Current Issue

Oct 2004

Technical

Features

Departments

Free Subscription

Giveaways/Contests

Technical > Installation Guides > Jeep Quickies

October 2004 Issue

Dial Upgrade

Warn Premium Locking Hub install

story & photos by Trent Riddle

Your locking hub is the essential link between the front axles and the wheels. These little jewels allow your front wheels to turn free for driving on pavement, and then connect to the driveline for 4x4 action in the dirt. As you can imagine, a locking hub takes a lot of stress. Everything that gets to the ground, through the front wheels must pass through the locking hub.

The standard locking hubs on most 4x4s are fine for occasional use, but they are not designed for hardcore four wheeling. Let’s face it, the OEM standard is to save money and get you out of the warranty phase, after that you’re on your own. Even if you haven’t broken your stock locking hubs yet, chances are you will. Also, encounters with rocks may have made the locking dials hard to turn. If your hubs are in need of replacement due to wear, tear and poor ascetics, you can use one of Warn’s standard locking hubs. They are an ideal choice for OEM hub replacement.

For just a little more, you can upgrade to Warn’s Premium Hubs. These upgrade hubs are built for the hardcore off-roader who will accept nothing less than the best.

Warn’s Premium Locking hubs feature all metal construction. That’s right, no plastic here. They include a “ZA Alloy” dial that ensures years of reliable functioning. The dial requires almost a full turn, 9/10ths of a turn actually, to ensure positive engagement of the inner drive gear to the clutch ring. A thick internal wave spring and heavy dial detents make sure they stay engaged. These hubs are built to last and are covered by a lifetime-limited warranty. Installation for locking hubs is quite easy. You can likely do the job in a few hours or less. We took a little longer because we opted to have the rotors turned, and install new brakes at the same time.

Source: Warn Industries, Inc. • 12900 S.E. Capps Road • Clackamas, Oregon 97015 • www.warn.com

Buy Warn Locking Hubs from www.4wheelparts.com.

 

Tools Required:

  • 1/2 drive socket set
  • 3/8 drive socket set
  • Floor jack
  • Allen wrench set
  • Snap ring pliers
  • Spindle nut wrench

Wrench Rating:

Ratings Explanation

 

  

1. We removed the entire hub assembly and took our rotors off to have them turned. After getting them back, we repacked the wheel bearings and reinstalled the hub and rotor assemblies.

2. Rather than install our new Warn Premium Locking hubs with our old bolts, we elected to upgrade to a MORP hub stud kit. These studs are installed in the bolt holes with Lock-tite before the hub body.

  

3. The hub body is installed over the mounting studs, be sure that you have the splines for the axle engaged in the hub drive ring before tightening down the retaining nuts.

4. A snap ring is placed over the axle end to keep the assembly in the proper relationship to the drive gear in the locking hub. This snap ring MUST be used.

  

5. Only the outer cap gets a gasket. Be sure to install these on your hubs or you could get some grease leakage.

6. The locking dial cap is installed with Allen head bolts. Be sure you don’t over tighten these bolts and strip the threads.

 

7. Once the hubs are in place, and your brakes have been inspected, you can install the wheels and take your Jeep for a test drive.

Be sure to completely read supplied manufacturer’s instructions prior to installing this product kit.