how difficult is auto locking hubs to manual warn locking hubs

[xmuggsyx]

this is my first post so sorry if this topic is not in the right area......Hey guys and gals, my neighbor just sold his truck and had a set of manual locking hubs in his garage that he had never installed so he gave them to me. i would really rather have manual hubs but im not sure how difficult the install is to go from auto locking to manual. oh yeah sorry i have a 1985 k-10.

[krue]

Welcome to the board from South Mississippi!

[xmuggsyx]

thank you everyone here seems to really know what they are talking about. and i get to see all the 67-72s ya'll have. cant wait to buy one to restore ... wait im hyjacking my own thread... sorry

[Ironhead]

It is failry simple. What brand of locking hub do have to install. I have a couple different sets of installation instructions. Warn & Mile Marker. Also suggest servicing wheel bearings and seals while you have it apart. Maybe even check the condition of the U-joints.

[Zoomad75]

Depending on which brand you got you should be able to pull up thier website and download a PDF file with the instructions to do it. Most brands are similar with only using a couple of snap rings and some allen head screws.

It's a good idea to check the bearings like ironhead said, but if your going to tear that far into the hub make sure you have the correct hub/spindle nut socket. If you don't have it, you'll end up looking like a cave man with a hammer and a screwdriver trying to beat the hub nuts loose. Then you have the fun of putting it back together with chewed up hub nuts.

[xmuggsyx]

Ironhead: the set is premium warn hubs. I'll definitely service the bearings and u-joints, thanks for the advice.

zoomad75 i'll check the warn website for the pdf file. and for the advice on the socket, any idea where i could find the part number for that socket before i pull it all apart?

thanks for all your help guys. anyone know of a build thread that has pictures up until now i've always had 2WD trucks so i've never pulled apart a 4WD hub before. i imagine it's not much more difficult, just more parts. looks like it's worth switching over to the warn lockers.

[Ironhead]

xmuggsyx
I use a K-D 2467 socket. Fits a 1/2" drive ratchet.

[1969K10]

Originally Posted by Ironhead

xmuggsyx
I use a K-D 2467 socket. Fits a 1/2" drive ratchet.
Attachment 265773

Hey, I got one of those!!

[74 shortbed 406]

I changed mine on my 87 in about 45 minutes a side. It is really easy.

[xmuggsyx]

oh wow thanks shortbed, looks like ill be doing that as soon as i get a few hours to myself.

[1969k10stepside]

When I was rebuilding the axles for the 71 4wd,the last step was to put on the lockouts...It took about 20 minutes start to finish

[xmuggsyx]

IRONHEAD: thanks for that pic btw, def helped find the tool, they tried selling me what looked to be a f%rd tool at the tool shop.
STEPSIDE: how do you like the warn beter than the stock hubs? i remember they could be a real pain to turn sometimes, do you need channel locks to turn the warns?

[1969k10stepside]

I like my warn hubs.It didnt have hubs on it when I got it but the stock hubs on the other 4wd were fine and easy to turn for awhile but after I owned it a few months I would have to use vise-grips to lock and unlock them.The new warns for my truck,are very easy to turn,I can unlock and lock the hubs with just my thumb.You also have to consider that everything in the axle housing is either new or redone so that might help too

[jamie72]

most of the time lock outs are hard to turn (in cold weather) because of too much grease it gets cold and gells up making them hard to turn. i installed new warns in my 72 blazer and lightly greased them when i installed them and never, even in the coldest weaher had to use vise grips or other tools to turn them.
as for the lockout,some come out pretty easy, just remove the lockout and outer ring and the whole assembly slides out..
good luck.
jamie

[rcbildr]

The install is very easy. I did that mod on my 85 Suburban. I did have a little problem, somehow the spindle nuts came loose so I had to retorque them.

[74 shortbed 406]

Me and my girlfriend go out hitting drifts and stuff on g-mas farm and she locks and unlocks her side. She is 5'3" and weighs 100lbs so she is not going to be able to put a lot of power behind it and she never has problems. I have the warn premium lockouts because I prefer the 3/4 turn instead of the 1/4 turn because I had the 1/4 turn get stuck on something and unlocked the hub. The only thing I had problem with was I had to pry the halfshaft out because the new rubber seal was putting just enough pressure on the axle that I could not get the circlip(snapring) into the groove, I only needed maybe 1/32 of an inch.