Hub Conversion - Page 2 - Dodge Diesel

rjm022 · #16 08-29-2009, 08:54 AM

approaching 50,000 miles on my dyna trac set up- its been flawless

Raspy · #17 08-29-2009, 12:25 PM

I wanted hubs for a long time. And after the odo hit 100,000 miles I was especially motivated because I did not want to buy a new unit bearing, while on a trip somewhere, and then convert to hubs later.

Now with about 60,000 on my Dynatrac setup I am completely satisfied. No noticeable mileage improvement, but a much better design.

Everyone that does this conversion should work on the other stuff too. Get the '08 steering linkage, re-bush or replace the track bar, do the ball joints and the axle U-joints. All at the same time and be done with it for a long time. My ball joints and the u-joints were bad and it would have meant going back in later to do them, plus the handling is much better now.

The whole project took me a weekend plus a trip to the shop for alignment and to pop on the new pitman arm and linkage. What a difference!

Maddog411 · #18 09-02-2009, 10:42 PM

Makes you wonder why Dodge doesn't wise up and just offer these as a factory option.

BroncoAZ · #19 10-31-2009, 04:12 AM

I'm debating on the Dynatrac setup with their low profile dynalock hubs, but the $2359 is hard to swallow. At the point where I'm spending $2000 already I can't see not getting the better hubs too. I saw them at the SEMA show last year, maybe I'll look for them next week and see if I can get a deal.

I did send an e-mail to EMS to see if they ever plan on shipping their kits again. They seem like a fly by night.

mjf6175 · #20 10-31-2009, 08:02 AM

Bronco....I was of the same opinion as you. Decided if I was going to get the Dynaloc kit might as well get their upgraded Dynaloc hub since it was better. Which is what I did. The install went absolutely smooth, not one problem. As far as pricing....this is where the not so good news. The company has an absolute tight hold on the pricing. My brother is an auto wholesaler, even going through him there was only a 10% discount. There was a group buy about 6 months ago on the TDR site and that was only 10% off as well. If you call them on the phone they MAY offer free shipping which actually saves about $80. Because believe it or not, with the 10% off being offered on the two deals I mentioned you still had to pay for the shipping, they would not give both the 10% off and free shipping together.

UnrulyNFS · #21 10-31-2009, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspy

Everyone that does this conversion should work on the other stuff too. Get the '08 steering linkage, re-bush or replace the track bar, do the ball joints and the axle U-joints. All at the same time and be done with it for a long time. My ball joints and the u-joints were bad and it would have meant going back in later to do them, plus the handling is much better now.

That's pretty much what I did except I had already installed lazarsmith trackbar bushings and thuren's extra HD steering previously. What I couldn't believe was how much smoother the steering felt when we got done with the free spin hubs. My mileage did go back up a little, not much. Before blowing the tranny and head gasket last year, I'd easily get 23mpg hand-calcd on the highway. Now I can only get about 20mpg if I'm lucky. I even put the stock injectors back in to see if that was what dropped my mileage, but no change. City mileage sucks with the big tires of course, but I commute daily 75 miles roundtrip so I want the good hwy mpg's.

Even without a good mileage increase, I love the hubs. Especially when I used my new 2 low in reverse the first time backing up a trailer.

rootercycles · #22 10-31-2009, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MassZJ

Been doing a lot of searching and researching and figured I would just go and post up. I have an 03 2500 want to convert the hub assembly to a normal manual locking hub setup. What I am looking for is to be able to service the front end without having to replace the hub assembly every time. Better MPG would be a bonus, but am not betting there will be much in terms of gains there.

I have found 3 places so far that sell kits to do the conversion and upgrade the outers to 35 spline. Seems to be a wide range in prices too.

Dynatrac - $1989 - http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/...t-p-19444.html
EMS Offroad - $1550 - http://emsoffroad.com/shop/index.php...roducts_id=216
DLUX Fab - $940 - http://www.dluxfab.com/

Anyone here do the conversion and what are your thoughts? Worth the $$ to modify the axle to the way it should have been in the first place?

best upgrade I've done to my truck. And it's cool as hell looking with that big 35 spline hub sticking out the front wheel!

Raspy · #23 10-31-2009, 01:09 PM

Well, I've over 70,000 miles on my conversion now. About a month ago I was out in the desert on a dirt trail and started hearing a grinding in the front end. Then I got it again on the highway in the snow in 4WD. Grinding at axle frequency.

It took a while to track it down, but it turned out to be the drivers side axle where it enters the axle housing inboard of the U joint. Where the axle flares out into the yoke, it's rubbing the against axle housing, as though the axle shaft has moved inward too far. As I recall there was a snap ring on the stub axle in the original setup that held that axle in the old unit hub from moving inward and the new setup allows it to move. Also there is a rubber seal near the inside of the wheel that is pushing the axle inward. Hmmm. So far I've just greased the rubbing area to see if that "fixes" it.

Have any of you experienced this? Is there something that is supposed to hold the axle in place or is it just free floating within a certain range? I can't remember the specifics in the hub area at this point, whether there is a snap ring or something to hold it.

BroncoAZ · #24 10-31-2009, 03:40 PM

Every manual hub I've installed had a clip that held the axle into the hub assembly, but that's all been 1/2 ton stuff. I'd pull off the locking hub and see if there is a groove on the axle shaft for one. Should only take 10 minutes to check.

Raspy · #25 10-31-2009, 07:18 PM

Bronco,

Yeah, I'll pull it apart tomorrow and look.

UnrulyNFS · #26 10-31-2009, 08:21 PM

My solid axle kit had a snap ring to prevent the axle from floating in and out like that. yours surely had it, maybe you just broke yours. that's great to know so the rest of us can keep an eye out though. thanks.

BroncoAZ · #27 11-02-2009, 01:00 PM

Here is the response I received this morning from EMS, at least they responded this time.

> From: tom@emsoffroad.com
> To: m....
> Subject: RE: Message from EMS Offroad
> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 11:28:54 -0500
>
> We had to have a new company make some of our parts,
> Which they had to make all new casts, dyes, & tooling.
> So , backordered to about Feb.
> Need phone # to add to the wait list.
> Thanx
>
>
> Tom Birster
> EMS Offroad
> 1640 Continental BLVD
> Danville, PA 17821
> 570-437-4200
> www.emsoffroad.com

I told him that that kind of backorder time was unacceptable.

bradler · #28 11-02-2009, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspy

Well, I've over 70,000 miles on my conversion now. About a month ago I was out in the desert on a dirt trail and started hearing a grinding in the front end. Then I got it again on the highway in the snow in 4WD. Grinding at axle frequency.

It took a while to track it down, but it turned out to be the drivers side axle where it enters the axle housing inboard of the U joint. Where the axle flares out into the yoke, it's rubbing the against axle housing, as though the axle shaft has moved inward too far. As I recall there was a snap ring on the stub axle in the original setup that held that axle in the old unit hub from moving inward and the new setup allows it to move. Also there is a rubber seal near the inside of the wheel that is pushing the axle inward. Hmmm. So far I've just greased the rubbing area to see if that "fixes" it.

Have any of you experienced this? Is there something that is supposed to hold the axle in place or is it just free floating within a certain range? I can't remember the specifics in the hub area at this point, whether there is a snap ring or something to hold it.

There is a snap ring that goes at the end of the axle shaft to keep it from moving inward too far. just pull the cap off the hub and its easy to check

sqrl$$ · #29 11-03-2009, 03:13 PM

Anybody tried making their own? I just happened to have a disassembled superduty axle in the shop while I had my front end tore down doing ball joints and u-joints. I can use the Ford outer shaft and Ford Unit bearing and bolt everything back together. Only thing I see needing would be for the bolt pattern to be redrilled and the center lip on the hub machined down slightly for the Dodge wheel hub opening so that the wheels fit back on. Only thing I am not sure of is if the ABS tone ring on the Ford will read the same as the dodge. The dodge sensor will plug into the Ford hub so I would assume it will all work together. I have pics that I will try to post later today.

pwregan · #30 11-03-2009, 03:55 PM

Sqrl$$,
I was wondering that same thing- could we just use ford front axels in our trucks with a little fabbing-would it be cheaper to adapt a ford axel to our trucks? sounds like you are on the right track- keep us informed of your findings

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode