Replace manual locking hubs

I took it upon myself to find a bearing to replace the one that I know was fragged in my hubs. Once upon a time I disassembled the hub and took a few measurements of the bearing surfaces. I then went on line and found a number for the bearing at a very good website www. The online catalog was very helpful. I then took that number and called a couple of local bearing supply stores to see if they can cross reference the number to something they have. The Number SCE Was the number that most recognized.

This is a needle roller bearing with an internal cage. This bearing has to be caged for it to take the high speeds. Now that the history of the problem has been established, it is now time to get on with replacing the bearings. This is a very simple task, no special tools are needed. Two medium sized common head flat screw drivers are the major tools needed. Jack the truck up and place the axle beams on jack stands to support the truck.

Now the tire and wheel can come off, exposing the hub. Slide the hub off on the wheel studs exposing the spindle nuts. Clean any excess grease off the nuts and now would be a good time to check the torque on them to make sure they are still to spec. Once clean there is a snap ring that needs to come out. With one of the flat screwdrivers work the clip loose and slip it out. Do not pry too hard on it, it is only a spring clip, and try not to damage the tabs that the clip locks under.

With the clip out take the screwdriver and wiggle the locking mechanism out working all sides. There is a spring behind that will add some pressure to help it out. I found that WD will clean out the grease pretty good. If you want to take it further apart then under the Warn decal on the lock, there is a Phillips screw that comes out and the lock will come apart. Again there is nothing in there that will come flying out.

This is not necessary but it will give you a better look at things. I would suggest doing this if and only if you notice any damage to the outer splines on the locking mechanism. The bearing that is going to be replaced is in the locking mechanism that was pulled out earlier. There is another locking ring on top of the plastic housing, once the top is clean you will see it.

All it is, is a flat coil type spring clip. This clip you should be able to get a finger nail under one end and like a coil it will unravel from the groove. If you no longer have finger nails then a smaller flat screwdriver will work. Be care full not to damage this clip also because these will be reused.

At some point, you may find yourself wishing you knew how to replace manual locking hubs. Manual hubs also provide better fuel economy than automatic hubs because fewer parts of the front drivetrain are rotating when they are unlocked. Regardless of the type of hubs you have, years of hard use, moisture, dirt, rust, and other factors will take their toll and your hubs will all eventually fail.

So what options do you have if this happens to your vehicle? Repairing a broken hub is actually very straightforward. You will need to replace both hubs, and, like shoes, they are sold in pairs. The all-metal construction and ZA Alloy dial of these hubs ensure years of reliable performance.

It only takes about 15 minutes per side. Step 1. Step 3: Use the blade of a small screwdriver to lift up the exposed end of the spring-like retaining ring. Pull the retainer out and discard.