pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
I hate auto hubs. There I said. shoot me
This is a step by step write-up on how to swap out your auto hubs to lock out hubs on your 1/2 ton Chevy (most 1/2 ton Dodges and Fords apply as well). I decided to do this as I needed a refresher on whats involved with the auto hubs and could not find a good thread on it.
Tools:
Jack
jack stand
T-25 Torx bit
9/64 Allen bit
Good hi temp bearing grease (personal preference)
External snap ring pliers
Needle nose pliers
right angle pick
I did this with the tires jacked up so I could do a shake to check the bearings. Always remember to use a jack stand when you have a vehicle lifted by a jack.
Start by removing the auto hub cover. Using a T-25 Torx remove the 5 screws. The cover is a bit under spring pressure so it will pop off easy.
Rotate the wheel till you see that square clip on top. In the center of the hub you will find two little tangs. squeeze them with a pair of pliers and you should have a washer a bearing and the tangs pieces out now.
Now that square clip should just slide out by hand. this expose the ends of the capture ring that keeps the locking hub mechanism inside the hub. take two of the covers screws and thread them back in, you can use these to grab the hub with. With the pliers squeeze the two ends together of the capture ring while pulling on the hub. A little bit of wiggling and it should slide out.
When that's done you should have something like this.
Clean out any excess grease (so you can get a good look inside) and just do a quick visual inspection. Look inside and you will see a external snap ring. Using the external snap ring pliers remove the ring. Sometimes the grease is sticky so it usually helps to have a right angle pick to help it out. Once the ring is out there is a washer behind it. remove the washer as well.
Mmmm shiny!
What you have are five hub cover screws, one capture ring and one external snap ring used for capture as well. As it states in the Warn 9790 instructions Some vehicles might be able to use the snap ring. it will not cause anything bad if you don't use it. Basically saying if you can use it use it if not oh well. my '91 did not have a slot out far enough to accept the snap ring.
I personally prefer to apply some good hi temp bearing grease on the surface of the hubs during initial install. I also put a thin layer of grease on the cover O-ring and some on the screws. This just helps keep moisture out a bit longer. It looks like I applied a lot of grease but this is just on the surfaces.
NOTE: The instructions that come with the new hubs say "SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS: Service at the same interval as wheel bearings. Clean and lightly grease the internal working surfaces."
There is a channel that the outer capture ring sits in. Take a clean rag and wipe that out. This just makes sure you get a could seating with the ring and have no chance of it popping out and loosing a hub.
Again, using two screws opposite of each other screw them in to the hub so you have something to grab onto. I prefer to slide the hub in and out a few times making sure an extra grease get pushed out and that it seats properly all the way up against the Bearing lock nuts.
When seating the new hub make sure it seats all the way to clear the channel for the capture ring. Take the capture ring and just squeeze it a bit and slide it in and it should snap into place. Wipe off any excess grease.
When assembling the cover there are three tabs that need to line up. You can see I pointed them out in the picture. With the tabs line up you will feel some resistance of the covers O-ring, just tap with by hand and it will seat.
Tighten down all six screws using a 9/64 Allen wrench or a bit on a driver. DO NOT USE A WRENCH OR RATCHET. you will strip threads or snap screws.
Repeat on the other side and enjoy!
This is a step by step write-up on how to swap out your auto hubs to lock out hubs on your 1/2 ton Chevy (most 1/2 ton Dodges and Fords apply as well). I decided to do this as I needed a refresher on whats involved with the auto hubs and could not find a good thread on it.
Tools:
Jack
jack stand
T-25 Torx bit
9/64 Allen bit
Good hi temp bearing grease (personal preference)
External snap ring pliers
Needle nose pliers
right angle pick
I did this with the tires jacked up so I could do a shake to check the bearings. Always remember to use a jack stand when you have a vehicle lifted by a jack.
Start by removing the auto hub cover. Using a T-25 Torx remove the 5 screws. The cover is a bit under spring pressure so it will pop off easy.
Rotate the wheel till you see that square clip on top. In the center of the hub you will find two little tangs. squeeze them with a pair of pliers and you should have a washer a bearing and the tangs pieces out now.
Now that square clip should just slide out by hand. this expose the ends of the capture ring that keeps the locking hub mechanism inside the hub. take two of the covers screws and thread them back in, you can use these to grab the hub with. With the pliers squeeze the two ends together of the capture ring while pulling on the hub. A little bit of wiggling and it should slide out.
When that's done you should have something like this.
Clean out any excess grease (so you can get a good look inside) and just do a quick visual inspection. Look inside and you will see a external snap ring. Using the external snap ring pliers remove the ring. Sometimes the grease is sticky so it usually helps to have a right angle pick to help it out. Once the ring is out there is a washer behind it. remove the washer as well.
Mmmm shiny!
What you have are five hub cover screws, one capture ring and one external snap ring used for capture as well. As it states in the Warn 9790 instructions Some vehicles might be able to use the snap ring. it will not cause anything bad if you don't use it. Basically saying if you can use it use it if not oh well. my '91 did not have a slot out far enough to accept the snap ring.
I personally prefer to apply some good hi temp bearing grease on the surface of the hubs during initial install. I also put a thin layer of grease on the cover O-ring and some on the screws. This just helps keep moisture out a bit longer. It looks like I applied a lot of grease but this is just on the surfaces.
NOTE: The instructions that come with the new hubs say "SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS: Service at the same interval as wheel bearings. Clean and lightly grease the internal working surfaces."
There is a channel that the outer capture ring sits in. Take a clean rag and wipe that out. This just makes sure you get a could seating with the ring and have no chance of it popping out and loosing a hub.
Again, using two screws opposite of each other screw them in to the hub so you have something to grab onto. I prefer to slide the hub in and out a few times making sure an extra grease get pushed out and that it seats properly all the way up against the Bearing lock nuts.
When seating the new hub make sure it seats all the way to clear the channel for the capture ring. Take the capture ring and just squeeze it a bit and slide it in and it should snap into place. Wipe off any excess grease.
When assembling the cover there are three tabs that need to line up. You can see I pointed them out in the picture. With the tabs line up you will feel some resistance of the covers O-ring, just tap with by hand and it will seat.
Tighten down all six screws using a 9/64 Allen wrench or a bit on a driver. DO NOT USE A WRENCH OR RATCHET. you will strip threads or snap screws.
Repeat on the other side and enjoy!
Last edited:
good write up though. On that capture ring i had noticed on mine that for some reason the one side didnt have much of a taper ro it to get under for removal. So i took a file and put a bit more angle on it so i can use a screw driver to get under.
