Front hub problems

[Hombrey]

Ok so bought some new manual locking hubs for my GQ shorty. Can't recall the brand but they were rated by the 4x4 outfit and bolted stright up no problems....EXCEPT... their reach seems short when engaged i.e. they slip under load. When in lock position they only just engage on the part that sits on the axle spline. I noticed on the axle there is a groove for a circlip just past the Hub end but my truck has never had this second circlip (has one that retains the locking hub bit onto the axle on the end). Anyway because that part of the locking hub can slide on the axle about 4-5mm it means sometimes the locking hub is at full reach when engaged and only just engages the manual hub teeth and can therefore slip under load. Anyone had this problem? Thinking of getting a spacer like 3 - 4 mm to sit between the hub end and the locking hub part to space it out so it engages better. Am i missing something?

[coxsy]

Quite often the circlip goes in a different place with auto vs manual so make sure you get that right.
Factory auto normally has circlip in close to cv while manual often has circlip right near the end of the sub axle.
ie there is 2 grooves in the stub for the circlip.

[Hombrey]

Yeah at present my circlip is at the end of the axle and needs to be there to retain the hub component on the axle. It just that there is nothing to keep it out far enough to engage when in lock position. The hubs are superwinch hubs.

[albundy]

You are doing something very wrong my friend. Superwinch bolt staright on. I have a superwinch on the left. have you taken all of the old auto hub off?
Al

[darinz]

You are doing something very wrong my friend. Superwinch bolt staright on. I have a superwinch on the left. have you taken all of the old auto hub off?
Al

^^^^^ Listen really to Al as you have done something wrong with the installation. Basically you shoul only have to unbolt the factory hub. Take the circlip off and slide off everything behind that.
You should now be left with the bare stub axle sticking out and the lockk ring (held with 2 small screws) should be clearly visible.

Put half of the SW hub on and fit the bolt with locktite or they WILL come undone. now pull the stub axle out and fit the circlip to the outer end of the shaft. It can be a bit of a mission to get the circlip into the groove.

Now bolt the outer part of the hub on.

If those instruction don't make sense then i suggest you get someone else to look at the hubs.If you keep using them like you are then you are likely to damage something!

PS the circlip doesn't hold any part of the hub on with a SW hub (unles you have the really cheap old type) and is just there to hold the axle in place.

[Hombrey]

All of what you have said makes sense. Had manual hubs on before but one broke. So if I unbolt my SW hubs now its in the following order. 6 outer allen key screws securing the outer part of the SW hub to the vehicle hub. That exposes the nose of the stub axle. On that the first thing is the circlip retaining the second part of the SW hub (like the innner with the external teeth) which slides onto the stub axle spline. If I take off the circlip that inner SW hub part slides off the stub axle spline revealing the end of the threaded hub (with the stub protruding through it), which has the bearing locking plate with the two little screws wound onto it securing the outer wheel bearing. Re your comment "Put half of the SW hub on and fit the bolt with locktite"????. What is this bolt your referring to and what does it bolt onto? If there is suppose to be one I'm deffinately missing it. Plus it was not there behind my old manual hubs either.

[Hombrey]

Ok ok ok sorry guys....NOT superwinch hubs!!! Sorry for the confusion. Can't find the receipt but got them from G Guy motors and I think they said they were original Nissan ones.

[Hombrey]

Ok so now did what I should have done first...read the GQ manual. States that with manual locking hubs you take off the outer hub, then remove the circlip, then slide off the inner hub component then "remove the bush and spacer behind it"???. Then that exposes the bearing retainer with the two screws on it. Have never had this bush and spacer part!! Anyone have or seen these? My hubs do appear to be original Nissan ones.

[coxsy]

front hub with base of amv locking unit on see circlip



front hub with all bits removed

[Hombrey]

Yep mine is the same with circlip in same place but the "clutch" part of the locking hub that sits behind the circlip apparently on factory manual hubs (which I apparently have) has a bush and spacer that sits between that and the threaded part of the wheel hub. On aftermarket locking hubs from what I can tell they do away with the spacer presumably because the "clutch" part is deeper/thicker and sets adequate tension on the end of the stub axle. Manual says tension on stub should be .02 measured between back face of circlip and front face of hub clutch component. When I put my clutch part on behind the circlip it does not place tension on the circlip and has about 3-4mm of back and fourth play...thats the problem. Thast why I think I need the original manual locking hub bush and spacer which I don't have because my old hubs were aftermarket.

[coxsy]

well been thought the lash problem by buy 2 of every different thickness of circilps till found one i was happy with on both sides of the truck

[flyingbrick]

ffs, LISTEN to the guy. Thickness of the C clip is NOT his problem.

Yes the factory manual hubs need the spacer to hold the inner component of the locking mechanism outwards against the C clip. I've just bought some manual locking hubs and THINK (although i have been told otherwise) that they will also need the same spacer (exact copy of the factory manual locking hubs from what I can tell) so i'll machine up a pair at work. IF I do need this spacer- I'll make a couple extra for you while I'm there.

you will just then need to buy a few different thicknesses of c clip to set the tolerance you stated.

[flyingbrick]

[coxsy]

ffs, thanks for the exploded diagram

[darinz]

With SW hubs you need to put locktite on the 6 big bolts that hold it to the hub. ie the one that take a 10mm (8?) allen key.

[Hombrey]

Sorry guys my bad for saying they were superwinch hubs at first. Yes have seen that diagram after doing some research and spotted the spacer which aligns with the manual. Anyway, "flying brick" thankyou for the offer. Am gonna ring a couple of wreckers to see if I can find some originals but I suspect I might be pushing it a bit. If I can't then getting a couple would be very cool. Happy to pay for your time mate as want my truck hubs sorted for next club champs.