Manual hubs for 2500

[ANCIENT WOOD]

Got my December issue of Four Wheeler and on page 120 they have an article on Dynatracs Stage ll manual hub conversion for the 94 and up rams. They give a bit of a blow by blow of an install on a CTD. It looks like a nice set up with heavier axles to replace the innerds on the CAD axle. It doesn't mention price, but Dynatrac is not cheap.

Something else to moon over I guess.

 

[Double 6]

There was a similar article in Issue #33 of the TDR magazine, page 136.

Dynatrac makes some bulletproof stuff, but like you said pricey.

 

[klenger]

... and the benifit would be ... ?

 

[Jff24Gordn]

Well, if you take a stock front end and break the axle shaft or a u-joint, you are SOL. You CAN"T drive home on it. It will tear apart everything in te axle. If you put in manual hubs, they are stronger than the current setup, and if you do break something, you can drive on it.

If you dont have alot of fun offroad, dont worry about it. But if you are known to see just how far it will go offroad, and decide to go farther, it is a good idea to be able to drive home if you break.

 

[Dave Fritz]

Actually, you can drive it home. Here is how you do it:



Remove the wheels.

Pull the hubs and axle shafts.

Remove the axle cross-joints (U-joints).

Leave the axle shafts out and plug the axle tubes with tennis balls.

Install the outer axle stub shafts in the hubs and reinstall the hubs and wheels.

Remove the front driveshaft.



Now, drive home. It isn't elegant but it works as long as the axle stub end is intact enough to squeeze the hub bearings.



Dave

 

[Jff24Gordn]

I'm sure everyone has a big enough cheater bar to get that apart in parts unknown to man. And I always carry a few tennis balls and a press to break apart U-joints when I offroad.

 

[Alaskaskiff]

Freezing of CAD

Had the CAD freeze up on my truck (or the vacuum motor) twice on me while I was up in Alaska (no 4x4). The climate was rather damp and it happened with real slushy conditions that later froze up. I will be getting the hub setup once finances allow. Almost got stuck pulling out my boat on a -2 ft tide, entire truck was below ramp at the time. Don't need to have that bad feeling again.

 

[JAK]

I guess the other thing it would allow you to do is have a limited slip or locked front differential without any special locking devices. Improved 4wd operation and marginally improved 2wd operation.



Also, short of breaking something, I've never seen a manual hub lock fail to engage or come unlocked when you need it most.

 

[tjpatte]

For Jff24Gordn. Well yes I carry the tools to do like Dave had mentioned (except for the tennis balls, you could use rags anyway I'm bad at tennis). The wheeling I do here in CA (High traction and rocks) does provide the potential to scatter the frontend (especially with my Detroit) and when you go wheeling you should be prepared. I'm not saying to have a whole workshop, but a hammer and sockets (to remove u joints) is not asking alot to carry and the sockets would be used to remove the hub bearing. As for removing the rest it's actually pretty easy to do and can mean the difference between getting home and spending the rest of your life like Grissly Adams.



Tom

San Diego

 

[Mundgyver]

Is there any gain in MPG with manual hubs???

 

[Dave Fritz]

Jff24Gordn,



When I fourwheel, I take spare parts and the tools to install them. My truck has a Dynatrac D60 reverse front axle with an ARB and manual hubs, so my parts list is a bit different than the standard Ram, but the idea is the same - figure out what is most likely to break and take spares. The diesel can put a boatload of torque on axle shafts when the T-case is in 4-Low. Those who seriously fourwheel in remote areas should consider carrying an outer axle stub, one axle u-joint, one front driveshaft u-joint, and possibly a spare hub/bearing assembly. A failure of one of these parts can leave you stranded many miles from nowhere.



Last year I received an email from a diesel owner in Mexico with a serious front axle problem and no way to get it repaired. I sent him the instructions to make the truck driveable, which he used to return home to Calgary AB before making repairs. A tennis ball (his idea) stuffed into each axle tube provided an excellent seal for his long drive home. Rags (which is what people are most likely to have on the trail) would get you back to civilization.



YMMV! Dave

 

[Dave Fritz]

Mundgyver,



There would be a small fuel mileage improvement, but it is probably not measurable. The driver side axle shaft and spider gears contribute a very small % of the total aerodynamic and drivetrain drag.



Dave

 

[pcorssmit]

Originally posted by Jff24Gordn

And I always carry a few tennis balls and a press to break apart U-joints when I offroad.

Any experienced four wheeler should be able to change an axle joint with a hammer, keys, and rocks. Screwdrivers and sockets are niceities as well, but not absolutely neccesary. Of course you need the tools to take it apart in the first place. The only problem is that if you blow a joint (not just wear it out), it usually takes at least out of the shafts out with it. Then there's the guys who break a lot of stuff and carry assembled inner/outer shafts for the front end (like I used to before the Dana 60 front in my Blazer).



Pete

 

[NVR FNSH]

Regarding the CAD - doesn't somebody offer a cable actuator to replace the vacuum motor?



Brian

 

[Alaskaskiff]

There is a fellow in Montana out Billings way that has some 4x4 shop that sells a cable replacement for the vacuum shifter. Name escapes me at the moment.

 

[tjpatte]

The company your looking for is http://www.4x4posi-lok.com/. They make the cable actuator for our trucks. Runs about $200. 00. I have thought about getting one but would really like to do the Hub conversion but spending too much on bombing right now



Tom

 

[Jff24Gordn]

I was poking some fun at people who go offorading by them self with no tools. At least If I am alone, I have wrenches and stuff, and close to friends houses.

 

[Alaskaskiff]

I carry tools. More importantly (to me) I carry a mapp gas torch and a can of kroil for that #$%$# piece that is rusted together.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Originally posted by Jff24Gordn

I was poking some fun at people who go offorading by them self with no tools.

Actually, I find it quite amusing that guys are using these trucks for this kind of stuff. I'm a little partial to my CJ-7. I keep wondering who's going to be the first to buy a Cat and go wherever he wants



Brian

 

[Dave Fritz]

Well, I do have a John Deere 4WD tractor for the serious stuff...



Haven't coughed up the $$$ for a D4 yet, but I have looked a few times.



Dave