Hub conversion for YJ?

[Jeff Weston]

Although he has yet to break a front joint/shaft (no small miracle), my dad is getting tired of constantly worrying about his YJ's front end and wants to do something about it. Originally, the plan was to get a D44 built (he even bought the D44 brackets for his Warn XCL). Each time he's gotten close to pulling the trigger something else has popped up to sap the funds (new engine this year, tranny last year ...). Dynatrac, of course, wants to build him a D60, Currie a matching HP9" for his rear ...

Anyway, he's now thinking seriously of beefing up his D30 a bit since he already has it geared and ARB'd and mod'd for the Warn XCL suspension. His plan is to add the Warn front conversion with alloy inner shafts either 5x4.5 or 5x5.5 (need to redrill his 9" drums and axles). Based on what I've told him of you guys' results he's probably leaning towards 5x4.5.

There are a few questions that need to be answered prior to gettting it. First, the 84-94 kit lists it as 260 ujoints. Is it safe to assume that if you get new inners as well that you can get the 95-02 kit with the 297 ujoints? Also, on a YJ, how dow you seal the passenger side outer? Are there any other considerations for his setup? Obviously, he'll only go this route if he can step up to the 297 joints.

As for the price, Offroadtoystore is having a buy on them for abou $750± (kit) and $139± (driver's shaft) and $169± (passenger side). Is this a good price or is there a preferred dealer?

Any and all advice would be mucho appreciated.

Much thanks!

Jeff

[Robert J. Yates]

Heya Jeff,
I am going to stay out of the real technical stuff and preferred dealer stuff in deference to the Moderator other than to say that the Warn kit works as advertised. You get great axle strength without the ground clearance or expense issues of going to a 44 - providing that you don't really plan on going past 35" tires. If your dad has dreams of stuffing 38's under his Jeep, he ought to reconsider. If he is fine with 35's max, I would recommend the small hubs (much easier to fix on the trail) as they seem to hold up to both 35's on other peoples Jeeps that I have watched and the Teralow on my Jeep.

I would assume that you can take the 297-x u-joint/axle kit and drop that in as long as the axle splines are the same - might give the Warn techline a call on this though. He will loose his disconnect with either kit and will need to deal with blocking off the axle with a plate. The addition of the hubs becomes the disconnect.

98 TJ Sport
D44ARB/D30Detroit/Teralow/Swampers
www.geocities.com/yatezess/

[Jeff Weston]

Well, the 5x4.5 kit and alloy inner axles are on order. Total price was $1062± delivered.

The Warn tech said to use the later model kit w/the alloy inners to upgrade the u-joints to the 297's.

Here are a few things I thought of today:

Anybody know the rotors needed and/or a source? Supposedly P/N's are listed in the instructions.

What to do with the axle seal on the passenger side? Perusing the net, I found that you can either pull the carrier and put in a seal or put one in by the disconnect. 'May have to call Warn back for their recommendation.

Where to get a spare hub and how much? It wasn't listed on the website where he ordered everything else from (Offroadtoystore.com).

Any pearls of wisdom for the install are greatly appreciated. Looking through the archives on JU, I saw Blaine mention some confusion WRT the bearing preload.

Much thanks!

Jeff

[mrblaine]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jeff Weston:
Well, the 5x4.5 kit and alloy inner axles are on order. Total price was $1062± delivered.

The Warn tech said to use the later model kit w/the alloy inners to upgrade the u-joints to the 297's.

Here are a few things I thought of today:

Anybody know the rotors needed and/or a source? Supposedly P/N's are listed in the instructions.

What to do with the axle seal on the passenger side? Perusing the net, I found that you can either pull the carrier and put in a seal or put one in by the disconnect. 'May have to call Warn back for their recommendation.

Where to get a spare hub and how much? It wasn't listed on the website where he ordered everything else from (Offroadtoystore.com).

Any pearls of wisdom for the install are greatly appreciated. Looking through the archives on JU, I saw Blaine mention some confusion WRT the bearing preload.

Much thanks!

Jeff[/quote]

Your best bet is the stock rotors from a 99 TJ. I know other years will work, but the stock ones off of my jeep are perfect for the task. I will be glad to help with the install. I would pull the carrier and put in the seal if it were mine.

Do not buy any offshore rotors. That is a waste of good machine time. You have to get the center hole enlarged in the rotor to accept the new hub. It is a bit time consuming to press the studs and set them up, so use good rotors to do it right the first time. Go with Bendix or Wagner or some other good brand like Autospecialty. I normally have a set already machined in my garage, but I think I used them on Ron's.

It is imperative that you get the seals in correctly and you use the little bearing to center the big bearing when you seat the spindle. Easier to show you than explain it to you. Don't use Mobil 1 synthetic grease. It is not very good for wheel bearings and I will be re-packing several sets of bearings that I used it on.

My instructions were not accurate on setting the pre-load on the bearings. Give me a call and I will explain it all to you.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.
Which is more important, the degree or education?
Would you rather be animadversional or curmudgeonly? Can you be animadversional without being a curmudgeon?

[TJRON]

I read a write up in a magazine 4 Wheel Parts puts out and they insuate the composite rotors are like .4xx" thick at the hub. If that's so, the other set of rotors might be good also?
Ron

[mrblaine]

Ron, they lie. The composite are more like .120 at the hat section.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.
Which is more important, the degree or education?
Would you rather be animadversional or curmudgeonly? Can you be animadversional without being a curmudgeon?

[Jeff Weston]

I was looking at that same article yesterday. What it says is that the stock composite rotor will not work 'cause the mounting thickness is too thin and that you need to get the cast one with the 0.25" thick flange. They tried to purchase the ones that Warn listed in the instructions and they were 0.445" thick, too thick for the wheel studs. What they ended up getting were some Chinese made rotors that were the correct 0.25" thick, which they then bored out the center to 3.575".

So Blaine, are you saying the best bet is to go to the dealer and get rotors for a '99 TJ? Could we just go to Kragen/Autozone, etc. and ask for their rotors (Raybestos/Wagner, etc.) and measure the thickness of the mounting area to make sure it's 1/4" thick? I'm not even sure how to recognize the difference between a cast or composite rotor. Maybe this will all make more sense once the kit comes and I can take a look at the instructions. I know somebody had them posted on the net in .pdf format but I can't find 'em.

Jeff

[mrblaine]

Jeff, the way to tell the difference is to look at them. The composite rotors have a stamped steel hat section that is only .120 thick and the corners are radiused.

The cast ones are square cut and the section is about .250 thick. Do not get offshore rotors. You can probably grab a set from Scotty's if you need to. The good name brands are okay also.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.
Which is more important, the degree or education?
Would you rather be animadversional or curmudgeonly? Can you be animadversional without being a curmudgeon?