Need help sourcing manual hub conversion parts for 1st gen 2002 Taco.

roving1

Well-known member
Hello. I am having trouble sourcing parts for the conversion. There are hardly ever Tacos in Detroit area yards and when they are they have not been manual hubs. Part searches always result in the yard either just blowing me off or telling me they don't have all the parts, which I have trouble believing when they say they have the hubs. Who is taking the CVs and knuckles but not the hubs?

There is one conversion company (Off Road Specialties) that has a really pricy conversion but it also has you taking apart CVs so I would need to source new CV's and then chuck 2/3 of them in the bin anyways if I understand how their conversion works.

So I am getting pretty desperate. I am tearing the whole truck apart for a lift and ball joints and probably front diff work so it would be nice to do the conversion at the same time.

My understanding is 96-00 had the option on base level regular cab trucks. I am looking for the complete hub to CV assembly including knuckles and splash shields. If anyone is willing to grab these for me from a local yard to them I will pay you up front and pay for your time and then pay for whatever shipping is to Detroit.

Thanks
 
Last edited:

nely

Adventurer
Amazon and eBay have the parts.

Type in Tacoma locking hubs on eBay and you can source aftermarket parts to build it. No need to change the knuckle as your factory Tacoma one will work fine


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smokeysevin

Observer
I actually ordered a full hub set (inner with bearings and bronze pieces you can't get anymore) for like $100 on ebay. Surprisingly cheap. I went OEM on the rest of the parts though, all the studs, pins, gaskets, etc.

Sean
 

roving1

Well-known member
I guess I will keep looking but I never find anything that looks legit or it's second gen Taco stuff. I need to keep the vehicle drivable enough to move off of a hoist during a bunch of work so I want extra knuckles to do everything off of the vehicle if possible.
 

nely

Adventurer
So everyone is just cool with random Chinesium parts with no branding?

Hubs I wouldn’t worry about running. The actually locking hubs I’d do my best to run factory. Axles are a toss up. Sometimes you get good ones sometimes not.

Knuckles would be easier. But also consider ABS. Some didn’t have abs and if your truck does you’ll have abs codes since you cannot place the sensor in since there isn’t a hole or a exciter ring.

I had all the parts a few months ago. Sold them without knuckles since I was doing to install them on a 4runner with abs

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smokeysevin

Observer
Hubs I wouldn’t worry about running. The actually locking hubs I’d do my best to run factory. Axles are a toss up. Sometimes you get good ones sometimes not.

Knuckles would be easier. But also consider ABS. Some didn’t have abs and if your truck does you’ll have abs codes since you cannot place the sensor in since there isn’t a hole or a exciter ring.

I had all the parts a few months ago. Sold them without knuckles since I was doing to install them on a 4runner with abs

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My thoughts as well, I have OEM AISN hubs and OEM wheel bearings. Axles are kind of tricky, on a tundra you are supposed to use the tundra inners and taco outers which means the internal spline count has to match between the two. Rumor is that the aftermarket ones dont all match, I can't confirm that though.

Sean
 

nely

Adventurer
My thoughts as well, I have OEM AISN hubs and OEM wheel bearings. Axles are kind of tricky, on a tundra you are supposed to use the tundra inners and taco outers which means the internal spline count has to match between the two. Rumor is that the aftermarket ones dont all match, I can't confirm that though.

Sean

Yeah. I had sourced koyo wheel bearings, the hub nut seals and tool from amazon.


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50 Mission Cap

New member
Rock Auto had complete CV shafts, wheel hub assemblies (incl. bearings), Aisin locking hubs and grease seals. I think the only other stuff I needed from Toyota was hardware nuts, bolts, etc. My truck is a 2003 ABS but I just searched parts for a 1999 truck with manual hubs. I think I have around $600 into it all told.
 

roving1

Well-known member
Thanks all.

Yeah I think I would prefer the Aisins as well. My rig doesnt have ABS so I am good to go on that front.

I just keep running into these scenarios where I could order most of the parts I need and then either they don't have the part anymore (dealer or whoever, not sure the people I am talking to are accurate) or I have to buy part of a kit or assembly and throw away mystery parts and buy OEM parts as well. Also I really only want OEM remans or custom CVs. The aftermarket ones really seem to be crap, both for this application and my experience in rallycrossing FWD vehicles in general. My friends are all banned at Autozones for lifetime CV replacement lol.

Honestly if the scrap yards would just stop blowing me off I would be done already.

I thought I had checked rock auto but maybe I am just losing my mind. That is also possible lol. I'm having a CV keep popping out and I am pretty sure its related to the truetrac I have in the front and I am trying to figure out what do do about that and order parts for a lift and a bunch of other stuff as well.
 

roving1

Well-known member
This is one of the seemingly endless details that keeps me from pulling the trigger. This pic from Rock Auto shows an axle nut for a unit supposedly with manual hubs. There is no axle nut on a manual hub though. The description says axle nut too.
 

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nely

Adventurer
This is one of the seemingly endless details that keeps me from pulling the trigger. This pic from Rock Auto shows an axle nut for a unit supposedly with manual hubs. There is no axle nut on a manual hub though. The description says axle nut too.

I went to check out that part on rock auto. If you click info and read the axle nuts comes with it “if applicable”. And there technically is a nut on the manual disconnects. It secures the hub to the wheel bearing. You can even see the threads at the end of the hub in the picture. Hopefully it comes with that nut. But I’m unsure


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roving1

Well-known member
Rock Auto had complete CV shafts, wheel hub assemblies (incl. bearings), Aisin locking hubs and grease seals. I think the only other stuff I needed from Toyota was hardware nuts, bolts, etc. My truck is a 2003 ABS but I just searched parts for a 1999 truck with manual hubs. I think I have around $600 into it all told.

What about all the wheel bearing spacers and snap rings listed in the service pics? Did you just walk into the dealer for the acorn spacers and other hardware? A lot of online places do not list everything. I get 80% of the way through and they don't list a part.
 

nely

Adventurer
What about all the wheel bearing spacers and snap rings listed in the service pics? Did you just walk into the dealer for the acorn spacers and other hardware? A lot of online places do not list everything. I get 80% of the way through and they don't list a part.

Reuse your spacer and snap ring.

No acorn nuts on the hubs. Cone washers and lock washers.

Oh yay. All that stuff is interchangeable with older model locking hubs. I took dials from a 1988 pickup and they worked on the Tacoma hub. The internal gear for the locking hub and the body are different


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roving1

Well-known member
I went to check out that part on rock auto. If you click info and read the axle nuts comes with it “if applicable”. And there technically is a nut on the manual disconnects. It secures the hub to the wheel bearing. You can even see the threads at the end of the hub in the picture. Hopefully it comes with that nut. But I’m unsure


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Yeah I don't think it comes with the nut on the inboard side of the bearing. I'll just get it and see. I know the nut is available separate if i need it.
 

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