warn manual locking hubs

[Justin Fleming]

I was getting ready to convert from auto hubs to warn manual hubs on my new truck 1989 GMC Jimmy. I was reading on another site where a guy said he had to remove the washer and c-clip from down inside and only install the c-clip to allow for space for the new manual hub, then install the hub, the outer ring and the out c-clip. I don't remember this from my other truck and the instructions don't indicate this.

Can anyone confirm??

 

[rampage]

I had to leave the washers out to allow the hub to seat. No ill effects. Then while I was at it I put a slight bend on the ends of the internal retaining ring so I could easily remove it with a screwdriver.

 

[Justin Fleming]

It looks like I need to leave the washer and the inner c-clip out to allow these to fit.... is this correct?

 

[Justin Fleming]

Install new warn premium hubs, all works well....

Any idea why they would be hard to engage the last 1/2" when turning the knob? I dont remember my old ones doing that....

 

[campfire]

It looks like I need to leave the washer and the inner c-clip out to allow these to fit.... is this correct?

This is what happened to me when I switched to manual locking hubs. Difficult engagement isn't normal, but I wound up with that, too. Take the hubs apart and clean them with brake parts cleaner. They should not be greased, they should just slide dry. It doesn't take much gunk on the parts to keep them from sliding smoothly.

 

[Fordum]

As far as the hard engagement, try this. Be in a good area, try to engage them. If they hit that hard spot, back off and rock the truck slightly. My really old Warns, were direct engagement. If the splines inside the hub were not lined up, they would not engage. So, if you were stuck, you would put my Jeep in gear, move it slightly and try again.

Then Warn started putting springs between the spline block and the knob. If the splines were not aligned, the springs would compress and let the knob turn all the way.
Then, when you moved, and the splines aligned, the springs would engage the hub. Back in the day, I never liked that, after having pulled a friend out when the grease in his hub was too gunky to let the springs do their job. Mine were a huge pain in the butt, but when the knob said engaged, they were darn well engaged.

The hubs you are using now, are the same as I put on my Ford the other day. Instead of the wimpy little coil springs, they use some wavy washer type springs that get pretty darn strong when they compress.
That last hard 1/4 you are feeling is the springs compressing. If you get the splines aligned, they engage easily all the way. You could also engage them, roll the wheels a short distance to make sure they are engaged.
Then stop the truck, disengage the hubs, then try engaging them again without anything having moved. If nothing moved, the splines should still be lined up and the hubs should go in easy.

 

[Justin Fleming]

That is exactly kind what I was experiencing....

 

[chulisohombre]

They should fully engage and the spring compresses the rest of the way when you move the truck. I had to leave off the inner c clip that goes on the end of the stub shaft. Some aftermarket ones are cut differently and some stock Ones vary as well depending on year. You put the inner part in first the the outer spring clip. Then the spring and outer and put in the bolts to hold it in place. The axleshafts will slide in and out a little bit but I Havnt had any problems leaving it out.

 

[EXJAY]

Digging this thread up cause Im experiencing the same issue as above with my new Warm Prems on my 10bolt. Last quarter of the dial turn is very hard to make it to lock. the spindle nuts, lock washer etc is all torqued and seated to spec. Im assuming that the binding when tring to lock them is the fact when the dial is being turned to lock isnt 100% lined up with the stub shaft splines at the time? Anyways, a few times it turned and locked perfectly so this is why I think this is going on. I left the C clip off the end of the shaft in attempt to help with freeing up some "float" in the locking hub assy on the shaft and just have the large outer snap ring in place, this OK to run like this?

 

[diesel4me]

I wouldn't put hubs together "dry",the hub splines will rust up eventually and cause trouble..
I never had any of my trucks hubs fail to work with a good load of high temp disc brake/wheel bearing grease applied to everything..
The wrong grease will harden up under heat or get too thick in cold weather...some guys like using white lube,but I do not like that stuff much either,it tends to gum up after awhile..

 

[6.2Blazer]

The hubs should not be packed with grease or really have a heavy coating, but also should not be dry. I always had good luck with cleaning them out good and then putting a coat of the white spray grease on them.

 

[EXJAY]

New hubs have a little grease around the stub shaft spline section but says not to grease them specifically in the instructions. Im assuming being part of the outer hub area its more likely to get water, dirt etc in them and (excessive) addl grease would get trapped in and cause failure of the lockout over time.

 

[chulisohombre]

Light coating of grease is all I’ve ever done. Just to keep everything moving.

 

[diesel4me]

A few mechanics I know use a coating of Never-Seize on the hub splines and other parts ,to keep them from rusting or icing up in the winter..
Personally I don't like the idea of the wheel bearing grease being mixed together with Never-Seize,but I don't know if it would do any harm to the bearings..since it looks like metallic paste,I'd assume it would..

 

[chulisohombre]

A few mechanics I know use a coating of Never-Seize on the hub splines and other parts ,to keep them from rusting or icing up in the winter..
Personally I don't like the idea of the wheel bearing grease being mixed together with Never-Seize,but I don't know if it would do any harm to the bearings..since it looks like metallic paste,I'd assume it would..

I use the same wheel grease on mine but never seize moves more than grease It would probably never make it to the bearings because of having the wheel nuts in the way, but I wouldn’t mix them on my own vehicle.