cheap source for warn hub conversion

looking to do the warn hub conversion as i have one toasted hub and poor front driveline angles(more a problem with the latter than the former). anyone have any good sources/hookups for this kind of stuff? 1100-1200 is too much right now... = / lemme know! thanks !

Jim

if you shop around its still about $850.

For that, you can fix your driveline angles, rebuild your driveshaft and buy new unit bearings.

yeah but hubs would be cooler, cheaper maintenance etc - and in order to fix the driveline angles, i would need to cut and turn the knuckles - don't want any worse steering! you know where you saw 850?

1998xj1985 said:

yeah but hubs would be cooler, cheaper maintenance etc - and in order to fix the driveline angles, i would need to cut and turn the knuckles - don't want any worse steering! you know where you saw 850?

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You can adjust your uppers and find a happy medium without the steering getting too bad. I did the cut and rotate, its not as hard as it sounds. Not a day job, but you can do it in a weekend probably.

You won't find $850 listed online, call around to the various vendors and see what they tell you. I was pricing them out, but I managed to score a 5x5.5 kit free from a very good friend.

cal said:

if you shop around its still about $850.

For that, you can fix your driveline angles, rebuild your driveshaft and buy new unit bearings.

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I had my front shaft rebuilt, new unit bearings, new ball joints, yet, with the front shaft hooked up it still sucks at fwy speeds. I wish I had hubs. It's never been the same since I got rid of the vacuum disconnect.

Forget the Warn Kit and get these.....

http://www.reidracing.biz/DANA30.php

All you will need to do is get the rest of the stuff from a waggy or ford D44 and have true locking hubs and not the cheap ford ranger crap that warn or mm sell...

Just my .02 worth.

that would be pretty cool, but that i think will end up being way more expensive than even the warn premo 5x5.5 hubs kit won't it? entirely new brake set up, custom outter shafts(?)

also, says for offroad use only, so probably not dot legal right? i drive this thing everyday so it needs to keep that function

still looking for 850 price tag, not seeing it. cal do you have any tips on where to look?

Clean-RC said:

Forget the Warn Kit and get these.....

http://www.reidracing.biz/DANA30.php

All you will need to do is get the rest of the stuff from a waggy or ford D44 and have true locking hubs and not the cheap ford ranger crap that warn or mm sell...

Just my .02 worth.

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X2, big time!

1998xj1985 said:

that would be pretty cool, but that i think will end up being way more expensive than even the warn premo 5x5.5 hubs kit won't it? entirely new brake set up, custom outter shafts(?)

also, says for offroad use only, so probably not dot legal right? i drive this thing everyday so it needs to keep that function

still looking for 850 price tag, not seeing it. cal do you have any tips on where to look?

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Just get a complete frontend from PAP for about $150-200 and it'll have all the parts needed to put it together.......assuming your front end uses the 297X joints---------Hans

not trying to be a dick, but i don't think that is the route for me right now - lots of parts grabbing, lots of potential down time - not to mention no place to keep a complete axle. this is my only vehicle right now, and would like something that is as plug and play as possible - i don't do anything that should be beyond the capability of the warn kit so i really think that is my best option, aside from pulling the front shaft and getting a new unit bearing and calling it a day (i'd like something more permanent than that).

i appreciate the info but right now, i think the reid option is kinda out just due to the amount trouble i see popping up - trying to find the right bearings, possibility of the innershafts being too long, different sized ujoints etc, probable front brake overhaul.

so if anyone has a cheap source for the warn preomo kit, please let me know. alternatively, scott, you mentioned that the warn kit is just ranger hubs, if you could shed some light on this for me that would good - i.e. could i go grab spindles and hubs off say a bronco 2 or something bolt them up and then just have to spring for a bronco premium hub upgrade?

1998xj1985 said:

scott, you mentioned that the warn kit is just ranger hubs, if you could shed some light on this for me that would good - i.e. could i go grab spindles and hubs off say a bronco 2 or something bolt them up and then just have to spring for a bronco premium hub upgrade?

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I have a ranger you can come look at if that would help but I do think it would be more involved than just slapping some spindles and hubs on.

Like Cal said call around on Tuesday and I'm sure you can persuade some one to give you a great deal on the kit but right now I have no Idea where to point you to.

Just my .02

1998xj1985 said:

not trying to be a dick, but i don't think that is the route for me right now - lots of parts grabbing, lots of potential down time - not to mention no place to keep a complete axle. this is my only vehicle right now, and would like something that is as plug and play as possible - i don't do anything that should be beyond the capability of the warn kit so i really think that is my best option, aside from pulling the front shaft and getting a new unit bearing and calling it a day (i'd like something more permanent than that).

i appreciate the info but right now, i think the reid option is kinda out just due to the amount trouble i see popping up - trying to find the right bearings, possibility of the innershafts being too long, different sized ujoints etc, probable front brake overhaul.

so if anyone has a cheap source for the warn preomo kit, please let me know. alternatively, scott, you mentioned that the warn kit is just ranger hubs, if you could shed some light on this for me that would good - i.e. could i go grab spindles and hubs off say a bronco 2 or something bolt them up and then just have to spring for a bronco premium hub upgrade?

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Are you sure you should be tackling this project yourself? There's so much you haven't researched that it's not worth MY time to point it all out. :dunce:

1998xj1985 said:

...........could i go grab spindles and hubs off say a bronco 2 or something bolt them up and then just have to spring for a bronco premium hub upgrade?

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If it were that easy, I would have done it by now.......given how much time I spend at the junkyards! Still, I wonder if Explorer or Ranger spindles could be modified to work :dunno: -----------Hans

ECKSJAY said:

Are you sure you should be tackling this project yourself? There's so much you haven't researched that it's not worth MY time to point it all out. :dunce:

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I'm sorry, next time I'll be sure and do my homework more thoroughly before I ask your opinion - now I am trying to be a dick - Did I ask for your opinion on whether or not I should be doing this? Or, did I ask if anyone had any sources for good deals on the warn kit? I can't remember...

I have looked into this, and I am trying to research this right now; that's what I've been asking about in my last few posts- e.g. does anyone knows what parts are used in the warn kit (could it be pieced together using common parts for cheaper than what warn is offering), and still no answers about which particular inners for the reid knuckles.

The only reason I'm swaying away from the reid knuckles is just all the loose ends that would need to be tied up, like I said before: misc. bearings, brake parts, a place to keep all the necessary accumulated parts. Hence the desire for something that is all-inclusive, like the warn, mm, superwinch kits.

Also, I read somewhere else that the flat top 44 knuckles use both different inner c's because of balljoint configuration and different inners because of a length difference. I'm assuming the balljoint situation is ok since the knuckles say they are good for xj's, but they don't say when an "early chevy or jeep 44" time period is, nor what u-joint sizes they use.

But, if you do find time in your busy schedule on a Sunday afternoon (which apparently affords time for unhelpful and insulting posts) to offer a glimmer of your shinning wisdom, then by all means, please do so.

1998xj1985 said:

and still no answers about which particular inners for the reid knuckles.

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They are designed to use your stock inner shafts (provided yours are the bigger 297X or 760X joints) and the stub shafts from the Chevy/Jeep axle that you would use the spindles, bearings, calipers/caliper brackets, hubs and rotors ('76-'79 Ford D44 hubs and rotors will fit the Chevy spindles if you would rather have the 5 on 5 1/2 lug pattern..........I have this combo on my early Bronco) off of. There should be no need for a different axle length because, the ball joint axis centerline dosen't change.

1998xj1985 said:

Also, I read somewhere else that the flat top 44 knuckles use both different inner c's because of balljoint configuration and different inners because of a length difference.

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That would apply to D44 flat tops.....these are built as a direct bolt on to the D30's wider inner C's spacing. If you read the info on Reid Racing's description carefully, it should answer your questions. BTW, I'm not trying to be a dick, just trying to clear up a few things for you------------Hans

that's some good info. thanks. that last post is directed at that other guy.

1998xj1985 said:

e.g. does anyone knows what parts are used in the warn kit (could it be pieced together using common parts for cheaper than what warn is offering), and still no answers about which particular inners for the reid knuckles.

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The only reason I'm swaying away from the reid knuckles is just all the loose ends that would need to be tied up, like I said before: misc. bearings, brake parts, a place to keep all the necessary accumulated parts. Hence the desire for something that is all-inclusive, like the warn, mm, superwinch kits.

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OK, now the two above statements make absolutely no sense. You want to piece together a Warn kit...but don't want to do something SIMPLER like using those other knuckles, because of all the piecing together you'd have to do. Did you even READ any of the stuff the other guys posted? You bolt them on, hook up your steering, and get Chevy components for ONE particular truck (depending on the bolt pattern you order). Added bonus is that you have the OPTION of the flat top arm and the ability to make your own crossover steering with it. For the time being you can bolt on your steering and be done.

Warn requires you to machine the rotor for either bolt pattern you pick, use THEIR proprietary components (ie: not off the shelf), AND still have small brake calipers. With all the axle kits that Warn has discontinued in recent months, it's a poor option to consider. If you REALLY want to piecemeal the Warn kit together, find the .pdf on their website with the parts list. The 'off the shelf' parts they use will have an asterisk '*' next to them, but the others are Warn only, which they likely won't sell you individually. Even if they would, you'd end up paying double for the entire 'kit'.

But, if you do find time in your busy schedule on a Sunday afternoon (which apparently affords time for unhelpful and insulting posts) to offer a glimmer of your shinning wisdom, then by all means, please do so.

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How about I pencil you in for sometime next week?

Chillax dude...it's just the Internet. Go to the manufacturer websites and read up on this stuff. If you have questions, call them and chat. Both Reid and Warn are great to talk to and will answer whatever you ask. Google.com is a big help, too.

Ok this thread got way out of control..

1. The Dedenbear knuckles are designed to work on the XJ, TJ, YJ dana 30 axles that normally have a unit bearing..
2. You can run ford rotors and hubs with the early jeep spindles and backing plates and calipers. If you do it right your only in this 800 bucks total..
3. The ford Ranger or explorer hubs are just plain cheap and useless for these type of rigs.. They were never designed to work with 33" tires..
4. These style of knuckles allow you to retain your existing 297 style inner shafts and use older outers that already made for 297/760x joints..
5. I would have gone this route if I already did not have a HP44 sitting in the garage right now.

I think this is a worth while upgrade instead of blowing all that cash on a warn or mile marker hub kit... With this you get the option for High steer capabilites..

SO once again just my .02 worth.. Web Wheeler out...

1998xj1985 said:

so if anyone has a cheap source for the warn preomo kit, please let me know. alternatively, scott, you mentioned that the warn kit is just ranger hubs, if you could shed some light on this for me that would good - i.e. could i go grab spindles and hubs off say a bronco 2 or something bolt them up and then just have to spring for a bronco premium hub upgrade?

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Unfortunately the warn kit can not be pieced together, they make it that way for a reason.. its called proprietary something or another..

The warn kit uses all of their components with the small ranger hubs that slide over the studs, like the early 90's explore 4x4's do.

I think that you can do the rieder set up for about 850 bucks as I stated earlier.. You would need obviously the knuckles (500), any jeep or chevy dana44 caliper brackets and calipers (all easily found on flebay cheap or pirate), early style chevy spindles (used again flebay), I would go ford hub rotor combo (about 150 for pair new), locking hubs for 19 spline outers, and 19 spline outer stub shafts for ford or jeep (also cheap on egay) Most of this stuff can be had off pirate for free because its not beefy enough to be a 60... If you dig you can find it..

e-bay man

the last few post were quite helpful. a couple quick q's for any out there:

is there a different between the brake lines for the calipers?
sounds like some styles of brakes will fit in 15 in wheels and others won't. will the late 70's ford brakes fit in 15 in wheels?