VPW- AVM Locking Hub Install

[bilfman]

Hi all,

I just installed some locking hubs on my 46. Should free up some horsepower when cruising and less wear and tear of the front drivetrain. When we are talking 80hp freeing up any is a big deal.

This is an easy install and I wasn't going to post anything, but then I'm sure there are some out there that have not done such a procedure, so I figured I'd put it out there.

Our long terrible cold winter has past and it is time to spend some time with my new girlfriend, the 46.

So the first thing I like to do is jack up the side I am working on, this does 2 things. 1 lets you spin the tire, makes the job a bit easier and 2 if there is any gear oil wanting to escape it will drain to the low side.

[bilfman]

Next is attacking the hub itself. Just remove the 6 nuts and washers.

[bilfman]

Removing the stock hub could be a chore with stuck gasket, rust, etc. But Dodge has made this easy. There are 2 threaded holes for a 3/8 bolt just thread in a bolt to these and they will 'push' the hub off.

[bilfman]

This is just a pic with the stock hub off, just clean up you surface to prep for the new material.

[bilfman]

The VPW AVM kit comes with new gaskets. I always like to put a very thin layer of automotive silicone on both sides of the gasket. I have never had a leak this way and it makes for easy gasket removal. I can usually use the same gasket several times with this method.

[bilfman]

Here is the first part of the AVM assembly installed. Just bolts up with the 6 bolts and 6 washers you took the original off with. Also a pic of the kit.

[bilfman]

Sorry for the poor quality of the pic. When I was looking over the kit I noticed that the bolts which mount the selector to the hub are quite small and have a small torx head. I didn't feel that they would take much torque and that worried me in an old shaky 1946 piece of technology. So as I often do I added a small dab of silicone to the threads. This acts a low torque 'loctite'. I just felt safer doing this on this one.

[bilfman]

Here is a close up of the mentioned bolts. I would more class them as a machine screw...

[bilfman]

And here is the finished product!

[bilfman]

Box from VPW and the stock hubs. In my opinion this is a very simple and worthwhile upgrade for the old rigs.

[skyler]

Thanks for the thread. I'm going to install lockers as well and I had it played out in my mind that it was going to be a job, but it looks to be a fairly easy task.