Suggested locking hub maintenance

So I recently acquired some warn locking hubs from an axle I got from another forum member here. The axle itself was shot (didn't need that) but I got the 11" brakes and locking hubs off of it.

They are the old style Warn hubs. These are stamped IH (international harvester I believe) and turn freely and lock. I am going to put them on my front stock axle to replace the original hubs which were shot.

My question is: Do I need to do anything to these other than clean them up and pack them with grease?

For reference, these are not the hubs specifically, but the same basic model.



If it matters I'm not planning on any serious wheeling, just a mostly stock cj6. For now just using the F-head and T90, possibly upgrading later

Thanks for the advice!

 

Do NOT pack them with grease. They won't work if you do as the grease hydraulically locks everything. Use a light grease like Lubriplate that is not effected by temperature and LIGHTLY lube all moving parts.

 

Would gear oil work to lubricate them after cleaned?

 

No. You need something that will stay in place. Gear oil will run off and pool at the bottom plus is more likely to leak.

 

Ok, Thanks.

 

How about white lithium grease in a spray can? http://www.amazon.com/CRC-5037-Whit...04781205&sr=1-1&keywords=white+lithium+grease

Handy to have around - many uses.

Or just brush on some grease with a flux brush or similar - http://www.amazon.com/CRC-SL3151-Mu...04781205&sr=1-8&keywords=white+lithium+grease

 

Ok, so it's not the grease itself that is the problem, they just shouldn't be packed. I'll lightly lube them with some white lithium. I'll also see if I can grab some of the aerosol lithium as that sounds like something that's rather useful to have in the toolbox...

 

I took those same hubs off a guy's junk axle laying in his yard when I broke my Cutlass hub on the trail. Needless to say they were filthy inside. I cleaned them out with parts cleaner and a brush but could still feel and hear grit in the dial as I turned it. I took them apart and cleaned again. I called Warn and got 2 new seals for around the dial. While they were apart and I was waiting for the seals I took the outer housing and hit them with the wire wheel to shine them up. I stripped the old paint off the dial face and repainted red and gold. I then used clear coat paint over the shiny housings and dial face. I used Amsoil spray grease on the seal when I installed it then sprayed the inside liberally with the grease and really worked it into the dial and screw mechanism. Top it off with new, shiny, Grade 8 bolts and they'll work and look great. As others mentioned, a light grease is what you want. Too much or too thick of a viscosity (chassis grease) and they will be a bear to turn in the winter.

 

I usually lightly brush wheel bearing grease over all the parts. Always worked well for me.

 

@timgr do you suggest using gasket sealant on the paper gaskets during reassembly?

 

I use Lubriplate 105 in mine. You need to pay special attention to the bolts. The wheel hubs have about 1/4" counterbore with no threads and you want the bolt to have a full cross section (no threads) for most of that depth. If you have bolt threads through the wheel hub/locking hub interface you decreased the strength probably 30 to 40%, increased the likely hood of sheared bolts, and will be constantly re-tightening them. Check ARP for bolts with the proper grip length. They have 8740 180-210K rated bolts (grade 8 is 150K) and you know for certain where they originated. Expensive but worth every penny IMO. I don't trust any hardware store bolts anymore for anything critical. The is just too much chinese counterfeit in the system.

ARP bolts for a drive flange. You need the same thing but longer. These have a nice snug fit in the counterbore.


I did make my own studs for the Lock-O-Matics but if I had to do them again, they would also be sporting ARP bolts.

 

Duffer, your Jeep is sporting a little bit of cornbinder there!

 

Yep, needed 27 spline hubs and had a pair from the Scout II axle. Those were in the best shape dial and housing wise of the 4 pairs I cannibalized to put these together. They are also bolted to the Scout II hubs which ride on the 8 hole Scout spindles which sport the F 150/Scout II disc brakes----------

 

You may find these pages from a hub service bulletin helpful, as well as mickeykelley's description and photos at the beginning of the same thread showing the process he developed to rebuild the manual Warn hubs:

Warn M2 Hubs

 

When I went to reassemble last night, I had all the right OEM bolts, US made Grade 5 steel with ~3/4" threaded length, except for one oddball which looked like a Chinese hardware store special Grade 2 with 1" of threads (too long). @duffer Do you or does anyone have one of these proper-length threaded OEM bolts lying around that I could barter/buy, or does anyone know where to buy just one Warn WL-2 bolt? ARP is a good idea but for 12 bolts it'd be around $60 (!). I can probably just throw this odd one back in there but figured it would be worth asking. I checked McMaster and Grainger, they only seem to have bolts with 1" thread length.