Converting Vacuum hubs to fixed hubs

Great work and I will be doing similar to mine but have one question how much steering lock is lost (or rather unusable) on high grip serfaces with locked front hubs so as not to destroy the cv joints?

Butta wrote: Great work and I will be doing similar to mine but have one question how much steering lock is lost (or rather unusable) on high grip serfaces with locked front hubs so as not to destroy the cv joints?

None at all. You have a diff in the front axle.

The issue of transmission wind up which stops good steering when in 4wd on a hard and grippy surface comes from there not being a centre diff.

As you are not in 4wd the front prop is not engaged in the transfer box so if free. Thus no wind up is created.

Kirkynut

A good write up.

Its also similar to a "field bodge" you can do when they fail off-road. Undo the hub with a Torx, pull the centre out into the locked position, drop a small nut from your parts box through the centre of the hub and jam it in behind the slider (this prevents it unlocking accidently).

Its a real bodge but I have used it to stop the hub failure ruining an off-roading day.

Twice it has happened to me that my hubs have not disengaged after a period in 4wd and on both occasions the car behaved as if the front brakes were stuck on if full lock was attempted I thought this was due to the cv's as once I have got them disengaged by putting it in and out of 4wd a few times I could use full lock again

Butta wrote: Twice it has happened to me that my hubs have not disengaged after a period in 4wd and on both occasions the car behaved as if the front brakes were stuck on if full lock was attempted I thought this was due to the cv's as once I have got them disengaged by putting it in and out of 4wd a few times I could use full lock again

Advice given by PM and thread tidied back to original topic.

Kirkynut

Good thread

I have some spare vac hubs and my locking hubs need a service as they no longer work. So I am going to attempt this today/tomorrow and test it out during the week.

Hope your recovery goes well

Just taken one apart but could not get the casing apart. So a quick trip to the hardware store for some pipe that just fits snugly from the back seems to do the job (14mm OD is needed).

As the pipe is short it seems quite strong so should not collapse.

That might make it easier for people to be able to do it mate. I have a well equipped workshop at the end of my garage but I appreciate not everyone has the luxury.

Kirkynut

Ok did this mod today using the original kirkynut method and some stick on rubber 'appliance feet' which are 22mm wide and 10mm tall working on the kitchen floor with a hammer and small chisel took about half an hour in all have got 2 spare of the spacers I used if anyone wanted them

Ok ive done 100 miles since this mod and it drive's exactly the same no difference to noise or fuel economy my issue with full lock was due to transmission wind up (my transfer box sticks in 4wd if I have wind up even though the lever moves easily back to the 2wd position a small amount of reversing sorts it) and the fact i have a lane 10m from my front door!

kirkynut wrote: That might make it easier for people to be able to do it mate. I have a well equipped workshop at the end of my garage but I appreciate not everyone has the luxury.

Kirkynut

I went on a full landing trip last night and all is good. Also been out on some fast roads and even got up to 60 mph :lol: but evidence of wobble or vibration from the wheels.

GuardianAngel wrote:

kirkynut wrote: That might make it easier for people to be able to do it mate. I have a well equipped workshop at the end of my garage but I appreciate not everyone has the luxury.

Kirkynut

I went on a full landing trip last night and all is good. Also been out on some fast roads and even got up to 60 mph :lol: but evidence of wobble or vibration from the wheels.

Is that meant to mean no evidence of death wobble?

Kirkynut