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Rookie Help On Warn M2 Hub Questions

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by mikvar, Oct 29, 2024.

  1. Oct 29, 2024
    mikvar

    mikvar Member 2025 Sponsor 2024 Sponsor

    Frankenmuth, MI
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    Rookie Help Warn M2

    My M2 hubs are off, and the grease and gunk off the innards. As a true rookie hitting another new thing, I could use some input and suggestions. I didn’t catch these in the care and feeding thread.

    First for me is with the gunk out,I can see more clearly now and frankly very apprehensive (inexperienced, chicken s*** ?) about trying to take apart the locking portion. I see 2 staked spots, one the hex, another unknown. Drilling out scares me and I don’t want to mess them up. Any way to clean them up sufficiently or squeeze something in without that disassembly? I have gotten the 12 pins around it to come out and get wiped off. Using a bore mop to clean out the holes. I does turn better now, even with my basic exterior cleaning.


    When I took the hubs off, there was no snap ring holding body on axle. Is that only on some configurations? Do I need a snap ring when reinstalling? 1964 Dana27, 10 spline axle. Looks like it might be part of the rebuild kit from torque King.

    Do you use the “original style” lock washers with the tabs when reinstalling? I see Kaiser Willys has them online. Are they OK or have you found something new or better? I prefer to remain original unless there is a real gotcha somewhere.

    Are the thin paper-like gaskets sufficient? When cleaning them off, I peeled off rubbery stuff, likely gasket maker goo, from the body to wheel side.

    Does the order of reinstalling locking hub before or after wheels/tires matter?

    Thanks for any tips or comment.
     
  2. Oct 29, 2024
    Fresbone

    Fresbone Member 2025 Sponsor 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Fresno, California
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    I knew absoultely nothing when I was at that stage of the project. Dissasemble this completely. It is not that hard to take down the staked parts. I got my rebuild kit from torqueking, but I think it is available at a lot of other places.
     
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  3. Oct 29, 2024
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Light grease. I use a flux brush in a tub of lithium grease. White Lithium grease in a spray can would also be good. Don't pack them full. I have not take apart this style of hub, but I expect you'll want to get all the dirt out.

    There should be a snap ring on the end of the axle shaft. if it 's missing, it's not a problem - about half the hubs we took apart at the Jeep dealership were missing snap rings. You'll have to pull out on the axle shaft to install the ring. A 7/16"-20 bolt threads into the end of the axle.

    The original style washers are good if you have them.

    No gasket cement, just gaskets.

    Does not matter. Whatever's easier.
     
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  4. Oct 29, 2024
    compostwerks

    compostwerks Sponsor

    Canterbury, NH
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    On both my M38A1's, there's no groove in which to put a snap ring. On my 58 CJ parts jeep, there are grooves on the end of the axle shafts. It supports what you say Tim, about it not being a problem.
     
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  5. Oct 29, 2024
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2025 Sponsor 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    The big 'gotcha' is that the bolts have a tendency to get loose and then wallow out the threaded holes. I'd use original bolts with correct lock tabs, after paying attention to torquing things up securely.
     
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  6. Nov 1, 2024
    mikvar

    mikvar Member 2025 Sponsor 2024 Sponsor

    Frankenmuth, MI
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    Original bolts cleaned up nice, so that is the plan. Original style tab lock washers ordered yesterday
     
  7. Nov 1, 2024
    mikvar

    mikvar Member 2025 Sponsor 2024 Sponsor

    Frankenmuth, MI
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    [QUOTE="timgr, post: 1860109, member: 1354"

    The original style washers are good if you have them.

    No gasket cement, just gaskets.

    Does not matter. Whatever's easier.[/QUOTE]

    Original style ordered, along with gaskets!

    Thanks
     
  8. Nov 1, 2024
    jeepdaddy2000

    jeepdaddy2000 Well-Known Member

    Eagle Point oregon
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    A lot of folks upgraded to studs. This kept the bolts from working loose and eliminated the locking tabs.
    Just an idea.
     
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  9. Nov 1, 2024
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

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    I generally don’t try to disassemble the staked screws holding the dial parts together, unless there is obvious damage or great difficulty in turning the dial. You can often work some oil (engine oil is fine) in behind the dial without disassembling the parts. There is a modified (unavailable angle cut) o-ring behind the dial. Just getting a little lubrication on that o-ring usually allows the dial to function easily without risking damage trying to remove the staked screw.
    As Tim suggested, white lithium grease is very good to use lube the rest internals to keep the hubs working easily, just don’t “pack” them.
    -Donny
     
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  10. Nov 1, 2024
    jeepdaddy2000

    jeepdaddy2000 Well-Known Member

    Eagle Point oregon
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    A quick note on M2 hubs.

    They are a direct drive hub. This means the clutch ring is attached to the worm screw (the toothy thing is connected to the dial). While they are super strong, they have issues engaging, and more importantly, disengaging, especially under load or used with a limited slip differential.
    Without an LS, they are best unlocked by disengaging the t case first. Once the windup is relieved, they should be operable with your fingers.

    An LS, like a powr lok, can keep a load on both axles and may require a second person to work the hubs while doing slow figure 8's.

    The point to all of this is:
    1 They can be a chore to engage and a real PITA to disengage.
    2 Never use pliers/channel locks to disengage the hubs.
    3 Do not over grease them.
    4 Use LIGHT grease

    Don't forget to inspect/lube the Torrington bearing in the hub body.
    [​IMG]
    If they become too much effort, you can swap them out for a newer spring operated set.

    Just recapping some information, you probably already know this.
     
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  11. Nov 2, 2024
    mikvar

    mikvar Member 2025 Sponsor 2024 Sponsor

    Frankenmuth, MI
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    Thanks, I had seen the idea before but for this Jeep, keeping as original config as practical.
     
  12. Nov 2, 2024
    mikvar

    mikvar Member 2025 Sponsor 2024 Sponsor

    Frankenmuth, MI
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    Being careful about when to lock and unlock was something my dad pointed out long ago, I just never knew the “why”.

    Huge thanks for posting that service page! Certainly wasn’t in my manuals, and seems more direct than some of the Warn stuff I’ve found.

    Always appreciate the input!
     
  13. Nov 2, 2024
    jeepdaddy2000

    jeepdaddy2000 Well-Known Member

    Eagle Point oregon
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    I lived this as a kid.
    My grandfather had a 61 IH longbed for a wood hauler. It ran a set of M2's. I remember standing next to the front axle trying to engage a hub while my dad moved the rig trying to get the splines to align.

    This is why Warn moved to spring loaded hubs. The dial can be rotated to the lock/unlock position and if the clutch is misaligned/jammed, the loading springs will force it to the proper position when conditions are right.
     
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  14. Nov 2, 2024
    mickeykelley

    mickeykelley Well-Known Member

    Republic of Texas
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    I rebuilt several of these and my position and experience is that you need to get into everything so you can replace the O rings and clean 50+ years of crap out. Mine turn so easy once rebuilt. Somewhere here I have a thread on it.
     
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  15. Nov 2, 2024
    mickeykelley

    mickeykelley Well-Known Member

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  16. Jun 19, 2025
    mikvar

    mikvar Member 2025 Sponsor 2024 Sponsor

    Frankenmuth, MI
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    Well, finally got around to pics of how I did. Didn’t take apart the innards to avoid the staked screw stuff this time. Cleaned up good enough I think for now.


    Will spray a little white lithium grease in there, work it in and back on they go - finally a step forward again.
     
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  17. Jun 19, 2025
    mickeykelley

    mickeykelley Well-Known Member

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    Look good.
     
  18. Jun 19, 2025
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2025 Sponsor 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    X2.
     
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