2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Dlux fab?

[MarkMiller]

I had one of the first EMS kits. Four years later now it still works fine. 35 spline shafts all the way and 4. 30 gears.



I have had issues with the "Green Grease". It was heavily touted in all the big off road magazines. So I tried it. Big mistake. I had all kinds of bearing issues with the front end. Then I went to good old lithium based, standard wheel bearing stuff and I have not had a problem since. I take my truck surf fishing a couple times a year so that means a week of splashing through 3 feet of salt water and sand so my durability testing is good. The bearings would set up fine but would get loose quickly and let some water in. I also think the green grease was so thick that it would not liquefy and lube the bearing as it should have. I am an experienced, professional mechanic and have set up hundreds of bearing sets so I know how it should be done. During my problem time my buddy with a Ford did a Dynatrac conversion and used the green grease and had the same problem with the bearings. We went to the beach and after we came back had the same problem and loose hubs, both of us switched to the regular grease and have had no problems since.



And the guys at EMS still remember me. I can't speak highly enough about them. Excellent support and always willing to answer questions.

 

[Texis]

The DLUX bearings came packed with the red stuff, so that's what I finished the job with. I believe it is Mystique?



Once I had serious issues on a boat trailer with the "marine grease" that was suppose to be for boat trailers. Basically it would blend with water and turn to slush vs staying seperated and continuing to function as grease. I believe it was light blue.

 

[SRath]

I use Amsoil or Mobil 1 synthetic with no problems so far. You cannot tell them apart just looking at the grease. Both are red and they seem fully compatible with each other.

I am so glad I did not let the Auto Zone guy talk me out of the Mobil 1 and into the Green Grease "as seen on TV" the other day. Sounds like it has issues.

 

[David411]

Is it okay to mix greases?
I know erik used some sort of red grease on my bearings.
Would putting a little Amsoil blue "waterproof" grease hurt?

 

[SRath]

If you go to the Amsoil website, I believe they tell you if a particular grease is compatible with others. I know I read there that a different grease of theirs (not blue) is compatible. But I would simply clean the other grease and repack if I were you.

Make sure what you use is for high speed wheel bearings.

 

[Texis]

Happy champer at this point... .

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[David411]

If you go to the Amsoil website, I believe they tell you if a particular grease is compatible with others. I know I read there that a different grease of theirs (not blue) is compatible. But I would simply clean the other grease and repack if I were you.



Make sure what you use is for high speed wheel bearings.

Too Late, already mixed the two. I hope I don't run into any issues...

 

[SRath]

That looks great, Texis!! But where's your snow? Bring that bad boy on up here and plow my driveway until I can get mine up and running!

 

[Texis]

Thanks SRath, no snow in our neck of the woods this year, few furries but nothing stuck. I always wanted to plow some snow! sounds like fun. I'm already kick'in myself for NOT installing a LocRite up front while it was completely apart!

 

[Texis]

Update:



I have about 200 miles on the hubs now and beginning to get use to the new "feel". The hubs seem to add to the wandering effect these trucks have. They feel completely different in a slow, tight turn. I assume this is based on the new track width. I can tell already that I am really happy with the new set up. I was affraid the wider track width would really dirty the truck up in the rain, but it doesn't appear to make a huge difference.



I found out by matching stuff at the parts house that Eric uses mid 80's Ford F350 HD hubs. These are the ones that were used on the trucks with a 6,000# front axle rating. The spindle nut thread is 2". The earlier, standard duty F350 spindle nuts are 1 5/8" thread.



The extra large bearing in this set up are not sensitive to adjustment AT ALL. I have owned several Dana 44 conventional hub trucks and found them to be sensitive to spindle nut torque... too tight and the hub heats up, too loose and it's sloppy. Not these, final tightning with a T handle is fine. I suppose they are so big that it would take a bunch of torque to over load the bearing?



I noticed the ball joint jam nuts loosened up after a couple of hundred miles, but they are easy to reach and re-torque. I assume the weight of the truck caused them to settle.



At this point I would do it all again, it was worth it for me. I really like the new feel and the smoothness of the drive train at 75 mph.



Good luck David, you are going to like it.

 

[David411]

Well got my kit put on, here are the pics.
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[David411]

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[Texis]

NICE. Have you been for a spin yet?

Did you have to take any more off the yokes to keep them from banging into the axle yokes at full turn?

 

[David411]

NICE. Have you been for a spin yet?

Did you have to take any more off the yokes to keep them from banging into the axle yokes at full turn?

Never noticed any axle yoke contact yet.

I am still running the stock inner shafts, you installed mosers.

So far I love it!

 

[RLHannink]

Great Thread! Got me drooling. Now I'm seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on the DLux kit. Just for reliability, hub bearing failures in central BFE are a pain, ask me how I know.



From the pics it sure looks like a Ford spindle was simply drilled to match the 4-hole knuckle. Holes aren't filled.



On the topic of upgrading the axleshafts: I have never had a problem with my CAD with Posi-lock, and haven't really heard of any daily driven trucks that blow them apart. I do a decent amount of offroad, too. Just wondering if it's worth the expense and work to do the 35 spline full axleshaft conversion. Input appreciated. Once again great thread.



One last question: without doing the axleshaft conversion, what was the approx total cost of the project (not including beer and Taco Bell)?

 

[Texis]

The total cost is based on "what all" you do in the process of adding the hubs. Mine looked something like this... (all $$ figures are "esh").



>DLUX hub kit: $1,000

>Spicer U-joints: $50

>Brake pads: $25

>79 Ford Rotors: $90

>EMS CAD delete kit, 35 spline solid axles: $660

>35 spline differential side gears (used from EMS): $35

>2 tubes of grease: $10

>Ball Joints: $95 (local shop to press the ball joints in the knuckles $20)



So mine was based on a near total front end re-do. Hopefully it will hold me for the life of the truck without too much issue. Currently I plan to keep it, at some point retire it... . but keep it. I think ownership decisions play a role in spending this much money on the front end. BUT I had gone through 4 or 5 unit bearings, and they ain't cheap!

 

[Texis]

I have spent an hour trying to make the classified add section work!



So HERE it is... my original front unit bearings are for sale... I'll take $75 for the pair. They were working fine when I pulled them.

 

[RLHannink]

Well, I also put the kit on, last week. Went on easily enough, had to take some metal off the new stub shafts to get them through the knuckle. Once it was together, I also noticed the yokes would hit at full turn, had to take some metal off the new yoke. Now it all clears. I reused my old inner axleshafts.



It drives the same, I can't tell any difference. It sure looks cool though, will take some pics and try post them. I didn't take any pics of the install, stupid camera battery was dead



The tires stick out a little further, but it's not real noticeable, they stuck out before.



I did notice that there's almost 1/4" side-to-side play in the axleshaft, but Eric at DLux Fab said that's about what a normal axle with lockout hubs has.



The parts I took off I'm just giving to my brother or cousin, whoever will need them first...

 

[Texis]

Yes they do look cool. For me it's the piece of mind that nothing is spinning at 80 mph and when I lock it in... . it's locked in.



I have noticed that tire and wheel fitment is different based on the wider stance. 285's with 8" wheels rub just a bit on the plastic inner fender, full lock, suspension bottoming out. So "what fits when it's stock... . may not fit after the hub conversion"



I think this would hold true for any of the kits on the market, they all widen the stance.

 

[RLHannink]

Yeah I did notice that it gets a little closer to my plastic and the corner of the cab. I have 285's on 8" rims, Toyo MT's. I think I'll hafta put longer control arms in, which I've been planning on but didn't need to do yet.



The alignment shop wouldn't align my truck due to worn out control arm bushings, another reason to put the new arms in...