Replacing FWH with standard hubs

Hi - my 1982 S3 failed its MOT on grounds of stiff steering and a dodgy OSF wheel bearing. I replaced the track end rods with only moderate difficulty and started tackling the bearing today. Armed with Buster's article I started confidently but soon realised that with free wheeling hubs there was a difference between my starting point and what he was photographing.

My FW hubs are AVM with six bolts to hold on the cover. After slackening off the bolts round the drive flange it didn't come off - just came away about a quarter of an inch. I decided I needed to slacken off the free wheel cover bolts to see whether there was a retaining nut I needed to undo. The AVM has six bolts with torq T20 sockets. After sheering off two torq bits, I got fed up and decided to drill the bolts out. When that didn't work, I got an angle grinder and cut them off. So now my FWH is kaput as I did quite a bit of damage to the alloy cover.

Can I replace the FWH with a standard hub - like this. If I do that, I am not sure what I need in addition to the standard drive flange - do I need a different drive shaft? My one has a threaded section which extends beyond the splines whereas the half shaft in Buster's picture is just has the splines. Also does the hub cap just get held on by bashing it over the drive flange or is there something else I need to retain it?

Do I need to do both sides or can I just run the other side with the FWH in permanent locked position?

Thanks for your help!

regards, Justin

Hi Jusytin,

The hubs are a straight swap over, and the cap simply knocks on.

If memory serves correctly, there should be a circlip and a shim to fit on the end ahich prevents the shaft from floating inwards.

Can you post a piccy of the threaded end, as I don't recall ever having seen one on a half shaft?

Yes direct replacement. Just slide on the drive flange, replace the crown nut with felt washer under (no need to torque up) and replace the locking clip (or split pin) and push on the hub cap.

You'll need to keep the other FWH locked

For your year of landy you'll probably need gasket, hub, spirolox washer, distance piece, nut, split pin. You'll need a gasket 231505, spirolox ring 556445, distance piece 556628, nut 549475, hub cap 219098 and hub cap O ring seal RTC3516.
See parts list here :- pdf Land Rover Manuals | Landroverweb.com

thanks for these replies - v. helpful. Photo of what I was trying to describe attached.

One supplementary question - I've replaced the bearings. Why isn't there an oils seal on the outer side of the hub? Won't all the grease spin out into the hub cap?

The bearing replacement kit only comes with one oil seal - and there was only one seal on before - but Buster's article seems to show an out seal as well?

Justin

That's what the spiralox washer is for - the only place the oil can get out on the outer bearing is to dribble out of the small gaps between the shaft and the hub.