Restoring Lockout Front Hubs

Hello,
I have a M38a1 from 1954 with what I think is the original Dana 25 front axle. The previous owner told me he had the front hub assemblies rebuilt at an off road shop. They installed lockout hub assemblies on the vehicle which function correctly. However, my intent is to restore the vehicle to an original military appearance and they look wholly inappropriate.
Can anyone explain what parts I would need to track down to replace the lockout assemblies with original parts?
Unfortunately I can't get any photos of my vehicle until Tuesday.
Thanks,
Ken

 

You need flanges with the right spline count, plus the dust cover that fits on the flanges. Not sure offhand what the spline count of a 25 is ... 10? Someone here will know. There is a gasket too, but I'd suggest you make that.

https://www.4wd.com/p/1966-Jeep-CJ5-Omix-ADA-D25/27-Axle-Drive-Flange-16750.08/_/R-BKGF-16750.08

 

Thanks for the reply. So once I remove the 6 screws should the locking hub just pull off? Does swapping these parts affect the wheel bearing adjustment?

 

There could be A snap ring on the end of the axle You will need to remove . This will not effect the wheel bearing
adjustment. Although if it was My Jeep I would leave the free wheeling hubs on it .

 

There are some lockout hubs that look more appropriate than others.
-Donny

 

Any recommendations on a brand that looks the part?

 

I would think for a military restoration you would not want a aftermarket hub on the vehicle. Just put the 10 spline drive flange and dust cover on it that it was born with and drive it. I'm guessing it won't see a lot of off-road use anyway. The other option is to use drive flange with the splines removed so you do have a free wheeling hub but the original look. That was WARN'S answer on there first hubs. I cringe when I see a military vehicle that is all done to the nines and there are those aftermarket hubs like a black eye. only one opinion. mike

 

The factory 10 spline drive flanges would indeed be correct for you project, as already stated. It would also be my choice it it were mine, though I do understand the want for lock outs by many. Depends on the owner and intended use.

There's an old Cutlass hub that doesn't look too bad, if painted, IMO. Has a smallish body and a smallish knurled knob to engage/disengage the hubs.

I'll try to find a picture.

 

I'm running cutlas hubs like that. They are all steel but item 14 is a plastic bushing between the drive gear and drive flange nothing aluminum and pretty easy to pull apart. I don't think they are as tough as drive flanges to abuse but for a driver. the only concern on the highway is keeping the bushing oiled so it doesn't seize the drive flange to the drive gear and cause a pull to the side

 

Uh oh, time for a lesson guys. I have these on my daily driver and don't know anything about them.

 

If it were my Jeep, I'd just run flanges. You don't need locking hubs - they are something of a solution looking for a problem, IMO. Street or trail, the flanges will be fine and you'll notice no difference with them instead of locking hubs. I'd look for some used flanges. We had a pile of them in the back lot at the Jeep dealership; in the day, they were routinely thrown away by customers who got them as take-offs for their locking hub install. Try all the Jeep and 4x4 forums, including the G503 forum. Be sure to get the dust caps.

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'll try and find some used flanges.

 

I agree with wheelie and. Tim but I favor stock when Ifind it. But the project I am just finishing has these cutlass hubs on it. Don't know anything about them. Would rther have Warn

 

Does anyone have any tips on how to remove the little hub caps on an axle with original drive flanges? I tracked down what I need, just hoping to remove the caps without damage.

 

IIRC they used something like this at the Jeep dealer:

https://www.amazon.com/Proto-Rolling-Head-Pry-J2126/dp/B002FCGE4M/ref=sr_1_24

 

Thanks. I found a drum brake adjustment tool that had a similar shape and it wiggled right off. Flange came off too without any trouble. The service manual depicted using a puller for both so I was pleasantly surprised.