Hub replacement from Autos to Manuals

Step one Choke rear tires lift front end up and take both front tires off. (and use 1 as a seat as I did )

Step two find these 6 little bolts there a size 6 alan key make sure you have the one that fits perfectly so you don't strip a bolt and get stuck....


Step two is take the hub off and look for the little c clip. You can use either two small flat head screw drivers or the actual tool that is used for this part to take it off. take the c-clip and place it on the ground. (this little thing) its a pain some times with flat heads as it pops back in place.

Then pull off all the other auto hub goodies that was locked in place by the c clip and put that on the ground as you wont be able to keep it in there since the manual hubs don't require this in there. You should then have it looking like this








After that is done take off the top part of your new Manual hubs (there should be 6 depending on the hub you have and they should be smaller then the ones you just took out to take off the auto locking hub). you then place the new hub back on the axle to make sure you have the right hub and with the correct number of splines. If it doesn't fit you probably bought the wrong one or your splines on your axle are chewed up.

If they do fit it should look like this.

.

Once it does fit get some packing grease and lube that bad boy up so when you hold it it slips out (but not really....) just enough to where it should look like this




After its all lubbed up and ready to go, go ahead and start putting in the 6 (size 6 alan key bolts) that hold the housing to the axle.

After you have those 6 bolts firmly in place its time to bolt on the dial piece that will allow you to spin the hub into free and lock position. as show below.


.

This is the final step make sure you have it to free mode and all the bolts are now firmly tightened so it wont come off some how.

Then go ahead and place your wheel back on tighten all your lug nuts and lower the vehicle and BAM your done! easy as that. And when its all said and done you should have all this left over from your auto hubs (picture below)





Hope that will help any one that wishes to replace or even check there hubs in the future.

Nice little write up

Just to let you know, you dont have to pull the wheel to swap the hubs, and please oh please use lock tight on them. Even with the lock washers they will back out, and when they are just a little loose very bad things can happen to them.

Ah yes definitely need lock tite and I was swapping tires out when the new hubs arrived didn't really think about that part

... Nice Vibrams.

Haha thanks can tell people will be asking about those lol

Love my Vibrams.

Nice write-up...I WILL be doing this...uhh as soon as someone tells me the RIGHT brand to get. I know folks have favorites...but still all I know is WARN, Rugged Rock and now these (^^^) MM's I think they say. Any others to consider?

Old set off of a Hardbody, that is what I have

Hardbody sets are the best though super rare.

Warns are nice once you replace the studs.

Mile markers are known to grenade but still better then autos.

Funny this came up...I read somewhere today about manual hubs. I thought it was Granitex talking about a set that didn't need a full turn to engage. I'll keep an eye open for the Hardbody ones...I'm guessing same year? The Warn on Rugged Rocks site included the stud kit w/the hub set but I was confused because the price didn't say for a set or for each. $199.95.

Yeah the Hardbody ones take a little less then a 180 degree turn.

Not real sure on years as 4 cylinder trucks were smaller spline I believe. Just remember 28 spline is what you need.

I'd buy cap screws to replace the studs. The screws are easier to work with and most are pretty hard material. I got some really hard ones from mcmaster.com.

The warn hubs come as a full set. One box two hubs and all the hardware.

What difference does it make how far you have to turn to engage a hub? is it a hard turn that requires me to put a little weight on it? you mean I might break a nail? lol

Not much just the physical effort lol. I can turn and lock my hubs without having to turn them twice. When the hubs are ice cold numb stiff and cold as are your fingers in the winter time the easier it is to flip the better. I believe Warn sells a wrench that allows you to turn them with mittens on. The scalloped finger cut outs are kind of hard to grip.

The hardbody ones that I have came out of a 94 hardbody, I think we have confirmed the years 1994, 1996 and I think 1997 work for the first gen X

Yeah they sure are a rarity and those are the numbers I keep finding as well. However, I owned a 1990 Hardbody at one time which also had 28 spline hubs. So perhaps Nissan only delivered them on the 94-97 year Hardbodys. I know models older then 89' are 26 spline I also believe the 4cyl are 24 spline I think. So 90' to 97' if Nissan offered manual hubs as a option prior to 94.

It doesn't help but when I bought mine the seller said that they will fit a 1994-01 Pickup Truck and Frontier and 1990-01 Pathfinder

Roadwarrior said:

The hardbody ones that I have came out of a 94 hardbody, I think we have confirmed the years 1994, 1996 and I think 1997 work for the first gen X

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I got mine for a '97 Hardbody. Nissan does not sell them anymore. but I do beleive the 1st gen Frontiers and X had them so you might be able to find them.

The warn hubs are kind of on the same line but the bolts that hold the houseing on are not allen keys. all the supply you with is a threaded stud and that screws into the rotor and then apply the housing and put a washer and a nut on it.

Hats off to you for getting that retaining clip off with screwdrivers. I feel like I should buy you a beer for being able to do that. I put a set of Warns on this morning and had to go buy the pliers.

Pliers are the way to go Cheap and a great item to keep in your tool wheeling tool box.

Doesn't this C clip go back in?


Im pretty sure it does

Mine did for the warns. That's what the instructions said.

blakeX84 said:

Mine did for the warns. That's what the instructions said.

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Yeah thats what I thought... I like my Warns... Watch for the studs though.. I have read they can loosen

That's what I heard. I put some loctite on them but I'll keep checking on them just incase.

I just went to the harware store and got the cap screws. Seems a bit more reliable.

Yeah locktite doesn't work all that great with all the heat from the disk brakes. I tried it also but when I removed the hubs at a later date to service the wheel bearings some of the bolts were loose. Bolts and lock washers worked pretty well.

Ben

Sub'd, I'll be doing this once I decide what hubs to get (i.e., how badly I want Hardbody hubs versus settling for Warn hubs). Both my stock auto hubs are damaged.

Sidenote: Those of you who have swapped out the studs for socket head bolts, like the OE hubs: What is the thread size of the bolt?

EDIT: Thanks for the great write-up!

I messed up the part on the left while replacing my rotors, does any have one from swapping to manual hubs that I could buy off them???


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I'm not looking to replace my hubs immediately but as soon as an auto hub breaks I'll be switching to manuals. Thanks for the writeup.

Baldybarton said:

I messed up the part on the left while replacing my rotors, does any have one from swapping to manual hubs that I could buy off them???

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I've got 'em, let me take a look and see if they're any good. I'll take some pics too and get back to you...

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KChurch86 said:

I've got 'em, let me take a look and see if they're any good. I'll take some pics too and get back to you...

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Pm sent, let me know.


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What is the benefit of manual hubs I like being able to just shift into 4wd


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I had issues with the autos staying engaged especially rocking the truck forward to reverse. I had problems with them staying locked in. The only disadvantage manuals have is you have to walk outside to engage. The rest is all positive. When offroad I like knowing for a fact I am locked into 4x4. Also 2wd low is nice when backing up my trailer.

Ben

I found that the manuals lock it harder..
How I found this out was having a cv that was about shot. It would pop a little with the autos.. Once I went to the warns I could tell the a el was being worked harder.. The shot axel was popping louder and more often

That's weird I've never had problems with them disengaging or engaging ever. Maybe just cause I use it with snow and the occasional mud/sand beach idk I don't wheel hard but I do use it that's for sure


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Any pics available? I know it's been almost 3 years.

Sorry for the blurry pics but took these years ago. Comparing the Warn hubs to the Hardbody hubs.

I would love to find a set of the hardbody hubs around here, but they just don't show up locally any more.

Cap screws and red locktite have kept everything nice and snug. The red makes them a little harder to get apart but in the end isn't that the goal.

side note, I used to use blue and they would still work loose. even had a couple come out on a trail on Moab.

I've been running my Warns for a while now, on the supplied studs (with no issues btw).

But, since I'm curious and in case something does go wrong with them at some point, what size (thread pitch and length) bolts are you guys using?

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