The Dynatrac Hub Conversion Difference

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The installation of the Dynatrac conversion kit is straightforward, and can be done at home by anyone who knows the basics of repacking wheel bearings. After setting the brake calipers aside, the OEM hubs, brake rotors and axles must be removed. The factory steering knuckle remains in place. All parts should be thoroughly cleaned to prevent any contamination.

The Dynatrac technician pre-assembled the rotors, dual-wheel adapter spacers and the new hubs on the bench. This makes a rather heavy part to lift and slide over the spindle later, but individual components could be fitted one at a time to the steering knuckle. The dual rear-wheel adapters and brake rotors on the front axles of F-550 and F-450 trucks are considerably heavier than those on F-350 models.

Machined needle-bearing housings are mounted on the back of the new spindles, and the larger needle bearings are installed with their seals. After reinstalling the sheetmetal dust shields, the spindles are aligned with the holes in the steering knuckles and secured, and the ABS sensors are fitted to the mounting blocks on each spindle.

Make sure you have the correct wheel studs, as there are two different types -- fine and coarse threads. Dynatrac can supply either one.

After the inner bearings are packed and installed, the complete hub/rotor/dual-wheel adapter assemblies are slid over the spindles, using care not to damage the inner-hub seals. Now the outer bearings can be installed with their spanner nuts and tightened to the correct torque. The new locking hubs slide in easily and are held in place by large internal snap rings.

Finally, the stock calipers are reinstalled. Spacers are provided to assure proper clearance between the pads and the brake rotors. On an F-550, the small tabs on the dust shields that cover the ABS wires needed to be slightly trimmed so they would not rub on anything.

When the kit is correctly installed, there is no effect on wheel alignment. For Super Duty trucks with big lifts, the original Dynatrac Super Duty Combo Kit is still available. This requires changing steering knuckles and the track bar, and entails considerably more time. The conversion requires no welding, drilling or grinding.

The complete kit comes with detailed step-by-step instructions. The only special tools required by an experienced mechanic are: a six-point spanner socket or four-point spanner socket, depending on which style spanner nuts your hub needs; a torque wrench, and a bearing race driver.
 

More Information on Dynatrac Free Spin Hub Conversion Kits

Owners of Ford Super Duty and Dodge Ram trucks know they have great rigs. Strong engines coupled with stout drivetrains and heavy-duty chassis make these trucks workhorses. It's no wonder, then, that these vehicles are spotted at every race and rock crawl, serving as chase trucks, tow rigs and support vehicles.

While these are some of the strongest trucks money can buy, there is a weakness common to both the Super Duty and Ram. Resting in the front hubs of each is a non-serviceable and expensive unit bearing. Over the years, unit bearings have proven to be failure prone for a variety of reasons. Chief among them is that unit bearings, as previously mentioned, cannot be serviced. This means that once dirt eventually works its way past the bearing's seals, there is no way to get it out. Eventually, the bearing fails, leaving one stranded and with a costly repair bill.

Unit bearings also fail because of their design, which puts both bearings very close to each other. This design fails to spread load over a larger area like a conventional bearing setup might do. Larger tires amplify this problem and eventually beat the bearing into submission, causing its untimely demise.

Dynatrac was nice enough to use a press to open up this unit bearing and show us what's inside. We were shocked to find a plastic cage. Dynatrac noted that dirt contamination or the breaking down of grease leads to heat generation. This heat eventually melts the plastic cage and the rollers become loose, resulting in severe failure and an immobile vehicle

Replacing the unit bearing are conventional Timken bearings and seals. The benefit is that these wheel bearing are removable and serviceable, allowing dirt and contaminants to be removed. Also, both the seals and bearings are much cheaper than a unit bearing and easier to find, making them ideal for extreme use.

The hub is another stronger-than-stock piece and is capped off with a selectable locking hub. While the Super Duty already comes equipped with locking hubs, Dodge does not, making the conversion even more beneficial.

A necessary part of the Free-Spin Kit are these spindles that Dynatrac constructs out of chromoly, providing even more strength.

A dramatic increase in strength for both Ford and Dodge owners comes from the 35-spline, 1.50-inch, alloy outer shafts that come included in the kit. Earlier Dodge owners can upgrade to the Stage 2 kits that provide 35-spline, 1.5-inch alloy inner-axles shafts as well as a massive Spicer 1480 series u-joint.

The solution to this problem comes from an interesting source: Dynatrac Products is well known and highly regarded for making high-end, custom and extremely strong complete Dana axle assemblies for everything from competition rock crawlers to heavy-duty mining equipment. The company took its wealth of axle knowledge and designed the Free-Spin Hub Conversion Kit to replace Ford and Dodge's problematic unit-bearing assembly with a conventional locking-hub assembly.

There are many benefits to the kit, including the obvious–getting rid of the trouble-prone unit-bearing assembly. New outer axle shafts are also included, providing a big jump in strength. For late-model Dodge owners, there are further benefits as they can now enjoy a true selectable locking hub. No longer do the axle shafts, front driveshaft and differential need to be turning, which results in a 2- to 4-mpg increase in fuel economy, according to Dynatrac. Because of this, steering also improves, along with a decrease in noise and vibration. Best of all, the kit is a simple, bolt-on installation with no welding or machining required. Follow along as we take a closer look.