Auto To Locking Hubs Swap?

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by 77K10Silverado

Well guys thanks for the discussion....! What do I need to do to change these over? Any vids or links with pics? Any thing else i'll need besides the hub kit itself?

I don't think you will be doing yourself any favors by just putting lock-out hubs on an NP203 full time 4wd. You will have to put it in 4-lock which means everything up front will still be driven by the engine. It will be just like driving a part time 4wd in 4-Hi with the hubs unlocked (which will let the front wheels over-run on corners). I'm not sure whether that will hurt anything long term but I don't see the advantage. I have done it myself for short term to be able to use low range on dry pavement, hauling a heavy load over a mountain pass.

Anyway, the change over is pretty simple: all you really need is snap ring pliers and an allen wrench. It's been a long time since I've had one apart, but you should be able to just pop off the shiny dust cover, remove the external snap ring from the splined axle shaft, and pull out the "doughnut" piece that locks the shaft to the splined inside of the hub. Then just install the new lock-out hub; it should come with a diagram. In addition to a spring loaded splined doughnut that slides in and out, there will be a retainer ring with threaded holes that fits into the factory hub and is held in place with an internal snap ring. Then your external hub assembly with the part that you turn to lock/free bolts into that ring with six small allen-head screws.

The only other thing is that while you are in there you probably should take it all apart and re-pack the front wheel bearings which I assume that you've never done. That's a bit more complicated. You need a special big socket with four little square tabs sticking out to remove the two big nuts down inside the hollow hub. Also of course you need to take off the brake calipers. From there it is pretty much just like the front wheel bearings on a 2wd except everything is a lot bigger.