What is needed to convert auto hubs to manual?

[RoadrunninRN]

OK....after much investigation in the freezing cold (10 below wind chill) this past weekend, hubby feels certain now that the auto hub is bad. He had taken both off and cleaned them very well, taken the shift motor off and checked all of that out, and put those parts back. Upon his next test drive-- the THUMPING had moved from the right to the left-because he had intentionally reversed the hubs to see if the thumping would move (this narrowed out having to pull the transfer case!!)

So, now we are considering converting to manual hubs since we have to replace them anyway, and it seems that auto hubs are troublesome with alot of folks!! I have an early 1991 EB, and my husband is trying to figure out what he needs to get to do the conversion. We are looking at Warn Hubs, and there is a listed Spindle Nut Conversion Kit, that we know we will have to have. But......in looking at my auto hubs, and my step-son's on his F150, my husband pointed out that my auto hubs do not bolt to the spindle, like my step-son's do. So--does that mean I have to get new spindles too? Or will the manual hubs just slide over my spindle like my auto hubs do? (We also saw on the web site that we have to check the spline count, as we may have to get 1989 hubs) We would just like to know what all is involved in this before we decide to go manual, because my money tree is not in bloom at this time of the year!

Thanks for your help!! This forum has been a real help!!

 

[jimbo74]

welcome to the site... this topic has been discussed in depth here. actually there was even a thread earleir today that this info was asked... ehre is the basics from our parent site http://www.explorer4x4.com/tips2.html#hub

 

[RoadrunninRN]

WOW!! That's it?? NO new spindles? So I can get both hubs switched to new manual hubs for about $250?? This is so much better than I expected!! If I had known this before, I wouldn't have been sliding up and down the hill to get to/from my house!! woohoo!! Thanks so much!!

 

[hungryhunter]

HELP Manual hub conversion

I am in the planning stage (after putting a locker in the rear and brown wire mod) of putting a locker in the front of my 2001 XLT. I see references to a manual hub conversion kit.
When I look up the part number ( p/n 27997) it says that the kit is not compatible with the 2001. Is this conversion possible with he kit and locking hubs referenced here (hub # Warn Hubs p/n 29071)

 

[cloaked_chaos]

Based on my 45 seconds of searching, second gen explorers do not use hubs, therefore there is nothing to swap. The brown wire mod will take care of the transfer case, and you will get the results you are looking for by using a selectable locker in the front, not an automatic one.

Please take this information with a grain of salt, as I do not have any experience with second gen explorers and only spent a very small amount of time searching.

You might have better luck posting in the proper forum Modified 1995-2001 Explorers and making your own thread, not commenting on one that is almost ten years old.

 

[hungryhunter]

Based on my 45 seconds of searching, second gen explorers do not use hubs, therefore there is nothing to swap. The brown wire mod will take care of the transfer case, and you will get the results you are looking for by using a selectable locker in the front, not an automatic one.

Please take this information with a grain of salt, as I do not have any experience with second gen explorers and only spent a very small amount of time searching.

You might have better luck posting in the proper forum Modified 1995-2001 Explorers and making your own thread, not commenting on one that is almost ten years old.

Thanks, I am going to start looking for a 91-94 with a manual trans to make my perfect off road kick ass Ex with selectable locker front and rear. I would love to find one with a V8 but I haven't seen anything with a manual trans and a V8. I think ARB makes a front air locker that will work up 97 but not after. So my 2001 will just have to stay with an open front. She still kicks ass with the 285 75 16 mud tires and spartan rear locker.

 

[mr cribb]

Thanks, I am going to start looking for a 91-94 with a manual trans to make my perfect off road kick ass Ex with selectable locker front and rear. I would love to find one with a V8 but I haven't seen anything with a manual trans and a V8.

There NEVER was a factory built v8 5 speed Explorer.

The 5 speed was kind of rare compared to the number of automatics built.

Two door 5 speeds were fairly common, four door 5 speeds were fairly rare.