Manual Hub Conversion?

Is it possible to convert automatic hubs to manual hubs? If so, how? Is the process expensive or hard?

 

Its doable. Not sure its worth it tho. Gotta replace your spindles and axles in addition to getting manual hubs.

 

You would be better off doing SAS

 

It is entirely possible and fairly easy. I'm preparing to do this mod myself. First, you need a set of these:


For the quick and dirty way to do the conversion, the already assembled CV axle/steering knuckle/manual hub assemblies just like in the photo, are a bolt-on swap. You will also need to remove the ADD motor, slide the fork to engage 4wd, install a hose clamp to prevent the fork from sliding back into 2wd, and stick your ADD motor back on, which will really just act as a cover now to keep your front diff oil from spilling out. You will also lose ABS, I'm pretty sure no manual hub tacomas came with ABS. Tacomas with automatic hubs usually will also have ABS (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

The way I will be doing it, I am converting to manual hubs, keeping ABS and eliminating the ADD motor. I will have to remove my ADD CV axles and ABS steering knuckles. Then disassemble my manual hub parts, keeping the locking hubs and CV axles. I will take the freewheel spindles attached to non-ABS steering knuckles to a shop for some press work. The shop will press the freewheel spindles into my ABS steering knuckles, using new wheel bearings.

The extra step I'm taking is to eliminate the ADD motor, because I got an entire non-ADD front axle assembly for cheap and I can. For that, I will need this bad boy:


That is from a manual-hub front diff. It's basically an extension tube that sticks out of one side of the front diff, allowing the driver and passenger side CV axles to be the same length.

I got a lot of good info from this thread. It's from a 4runner forum, but 3rd gen 4runners and 1st gen Tacomas have the same front suspension and axle components:

 

Not always. Some ADD 1st gens do have ABS, but not all. Thankfully, my '02 does not.

 

You don't know what you're talking about.

Good to know. Thanks!

 

A guy i work with did this conversion and for some reason he loves his abs (that i think causes more accidents than prevents atleast on our trucks) he was able to retain the abs after the manual hub conversion. Dont know what he had to do but its possible. He told me but i didnt really listen cause he never shuts the fuck up and i didnt care about keeping the abs. This is also a guy who has been in 8 wrecks in 12 years! A number of them were totalled!!

**edit..DJB1, i skimmed your post at first, i see you said after you mentioned that youll loose abs with this conversion that you are gunna retain your abs...didnt see that at first.

But yeah, keeping abs is possible!

 

Yes, you can keep working ABS if you want, you just have to get the manual hub spindles pressed into your ABS steering knuckles. If you have auto hubs but no ABS like @Digiratus, or if you don't care about losing ABS, the swap is very straightforward especially if your manual hub parts are still assembled like in my first photo.

 

Ya it's a huge hassle to do the conversion so yes if your investing that much time and are that serious you would be better off with SAS

 

Just no.

This is not a difficult swap at all. An afternoon at most... Unlike an axle swap...

 

Maybe he thinks he is trying to do manual hubs on a second gen.


This swap the op is asking about is very easy.

 

I did this swap on my 2000 4Runner and it was SO easy. I don't like ABS so I just swapped the taco stuff on. Direct bolt on and no modifications at all.

 

So... I got a lot of mixed answers. Anyone have a build thread on this? I'd love to see how it's done.

 

Yes. This one right here:

 

Nice! Thanks.

 

Are you trying to keep ABS? If so that thread is awesome and will have all the info. If you want to bypass the ABS then you need to just remove your spindle and CV's and swap on the manual hub stuff.

Where in Cali are you?

 

I'm not even sure if I have ABS. And I'm not really considered mechanically inclined, so this is on the *Maybe* list.

In all honesty, my 4wd is giving me problems and I think it's the automatic hubs not locking. So I would love to convert to manual hubs just for the reliability. But I would probably estimate the cost of either fixing the ADD or converting to Manual Hubs and do whatever is cheaper.

And to answer what part of Cali I'm in, I'm waayyyyy down on the bottom part of Cali. Holtville to be specific. Imperial County.

 

Talking about first gens where everything bolts on, unless the suspension is rusted together it will be a super easy swap and take a few hours max.

Unlike an SAS..

 

I did the conversion because I got the parts super cheap and I was tired of ripping cv boots. It was really easy and nice to not worry about them. I've never liked ABS as it acts up in odd situations and one more thing to worry about. You don't need to mess with the diff at all like other members have mentioned and mine has worked perfectly since installed.

To find out if you have abs it should light up on the dash when you start your truck and be constantly on when you shift into 4lo and put the locker on. Yours should have it though.