Manual Hubs install

All useful stuff, thanks.  The vac system works at the moment but it makes me feel better about manual hubs if the vac hubs fail. 

my 2 cents here.. my vacuum system failed because of an air leak. When doing the investigation to find it, both pipes on the front axle broke off due to corrosion. So to fix would require me replacing all the metal piping in the front axle section, and I expected, the flexible hoses too. Then I also ran the risk that the pipes leading up into the engine bay were probably needing replacement too. Something I could not do myself. I priced all the parts and they came up more expensive than the free wheel hubs, labour not counted. Of course I still have the risk that the vacuum piping from the front of the vehicle to the engine bay could leak, but then I intend just getting rid of it and blocking the system at the head of the pipes in the engine bay. I am trying to keep the vehicle as standard as possible, but this time I felt the manual hubs were the best "self service" option. Besides, almost all my 4x4s have had them and TBH this has never been an issue for me. Must admit though, all my 4x4 work was in Southern Africa where snow was no consideration for me getting in/out of the trucks... and after owing many different 4x4 vehicles with them fitted, yes I do know what they do!

Replacing the vacuum pipes like for like is awkward but creating an effective vacuum system from scratch is really quick and easy. You just bypass the whole lot with some pvc pipe. Either cable tie it to what's left of the old pipes, or my preference is to re-route them around the engine bay and down the brake hoses so they are out of harm's way. The whole job takes about 30 minutes and the materials needed cost less than £15.
Next time I do one I'll put together a how-to.