Disassemble Auto Locking Hubs?

[JCampbell]

WTF? This has got to be the best kept secret in the history of the internet.

I'll admit...I have no idea how to disassemble a 4wd front end. How in the hell do you break down the auto locking hub assembly? Got loose hub nuts and I need to tighten it all up but I have no idea how to get to them.

How the hell do you get these things apart?

[psuedopimp]

okay i will break part of the secret... on the outer housing..there is a lock ring that you will need to use like a scratch awl or a small flat screw driver to get out. then there is a snap ring somewhere along the spindle o believe this is before the spindle nut and the next step. you also have the spindle nut that you will need the large socket with four cogs on it to remove. after reading this it still makes no sense. sorry. it has been awhile since i messed with them. just try to remove all the grease and you should find everything.

[LONGHAIR]

psuedopimp, is correct. After removing the 5 bolt outer cap, there will be a snap-ring that holds most of the guts in place. It will look like two wires laying in a groove that is "cut-out" of some of the splines. Squeeze those "wires" together and the whole unit will slide right out. I forgot yesterday when I wrote this, there is supposed to be a little sheetmetal cover over the slot, covering the wires. They are not always there though.

After that, there should be a smaller snap-ring on the axle stub itself. This keeps the axle pulled up tight to the back of the spindle, which maintains the "seal" of the rubber seal.

At that point, you are into the actual spindle nuts. Be aware though that this is not as simple as a 2 wheel drive type spindle with a castle nut and a cotter pin. It is a "nut pack" containing 2 nuts and a locking washer.
In general, these do not "loosen" on their own, so be prepared to find more damage than you expect. A simple "tightening" is not likely to work....


I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that this is on the passenger's side?

[JCampbell]

Got it. Thanks. Pretty easy once you know what it is that needs to be done.

[Altec]

Good time for manual hubs... I hate locking hubs...

[83GMCK2500]

x2 on what Altec said...pitch those awful auto hubs in the scrap pile and get a set of quality manually locking hubs. Why GM EVER designed something that unlocks in REVERSE is beyond me.

[hatzie]

This should help.

[InsouciantSoul]

Sorry for bringing up an old thread, however I am having difficulties taking off my auto hubs. I've read the descriptions here, looked at the diagram, and watched this video

Back Yard Mechanics 4x4 Automatic Changed to...

However when it gets to pushing the two "wires" together, I just can't get the piece out. Can somebody be more descriptive? Do you push both wires into the middle and then pull? Push them in or pull the wires out? I tried everything for am hour, and although the piece has give, it just won't come..
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[JCampbell]

I used needle-nosed pliers. Grab each tang, squeeze, and pull. It takes a little finagling, but it'll come loose.

[InsouciantSoul]

Hmm.. maybe mine is just being stubborn somehow. I had gripped them with pliers, screwed a few of the tork bits in and yanked on them with vice grips at the same time. still no budge. I've been having problems with my hubs, and there has been some grinding noises, so maybe it's jammed up back there? I don't think so however, because it still (without touching the wires) has about a cm of give in and out.

[motornut]

some may have two rings
outer within 1/2 inch of outside edge
inner try wiggling the two "tangs" into the middle of the groove
it's a tight fit pulling it out,may feel suction as it releases

[LONGHAIR]

That video is very misleading and downright wrong in more than a few places.
First of all, he didn't need to remove that first snap-ring holding that coil spring assembly. It comes off with the rest of the hub.
Second, it can help to jack up the axle to take the pressure off of the wheel. This also allows you to rotate the wheel, getting the "wires" up where you can see them better. Squeeze them together and jiggle the entire assembly out.
If you are installing manual hubs, you will need to remove the next snap-ring and the nylon washer behind it to make space for the hub. Discard the washer but keep the snap-ring. This will get re-installed, holding the inner part of the manual hub, along with the new large ring that should come with the kit.

Lastly, the part that they show about removing the lock-washer is incomplete and misleading. You do not have to remove it as part of this hub install. Plus they don't actually show how they got it out....or that it has to go back in correctly. That lock ring is part of a 3 piece assembly that holds the wheel bearing adjustment.

[hatzie]

From Section 3C of the 1982 GMC Service Manual... The NP208 training manual has a section on the auto hubs as well... The blowup in my prior post is from that booklet.

Removal of Hub Lock Assembly
See Fig. 3C-4K
1. Remove the five screws ( # 1A ) which retain the cover ( # 3 ) to the outer clutch housing ( # 10).
2. Remove the cover, seal ( # 4 ) , seal bridge (# 11 ) , and bearing components ( # 5 , 6, 7, 8).
3. Use needle-nose pliers to compress the wire retaining ring ( # 9 ) , and pull the remaining components from the wheel.

Parts 29-31 retain the wheel bearings and shouldn't need to be removed for hub swaps if the grease isn't contaminated with water or mud.

[InsouciantSoul]

Just want to say thanks for the help, when you squeeze it right, with a bit of force, she pops right out! The new hubs look great. One question however - how tight to tighten the spindle nut before the bearing? Should i jack the truck and just make sure the tire has the slightest give in terms of shakiness?