the other side of the truck i dident remove the key either but it ended up comming off with out breaking

 

[WoodsBuggy3]

Since were on the subject of TTB front wheel bearings I have a question..

When setting preload I set the inner spindle nut as descripbed above but when I torque the outer bearing to 150 ft lbs it seems to increase the preload of the wheel bearings making it much harder to spin the wheel. I normally just back off my outer lock nut a little and its fine for a time but the preload does eventually become too loose and I have to readjust alot more often than I should.
Has anyone else ever ran into this? Not real clear how its even happening as the inner spindle nut does not move, its locked with the lockring that goes between the two spindle nuts.
BTW I'm using the Milemarker manual hub conversion kit.

 

[Maniak]

My spindles do this too. They seem to have gotten worse as the spindle threads have gotten more worn.

What I do he tighten the inner nut a bunch, back it off, put it finger tight (very loose), put on the spacer thing between the nuts, put on the outer nut and crank it way down. This method seems to work for me. It does still tighten the the bearing some when the outer nut is tightened which is why I start with so little torque on the inner nut. .

~Mark

 

[WoodsBuggy3]

Ahh ok, that makes sense. Its the threads are worn. Thanks for the tip, almost thought I was doing something wrong even though I knew I wasn't.

I will give your method a shot this weekend, see if I can get it dialed in.