Warn Auto Locking Hubs

sport01 · 04-17-2006, 03:50 PM

Can anyone tell me how hard it is to install the auto locking hubs? I have the manuals which were easy to install. But I don't do any heavy off roading so I thought I would switch to the auto hubs. And are there any special tools I would need?
Thanks.
2001 sportage

mre_powers · 04-18-2006, 12:07 AM

easy breezy. got it done today in fact. if the bearings are still good all you need to do is pop off the hubcap(the silver thing tht says kia) and there is 6 bolts un do those. slide the old one off and aside from grease here and there. just slip the new one on (this is easier with the tires on and the car is on the ground)

then there is a tube that is in the back and you find it and plug it with a sturdy object such as a screw and epoxy or a rubber nipple (this was easier with the tire off)

then find the appropiate electrical connector up on the engine bay and disconnect and protect from grounds.

i did one side with the tire completly off to check if bearings were bad. and mine were fine. and the other side i did the same but put the tire on and lowered the car and before i swapped the hub.

also if you remove the tires you get a good chance to check the break pads

i would have to say the hardest part was finding a way to get my floor jack to lift my sportage high enough to remove a tire.

sport01 · 04-18-2006, 02:53 PM

Thanks mre powers,thats what I wanted to know.

95dman · 04-20-2006, 12:18 PM

Place the jack under the control arm. This will compress the spring and raise the tire without having to overcome wheel travel. Or, you can use blocks of wood on top of the jack foot to compensate for wheel travel but I don't like setting the vehicle back down with that much toe-in on a non-slip surface like cement. Maybe just being overly cautious but looks painful.

Damkia · 04-21-2006, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 95dman@Apr 21 2006, 03:18 AM
Place the jack under the control arm. This will compress the spring and raise the tire without having to overcome wheel travel. Or, you can use blocks of wood on top of the jack foot to compensate for wheel travel but I don't like setting the vehicle back down with that much toe-in on a non-slip surface like cement. Maybe just being overly cautious but looks painful.

Quoted post

Ignore the above, obviously meant for another thread....

You actually don't need to lift it off the ground at all. Leave the wheel on.

If you have the manuals and rarely use them, there is no need to change anything. No point in wasting money. The auto hubs will not automatically give you "4WD" when you need it, as in some of the other "softroaders" that have a clutch in the transfer case (CRV, RAV4, etc), you still need to engage the 4wd system via the knob. It is not recommended that it be engaged on hard surfaces (bitumen, concrete, etc) except when there is snow or other obviously slippery conditions. There is something comforting about jumping out and manually engaging the hubs (all of 15-20 seconds work), and knowing that they are engaged, auto hubs can unlock in some instances when you don't need/want them to.

mre_powers · 04-21-2006, 08:24 AM

leave it on the ground is correctbut if you need to inspect the bearings then you need to lift it off of the ground. but it is a wole lot easier to change the hubs on the ground

95dman · 04-21-2006, 09:34 AM

"i would have to say the hardest part was finding a way to get my floor jack to lift my sportage high enough to remove a tire."

Quoted post

[/quote]

Excuse the tidbit of advise in my previous post. It was only meant to offer a little help with the problem this member expressed above. It was not intended to assist with the hub conversion.

sublime · 08-06-2006, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mre_powers

then there is a tube that is in the back and you find it and plug it with a sturdy object such as a screw and epoxy or a rubber nipple (this was easier with the tire off)

then find the appropiate electrical connector up on the engine bay and disconnect and protect from grounds.

Can you explain these two steps for me? What does that tube do and where is it located? Are you talking about the white cylinder with a cut off hose beside the right rear wheel?

Which electrical connector are you talking about?

Does these steps vary from year to year? I'm going to do this on a '95 soon.. actually I tried quite a while ago, but I never got one of the six bolts on the left wheel off.. I'll have to have someone weld a 10mm on there.. KIA needs to start using bolts of higher quality.. it's hopeless working on the car since every second bolt seems to break.

mre_powers · 08-06-2006, 09:39 AM

locking hubs are on the front axle the tube is behind the brake rotor in the front on yours you have auto mechanical hubs (1995-1997) on the other years there is a vacume that is engaged to enable 4wd and the connector is pulled to disable the pump for the vaccum

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below is a link for the proceedure
4x4Wire.com's TrailTalk Forums: READ FIRST IF YOUR 4WD DOES NOT WORK