Advice Needed: Choosing a Manual Locking Hub Conversion Kit

No, lug centric.

Yes.
I think I followed this pretty well, so I am assuming you didn't need to change the inner axles? Did you get lucky, or did you know you had the correct inner axles, and if so, how do I know if I have the correct inner axles?
 
Yes, interchangeable number, 297 was the original series number for the TJ, XJ's started with the 267 and then went to the 297 joints sometime in the series. Spicer changed the part number when they redesigned the physical joint.
 
I think I followed this pretty well, so I am assuming you didn't need to change the inner axles? Did you get lucky, or did you know you had the correct inner axles, and if so, how do I know if I have the correct inner axles?

I have a Rubicon which has 30 spline inner axle shafts in the front axle. I could have used the stock inner shafts with the new u-joints and outer stub axles provided by Yukon in its YA-WU-08 hub conversion kit, but I elected to upgrade to 30 spline 4340 chromoly axle shafts at the same time because there was no additional labor involved.
 
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If you move away from the stock joint or to stronger shafts you will need to specify that you need a different style of stub shaft that works with the hub kit. OEM application stub shafts do not work.
 
The Yukon kits (5x5.5 and 5x4.5) come with the appropriate chromoly stub shafts. One can use the factory inner shafts with the Yukon stub shafts from the kit or upgrade to chromoly inners.

Which reminds me, I have a pair of assembled stock Dana 44 front axle shafts (inner, outer and perfectly good u-joint) that I can no longer use. A set of stock rear Dana 44 Rubicon shafts as well. Both sets are for sale as trail spares.
 
I can't believe no one mentioned Reid Racing knuckle kit that allows you to use 1/2 ton outers. This is the kit I bought, just haven't installed it yet because it changes my lug nut pattern to 5 on 5-1/2 and I haven't bought new wheels. Also I have to do something about the rear axle.

82316
 
I can't believe no one mentioned Reid Racing knuckle kit that allows you to use 1/2 ton outers. This is the kit I bought, just haven't installed it yet because it changes my lug nut pattern to 5 on 5-1/2 and I haven't bought new wheels. Also I have to do something about the rear axle.

View attachment 82316
I didn't mention it because it is discontinued and we're still looking for a knuckle to complete a pair. I am personally on a fan of the kit because it uses shit calipers and they need some serious help, the high steer arms don't take Ackermann into account, and for the money, all you are really getting is a locking hub. About the same as you get with the rest of them.
 
I didn't mention it because it is discontinued and we're still looking for a knuckle to complete a pair. I am personally on a fan of the kit because it uses shit calipers and they need some serious help, the high steer arms don't take Ackermann into account, and for the money, all you are really getting is a locking hub. About the same as you get with the rest of them.

I know I saw one someplace recently... Let me see if I can find it again.
 
Hmm, i didn't realize they were discontinued. In my case I believe I had to go this route. I bought a Dyna Trac ProRock 44 that allows you to reuse your stock Dana 30/44 outers. What they don't tell you is when you turn the steering, the brake calipers hit the "C" cause the calipers to compress resulting in the loss of brake until you pump the brakes back up. So the larger rotor used with the Reid kit allows the caliper to be farther away and I hope will remedy my brake loss problem.

I assume someone offers a better brake caliber to remedy the shit calipers.
 
Hmm, i didn't realize they were discontinued. In my case I believe I had to go this route. I bought a Dyna Trac ProRock 44 that allows you to reuse your stock Dana 30/44 outers. What they don't tell you is when you turn the steering, the brake calipers hit the "C" cause the calipers to compress resulting in the loss of brake until you pump the brakes back up. So the larger rotor used with the Reid kit allows the caliper to be farther away and I hope will remedy my brake loss problem.

I assume someone offers a better brake caliber to remedy the shit calipers.
There are several other options that move the caliper out.
 
True, but I also have a front drive shaft vibration since installing the Dyna Trac ProRock 44 (the reason for wanting the locking hubs) so I'm fixing a couple issues at once.
 
So what caliper is "sort of" better than the default you would use with the Reid conversion? I was also considering the Reid setup and just found out they are discontinued :-(
Dual 51mm piston version I showed above on the brake kit I made for the Reid knuckle.