Thursday, December 12, 2013
How to Install Locking Hubs
Locking hubs are used on the front wheels of some 4x4 vehicles. When the hubs are not locked your front wheels will turn freely without any connection to the drive train. When the hubs are locked the wheels are connected to the front axles and power is delivered to provide four-wheel drive. Although most modern 4x4 vehicles have full-time or electronic four-wheel drive, there are still many trucks and sport utility vehicles on the road with front wheel locking hubs.
Instructions
Single-Piece Locking Hubs
- 1
Chock the rear wheels of the truck. Jack up the front end and place the jack stands under the frame. Remove the front wheels using a lug wrench. For each wheel, remove the brake caliper by loosening the upper and lower bolts located on the back side. Place the caliper at rest without any tension on the brake line. Remove the caliper frame by loosening the upper and lower bolts on the back side with the ratchet wrench. Remove the brake rotor by loosening the disc anchor screw with a screwdriver. Place two bolts into opposing holes at the face of the rotor to push it off the wheel. Place a single bolt into the center hole on the axle shaft. Tighten the bolt to loosen the locking hub assembly from the shaft and remove it from the vehicle. Remove the snap ring from the center of the axle shaft.
2Install a new gasket onto the new locking hub assembly and lubricate it with a bit of axle grease. Install the new assembly with the cover off, and tighten the hub body bolts to the amount indicated in the manufacturers instructions. Install a new snap ring into the axle shaft.
3Install a new gasket into the locking hub cover and apply axle grease. Make sure the selector knob inside the locking hub cover is set on "FREE." Check that the internal locking hub clutch is in a raised position toward the assembly cover. Place the locking hub cover onto the locking hub assembly and tighten the bolts with a torque wrench to the specifications for your particular locking hub model. Make sure the outer knob is also set on "FREE" to match the internal switch.
4Replace the brake rotor and fasten it in place with the disc anchor screw. Reinstall the caliper frame, calipers and wheel. Fasten all bolts and lower the car. Test the system by putting the truck in drive and letting it run in two-wheel drive, then locking in four-wheel drive and returning again to two-wheel drive. If problems exist, remove the wheel, brakes and hub cover, reset both switches to "FREE," check the gasket and clutch positions and reinstall the cover.
Rotor-Mounted Locking Hubs
- 5
Chock the rear wheels of the truck. Jack up the front end and put jack stands in place under the frame. Remove the front wheels using a lug wrench. For each wheel, remove the brake caliper by loosening the upper and lower bolts located on the back side. Place the caliper at rest without any tension on the brake line. Remove the caliper frame by loosening the upper and lower bolts on the back side with the ratchet wrench.
6Remove the outer locking hub cover by unscrewing the cap bolts using a Torx screwdriver or an Allen wrench. Remove the metal clip beneath the cover using a flat-head screwdriver. Expose the bearing nut by removing the internal hub assembly. Remove the bearing nut, the washer and the second bearing nut using a bearing nut socket wrench. The assembly can now be removed by pulling it off the axle.
7Install the new locking hub assembly by placing it onto the rotor and fastening one bearing screw, putting the washer in place and then fastening the second bearing screw. Use a torque wrench set to the amount of pressure specified for your particular locking hub model.
8Replace the metal clip and attach the locking hub cover by tightening the outer screws with an Allen wrench or Torx screwdriver. Replace the wheel and tighten the lug nuts. Test the system in two-wheel drive, then four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive again.
