Re: Alternative Manual Hubs

["Bill Thebert" <bthebert@domain.elided>]

> Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 21:54:57 -0600
> From: Jennifer & Ken Farmer <pharmer@domain.elided>
> 
>  What's considered the best alternatives in manual hubs?

Ken:

Just a couple of weeks ago I switched out the hubs in my Scout II with a
new Warn "Front Wheel Hub Conversion Kit".  It seems a little expensive
unless you're *already* in the market for new hublocks -- in which case
it's only marginally more, and very much worth considering.  Here's the
deal:

The "wheel hub" (as I will use the term) is the part that contains the
wheel bearings, and that is pressed together with the rotor by the wheel
studs.  The "hublock body" is the part that normally comes from Warn,
SuperWinch, etc. and is bolted to the "wheel hub" with six 3/8-16 bolts.

The problem:  this hublock body frequently works its way loose,
particularly with a locker installed up front.  Folks have battled this
problem for ages with studs & stover nuts, Loctite, those little folding
tab-washers, etc.  Moreover, this "hublock body" can split & literally
grenade under extreme torque.  It's pretty cheesy pot metal, even in the
Warn "Premium" bolt-on hublocks for Scout.

The solution:  Warn has started selling a kit that replaces the entire
"wheel hub".  The "hublock body" is an integral part of the wheel hub in
this new kit -- rather like the wheel hubs used on 3/4- and 1-ton trucks. 
There are no bolts to work loose, and the chances of "splitting" this thing
are awfully remote.

Price for the kit is $220, but that's only $100 more than a pair of the
bolt-on Warn Premium hublocks.  Certainly worth a look, even if you end up
going another route.  We'll be featuring this conversion (as well as the
Warn Full-Floating Rear End Kit + Disc Brake Option) in the October Binder
Bulletin.

Regards,

Bill Thebert