Manual locking hubs

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

scenic760

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Posts
318
Reaction score
206
Location
SoCal
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
Suburban K10
Engine Size
350
Hey All,

I was rebuilding the front brakes/hubs and I got some Mile Marker manual hubs while I was at it. I went to install the hubs and for some reason they do not go far enough into the hub for the lock ring to retain it into the hub housing.

It was dusk on Friday west coast time so no one to call.. I looked at several YouTube vids and instruction sheets and the only thing I can see is that the hub lip may be too thick to fit the snap ring even when fully seated in the hub housing? Or am I doing something wrong?

You must be registered for see images attach
 

AKguy

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2019
Posts
543
Reaction score
892
Location
Alaska
First Name
Randy
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
K30 Crew Cab Silverado
Engine Size
460
Yeah, that hammer handle looks too small for the hammer you really need!
 

scenic760

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Posts
318
Reaction score
206
Location
SoCal
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
Suburban K10
Engine Size
350
Yeah, that hammer handle looks too small for the hammer you really need!

Yeah, I should probably take a new pic before I send that too Mile Marker, haha! I swear I was merely a 3lb mallet to knock in the rear wheel seal, I SWEAR IT, haha
 

Curt

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2017
Posts
676
Reaction score
1,141
Location
Loco Hills
First Name
Curt
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K-30
Engine Size
383
Am I crazy or is there a broke stub axle inside the old hub?

maybe why you’re replacing huh,?
Man,I would say it’s an issue at the hub itself.These hubs have been being made for so long,it’s just clockwork.

Some people use too much grease.Directions say not to_Or something is up with your bearing lock nut and adjustable preload nut.

once the hub body is out,wouldn’t be anything else in there but the previously mention bearing nuts.Adjusted to 50 foot pounds and locked down at 80 or so?
 

Craig 85

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Posts
3,917
Reaction score
4,116
Location
Nashville, TN
First Name
Craig
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K30 SRW
Engine Size
454/TH-400/NP205
One thing is make sure the axle did not slip backwards. Sometimes that happens are you are installing parts. I can't recall if it was my MM or the Warn hubs, but I recall the outer retainer clip/spring being a PITA to reinstall due to clearance.
 

scenic760

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Posts
318
Reaction score
206
Location
SoCal
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
Suburban K10
Engine Size
350
Am I crazy or is there a broke stub axle inside the old hub?

maybe why you’re replacing huh,?
Man,I would say it’s an issue at the hub itself.These hubs have been being made for so long,it’s just clockwork.

Some people use too much grease.Directions say not to_Or something is up with your bearing lock nut and adjustable preload nut.

once the hub body is out,wouldn’t be anything else in there but the previously mention bearing nuts.Adjusted to 50 foot pounds and locked down at 80 or so?

Exactly what I was thinking too... there really isn't anything else in the way... I almost cant believe I am the only one having a problem and I'm pretty sure its operator error because as you said they should be like clockwork...unless I somehow have the wrong part
 

scenic760

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Posts
318
Reaction score
206
Location
SoCal
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
Suburban K10
Engine Size
350
One thing is make sure the axle did not slip backwards. Sometimes that happens are you are installing parts. I can't recall if it was my MM or the Warn hubs, but I recall the outer retainer clip/spring being a PITA to reinstall due to clearance.

I cant even get see a sliver of the hub housing groove to start a retainer ring..its weird because the instructions say there should be some "float" when the outer ring is installed too
 

Curt

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2017
Posts
676
Reaction score
1,141
Location
Loco Hills
First Name
Curt
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K-30
Engine Size
383
I’ve used mile marker and warn on Chevy 1/2,3/4,and 1 ton front axles with no problems.Warn came standard on a lot of 1 ton Chevy trucks.

Defiantly could have the wrong part,I suppose.Might re-torque your wheel bearing nut and lock nut.Make sure the little nub on the bearing preload nut matches up with the lock ring and sits flush,then outer lock nut.

Might give Mile Marker a call and check your part #.If it’s happening to you,most likely it’s happened to someone else and they may give you a resolution
 

scenic760

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Posts
318
Reaction score
206
Location
SoCal
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
Suburban K10
Engine Size
350
I’ve used mile marker and warn on Chevy 1/2,3/4,and 1 ton front axles with no problems.Warn came standard on a lot of 1 ton Chevy trucks.

Defiantly could have the wrong part,I suppose.Might re-torque your wheel bearing nut and lock nut.Make sure the little nub on the bearing preload nut matches up with the lock ring and sits flush,then outer lock nut.

Might give Mile Marker a call and check your part #.If it’s happening to you,most likely it’s happened to someone else and they may give you a resolution

Mystery solved!

So after speaking with the folks at Mile Marker (great customer service BTW) we figured out it was a "miscast" hub. I looked at the other hub in the kit and it looked IDENTICAL (I measured the lip edge as well) to the one that didn't fit so I didn't try to drop it in...rookie mistake I guess!

I suspect it had to do with the cast portion of the hub and not the aluminum outer part which looked to be machined.

I looked at a picture side by side of the old hub and new hub for probably about 30 mins trying to figure out why it wouldn't fit...

If anyone else out there is having issues getting their hubs to fit from clearance issues, a miscast hub may very well be the culprit.

CRAIG85- I think this may have been the source of your issue too, just not as severe as mine because it sounded like your fit- although BARELY?
 

Curt

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2017
Posts
676
Reaction score
1,141
Location
Loco Hills
First Name
Curt
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K-30
Engine Size
383
There ya go!Glad it was something easily solved and not some kind of issue with your truck.
 

scenic760

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Posts
318
Reaction score
206
Location
SoCal
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
Suburban K10
Engine Size
350
There ya go! Glad it was something easily solved and not some kind of issue with your truck.

Yeah..what I thought was going to be a fix as you go rolling project turned into a redo everything before it hits the road project...it sat for a while so as I'm going through just about everything I'm finding it needs to be replaced/rebuilt...and if I do this then I should do that... mission creep...

Thanks!
 

scenic760

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Posts
318
Reaction score
206
Location
SoCal
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
Suburban K10
Engine Size
350
There ya go!Glad it was something easily solved and not some kind of issue with your truck.

Yet another little twist...the Mile Marker guy sent me out a replacement hub via USPS and it sadi it was going to take 7 days to get here! I was like your really going to pony express me a replacement part that was defective?! So I ordered another set next day delivery through Amazon and was going to return the bad one with that..so I got the new set today and BOTH hub would not work!! I look at the splines on the hub and I think I see what they are not working and they told me it was a "casting defect"

Hey Curt, are you in Carlsbad, CA or NM?
 

Curt

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2017
Posts
676
Reaction score
1,141
Location
Loco Hills
First Name
Curt
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K-30
Engine Size
383
Yet another little twist...the Mile Marker guy sent me out a replacement hub via USPS and it sadi it was going to take 7 days to get here! I was like your really going to pony express me a replacement part that was defective?! So I ordered another set next day delivery through Amazon and was going to return the bad one with that..so I got the new set today and BOTH hub would not work!! I look at the splines on the hub and I think I see what they are not working and they told me it was a "casting defect"

Hey Curt, are you in Carlsbad, CA or NM?

NM.Can you take pics of the brake hub inside?Pic of the front axle
 

scenic760

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Posts
318
Reaction score
206
Location
SoCal
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
Suburban K10
Engine Size
350
NM.Can you take pics of the brake hub inside?Pic of the front axle

Hey Curt,

So I figured out what was happening after 3 sets of hubs and only 1 hub would install correctly. Some of the splines are not cast straight and have a slight taper to them prohibiting them from sliding in the hub all the way. I looked at one I tried to install and noticed the housing spline made a mark on the aluminum where it was getting held up and I took a Dremel and ground the taper off and it slid right in...

You must be registered for see images attach
 

Curt

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2017
Posts
676
Reaction score
1,141
Location
Loco Hills
First Name
Curt
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K-30
Engine Size
383
Man,I bet that was frustrating.But you got it!Thats awesome.

Hopefully no more surprises
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
44,166
Posts
950,718
Members
36,282
Latest member
Doug Hampton
Top