Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi guys,

Went for a night drive on Saturday, and found my front right locking hub is not engaging, this has happened before, I pull it apart, repack it with grease and it works for a while. Can't be bother doing that anymore so I'm think starting fresh with some aftermarket hubs. Because the factory ones seem a little weak to be honest.

Do AVM make locking hubs to suit a vitara?


Although the wheels were spinning and I had to use a bit of right boot in the very sloshy mud that night, I was pleased that I didn't get bogged at all. One of my spark plug lead also came loose early on.

Good old zooks, they can still get the job done with 2WD and three cylinders!

I don't think you'll find AVM hubs are an improvement. IMHO they aren't better in any way than the aisin originals. They are also longer so they are more likely to get damaged.

Just my 2C.

Steve.

Fair enough. My current hubs are a bit dirty and corroded inside, even if the AVM ones are no better or stronger, at least they are new and I can keep them tip top from the start. Thats what I was thinking anyway.

Just pull em apart and grease them up - that normally does the trick. Mine are about a gazillion years old and have been full of mud a few times but clean up fine.

The AVM hubs have a much finer "thread" to engage and disengage drive and require more maintenance AFAIK. Also, the mechanism is retained by some nasty little screws tat have a habit of stripping out/coming loose.

I have a set of AVM hubs in the shed (ex LJxtreem's "critta") and I won't be putting them on anything anytime soon.

Steve.

I had the same problem a few weeks ago.

rebuilt them from top to bottom. took them out. stripped them right down to nothing. removed all circlips and there for stripped all mechanisms out of it and soaked it in tubs in the parts washer at work.

replaced the o ring on the locking mechanism and lost the ball bearing in it aswell (lucky i work for a bearing company and was fixing it at work). replaced all that. put it back together spraying it liberally with woolube and inox as i went. greased it up and they are like new again. took all of about 2 hours start to finish including removing and refitting the hubs. well worth is for the <$5 worth of materials needed

weaves

Ok, I'm definitely re-considering, I never knew AVM had such a bad rap. I guess I should just give my hubs a good rebuild

Warn make some hubs to suit : http://www.warn.com/truck/hubs/premium_ ... exceptions

http://www.rocky-road.com/kickhub.html

Some stuff in this article might be of use to use (part numbers etc.) if you go the rebuild route.

http://www.burniemorgan.com/grand_vitar ... _hubs.html

I've heard even worse stuff about warn hubs than AVM (!)

Really, I'd stick with the Aisin originals.

Steve.

Really?

So what are decent brands (apart from Aisins) which don't seem to be readily available new/ aftermarket?

I've been thinking about retrofitting them to my XL-7 and thought the Warm Premiums would be a safe bet? (Note- Warn also make a cheaper hub.)

Why can't you grab some aisins of a wrecked vitara?

I don't think there are any decent aftermarket hubs for japanese applications. Dynatrac are making some pretty heavy duty hubs for 1-ton US stuff though, but swapping in 8 lug axles just to get decent hubs might be overkill

I really don't think there is a better alternative to the aisin design.

Steve.

I'd rather buy new than pay the ridiculous prices that most wreckers seem to want in Adelaide for parts (and then have to rebuild them as well!)

murcod wrote: I'd rather buy new than pay the ridiculous prices that most wreckers seem to want in Adelaide for parts (and then have to rebuild them as well!)

I hate buying from the wreckers too, just on principle...

Brisbane wreckers will courier parts anywhere in Australia if you pay by credit card, would probably still be cheaper than Adelaide.

Regarding rebuilding used hubs: Unless there is a broken component they only require a clean and grease up. Hardly a big procedure.

Jas.

Thanks guys, I think the general consensus has saved me a few hundred bucks for now!

Cheers