Front hub replacement

Headtester · Jan 3, 2015

I need to replace the front wheel hub on my Disco 2 - it's gone from an "occasional grumble" to a "don't drive me" noise.

I've had a search and checked out the Discovery 2 site; biggest challenge seems to be undoing the drive shaft nut, and deciding whether to go for an OEM part or after market one.

Any thoughts or additional tips please? - anyone near Ruislip Middlesex with a big torque wrench that goes up to 490 Nm?

porkbeer · Jan 3, 2015

OEM. Breaker bar and a scaffold pole does the job. Make sure you order a new but too.

dieseldog69 · Jan 3, 2015

Buy OEM at very least or genuine(look at odometer and see how many miles the original genuine part did and think that cheap ones need to be changed again, and again, and again, cost wise you might be able to change it 3 or 4 times, but the ball ache factor is the bit most folk forget

).

If you have a truck tyre fitters anywhere local then you can dog it up tight then mosy on over and have a go on a mans tool, that will certainly tighten your nuts to your preffered specification

Headtester · Jan 3, 2015

dieseldog69 said:
Buy OEM at very least or genuine(look at odometer and see how many miles the original genuine part did and think that cheap ones need to be changed again, and again, and again, cost wise you might be able to change it 3 or 4 times, but the ball ache factor is the bit most folk forget ).

If you have a truck tyre fitters anywhere local then you can dog it up tight then mosy on over and have a go on a mans tool, that will certainly tighten your nuts to your preffered specification

Nice one, thanks Dieseldog

Best price I've found so far for OEM is around £154

listerdiesel · Jan 3, 2015

Unless you're going to keep the truck forever, buy the 'cheaper hubs. We've done 5-1/2 years and 75k miles on the originals which are up to 164k now. Do you think you'll wear another set out? even the cheap ones?

You'll need a 3/4" drive torque wrench to do the nut up correctly.

Peter

Headtester · Jan 3, 2015

listerdiesel said:
Unless you're going to keep the truck forever, buy the 'cheaper hubs. We've done 5-1/2 years and 75k miles on the originals which are up to 164k now. Do you think you'll wear another set out? even the cheap ones?

You'll need a 3/4" drive torque wrench to do the nut up correctly.

Peter

Thanks Peter
I'm probably being a bit twitchy and asking too many questions but do either of these look reasonable?

LR Trade
JGS 4x4

They're both around £65 which is a good deal cheaper than the £150 OEM parts.

listerdiesel · Jan 3, 2015

They are all from the same factory, probably.

JGS I have used as a supplier with good results, can't comment on LR Trade, but no reason to believe they are any less good.

We've got a pair from ebay to carry when we go to Europe, safety net really, but both our D2 V8's are used daily.

Peter

Headtester · Jan 3, 2015

That's good to hear - I've used JGS before and was quite happy with them. I'm going to give my local indy dealer a chance to quote on Monday but unless he comes in with a good price will probably go with JGS and take the plunge to do it myself.

Disco DJ · Jan 3, 2015

I bought two cheap ones from JGS. One leaked (diff oil onto brakes) within a year but was changed without any hassle (foc postage etc). Had them a couple of years now with no other issues.

Headtester · Jan 3, 2015

Disco DJ said:
I bought two cheap ones from JGS. One leaked (diff oil onto brakes) within a year but was changed without any hassle (foc postage etc). Had them a couple of years now with no other issues.

Thanks DJ, did you replace them yourself or take it to a garage?

DIFFLOCK66 · Jan 3, 2015

Disco DJ said:
One leaked (diff oil onto brakes) within a year but was changed without any hassle (foc postage etc).

Same here - I forget where I bought it from, I'll check later. Perhaps it was the same batch!

To remove the stake nut I put the trolley jack under the breaker bar so I could slowly crack the nut off - ooeerr, no sniggering at the back!

Anyhow - 490Nm = 361 lbf so.. correct torque is 361lb 1 foot away. Therefore if I stand two feet away from the stake nut on a breaker bar then my 90 kg (bit more than 180 lb) will more than do the job once the stake nut stops turning.

Headtester · Jan 4, 2015

DIFFLOCK66 said:
Same here - I forget where I bought it from, I'll check later. Perhaps it was the same batch!

To remove the stake nut I put the trolley jack under the breaker bar so I could slowly crack the nut off - ooeerr, no sniggering at the back!

Anyhow - 490Nm = 361 lbf so.. correct torque is 361lb 1 foot away. Therefore if I stand two feet away from the stake nut on a breaker bar then my 90 kg (bit more than 180 lb) will more than do the job once the stake nut stops turning.

Thanks Difflock - had a quick look on youtube and they showed the stake nut being undone with the wheel on and the centre boss of the wheel removed so the 32mm (?) socket went through the centre of the wheel. I've only got 65 kg to stand on the bar with so will try using the trolley jack on the breaker bar.

listerdiesel · Jan 4, 2015

Pity you're so far away, we've got a big Britool 3/4" torque wrench at the factory.

You may find that 1/2" drive stuff is not up to getting that nut undone, be careful how you go with the brute force.

Peter

Headtester · Jan 4, 2015

listerdiesel said:
Pity you're so far away, we've got a big Britool 3/4" torque wrench at the factory.

You may find that 1/2" drive stuff is not up to getting that nut undone, be careful how you go with the brute force.

Peter

Thanks for the advice, what about asking the local garage to loosen it a bit and then carefully drive it home?

Disco DJ · Jan 4, 2015

Did them myself. Last (third) one only took about an hour. Def DIY job using guides etc from the forums.

Tip- need decent torque wrench for stake nut (bought one off eBay for £70. 1" drive and my 32mm but wouldn't go through with the wheel on). Need decent bearing puller (machine mart set is good).
Get new brake disc retaining screws. Use new stake nuts!

meego · Jan 4, 2015

I've done both front and never torqued them up. Just tightened as much as was possible using long breaker bar. No probs.

Headtester · Jan 5, 2015

Thanks for the advice, please do keeps the tips and suggestions coming.

I've ordered parts from JGS 4x4, will have a look at bearing pullers from machine mart

Is this the right sort of puller? Clicky

Disco DJ · Jan 5, 2015

Bigger puller the better. The set of 4 they do has an 8". I broke a cheaper 6" first time round!

listerdiesel · Jan 5, 2015

The puller is to get the hub off the drive shaft, they usually seize in place. Put some Copaslip on the splines when reassembling.

Peter

Bennehboy · Jan 5, 2015

Another note....

The factory fit nut and the new replacements are a DIFFERENT size. From memory factory was 34mm, but all the new nuts are 32mm, inner diameter is the same. You may fall lucky and find yours has already been replaced with a 32mm one.

Front hub replacement

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