Free Wheeling Hub Removal

[Paul and Judson]

Our Series III has free wheeling hubs on it. If I want to remove them, how would I do it and what parts do I need to purchase to replace the hubs.

[yorker]

Which hubs do you have? Warn? Superwinch? AVM? there are like 20 different ones out there. What is wrong with them? If you want to replace them you need new lock out hubs or drive flanges (look at your rear axles).

http://www.pangolin4x4.com/pangolin4x4/reference/lib/fwh/fwh.html

[Paul and Judson]

I have Dual-Matic Hubs which leak a great deal. I know I can rebuild them but I do not drive my Rover very much and the gas savings from having the hubs installed hardly seems worth having the trouble of a rebuild or having to clean newly painted wheels.

Thanks for the feedback

[siii8873]

Paul,
when you get rid of the lock out hubs the hub assembly on the front will be the same as the rear. You need to get the drive flanges, caps, gaskets. If you have a spare rear axle you can get the parts from there.
Just note how the come off that axle and reverse this for assembling on the front.

[Paul and Judson]

Bob,

Thanks. I appreciate the helpful information.

[jac04]

You may also need new drive flange bolts. Some lock-out hubs use longer bolts, so when you switch back you will need the original shorter bolts. IIRC, the Dual-Matics take the longer bolts.

[Jeff Aronson]

What JAC and Paul said above. I removed my worn-out Warn hubs by calling RN and asking for "all the parts I need." The job was easy, even for me, with my only hesitation being the torque used on the big hub nut and the castle nut.

In the end, you'll be running the car in the "locked" position by definition. Over the long haul, you'll probably lubricate the innards of the front wheel drive components inside the swivel balls better because the lubricant is splashing around all the time.

Jeff

[siii8873]

Jeff,
you make a good point here about lubricating the swivels. I make it a point to engage my hubs on a regular basis to insure that the gear oil is getting sloshed around in there and lubeing everything up. I do this even more in the winter to hopefully ward of swivel ball corrosion from salt also.

[Momo]

Also be very careful when unbolting the Dualmatics. I would heat the bolt heads gently with a propane torch, allow to cool a bit, and then spray with penetrating lubricant (PB Blaster works great). It will work in there as everything cools and make life easier... the goal being to prevent those long bolts from snapping off inside the wheel hub. Very frustrating!

Once the Dualmatics are off, this is a good time to renew the wheel hub oil seals and roller bearings. These parts can be found at most good auto parts stores if you use the cross-reference list located here: http://www.ovlr.org/OVLR.alt.parts.html#bearings

[singingcamel]

You know ,while your doing all this ,I would have a quick peek at the conditions of the axles , looking for twisting and wear..
www.singingcamel.com

[I Leak Oil]

...and since the hubs, spindles and axles are out you may as well rebuild the swivels and remove the diff to check it out also.....

Oooo....shipfitters is setting in....

[Mountain132]

then while you're at it change your brakes and springs

and wheel cylinders

and flex hoses

and have your drums turned

and....

....then handle breaks off and you need the Dr. to pull it out again (Wayne's World)