I have an '01 which is simialr to the Jeep or the 2nd Gen diesel, (although different). Personally at first I though I wanted to drop a couple grand into this upgrade ($1200 is optimistic, check out www.rightgear.com for cheap ones or Dynatrac for the $3500 kit for the 2nd gen)

Then when I did start abusing it hard, and I saw vehicles around me losing hubs and having issue from water and mud getting in them and destroying bearings, I began to think sealed beargings were nice. The other cool thing is the large opening on the knuckle to allow broken shafts/ujoints to be removed easier.

Personally, I don't believe the milage would make a difference. the amount of fuel required to spin the d/s, and axleshafts i very minimal compared to the amount to move the truck and wind resistance.

Stock will be more reliable.

If you were to put an auto locker like a detroit in the front ( which isn't available) then they would be a good idea. 2wd lowrange will be easier to get out of modifying the t'case to only spin the rear out put in low range.

Hub bearings are expensive, sealed require less maintenace and have less parts, servicable are cheaper to do bearings ( about $75/side vs. 200-300 I believe) but require that more often and are easier to screw up......

Personally, for a regular truck I wouldn't change. For a wheelin truck on rocks and such I wouldn't change. For deep mud sloggin or ranch truck that had few highway miles, I would consider changing since the bearings will pay for themselves after a couple of services.

 

There is a group buy post on TDR for locking front hubs. A few of us have volunteered our trucks to Dynatrac in Huntington Beach, CA and they have determined that they can engineer a kit for our trucks. They are currently working on a Ford Superduty hub kit and will start the Dodge 3g kit shortly thereafter. Periodically check the post in TDR for timing updates.

 

If anyone can do it, it will be Dynatrac. Jim McGean is a good guy and very knowledgable.

 

The problem I can see is constantly having the axles tied to the transfercase..More vibrations, more resistance while rolling equate to less mph, u-joints, .... Warn should make a conversion kit that should not cost alot... I am still waiting to see.. I'd rather have to get out and 'lock" the hubs, than have those awful automatic(breaking) hubs..With all the complaints in regards to "vibrations", and noise at 65 to 70 mph, I wonder how much of it has to do with the axle in the front always engaged>??

 

Mine too had the vibration/noise problem but was resolved when I installed the full 4" exhaust. Therefore, I think the problems are not related but I could be wrong.

 

These trucks don't have auto hubs. IF they did Warn coudl sell a cheap conversion kit like for the old Fords.

The stub shaft applies the preload to the hub bearing. The assembly simply has splined internals that the stub shaft engages. There are no parts to break. Only the unit bearing. (Which Fords with manual hubs still have on the '99+)

There will be no cheap option. A minimum, you need stub shafts, a spindle that will bolt on to the knuckles, a hub assmbly with bearings, a manual hub and of course all the snap rings, preload adjusters etc..... The knuckles of course do not interchange with anything else.

 

RAMV,

You're right. The changeover is not going to be simple or cheap. Anyone dreaming of a quick "fix" is going to be disappointed when they realize the cost and the complexity. Then the new pieces will have to be proven to be as strong as they should be. I wish the trucks would have come originally with hubs but, all things considered, I doubt I'll change, assuming the kit becomes available. I can hardly wait for the "mileage after the changeover" discussion to begin. Can't see that it will amount to much. As far as noise and vibration is concerned, I cannot detect that anything is going on up front. It is much quieter than any other truck I've had. Pretty much invisible in 2WD. I wish it had hubs, but it doesn't, oh well, it's still a great system.
As far as manual hubs being the weak link (as mentioned earlier) I have had a number of trucks with them and have thrashed them all. Never a problem. Other parts yes, but not the hubs.

Wetspirit