Best Manual Hubs?

[E350]

Update on the Mile Marker manual hub installation. Well I got one installed this weekend! (Or remember that saying "Life is hard. Life is harder when you are stupid...")

I like the Mile Markers as far as the installation goes, I haven't used them yet but they are all metal and much much much simpler than the Dana 44 Automatic hubs I am replacing. When I opened up the driver side Automatic hub I not only found that the three locking nubs had broken off (in just the same way that it had broken prior to my rebuild four or five years ago) but that one of the thrust washers had grenaded leaving scrapnel next to the outer bearing requiring me to clean up and repack the outer wheel bearing. I did my best trying to repack the inner wheel bearing in place (if anyone can source Timken bearing and seals I would appreciate it, below). So I cleaned up the caliper (see related thread) and used the spindle bearing socket I bought at Napa which looks like the one in the Mile Marker installation instructions and promptly broke off the locking pin on the inner spindle nut.

Problem my male spindle socket like the one depicted in the Mile Marker instructions did not have cut outs for that little pin. (I will call customer service tomorrow and see if they will send me out a new one.) Edit: Mile Marker technical support is sending me one for free.

So I used my chop saw to cut four cut outs on the spindle socket and used the inner spindle nut for the other side to finish the driver's side.

I think I will look for a female spindle socket because it seems to me it would fit better and not slip out of alignment when torquing the outer spindle nut to 160 - 205 ft lb.

And it wasn't until the dreaded outer snap ring snapped into place that I realized that installing manual hubs is like installing a steering wheel. You need to line up the locking hub splines in such a way so as to have the "Mile Marker" writing and the twist lever horizontal and not at an angle.

Any suggestions where can I buy these online for a good price and with some assurance that they will be the right parts?

1. Inner Wheel Bearing: Timken part number LM 6030493.
2. Inner Wheel Bearing Seal: Part number ?
3. Outer Wheel Bearing: Timken part number LM 501349
4. Outer Wheel Bearing Seal: There wasn't one on the OEM Automatic Hubs (because the big hex nut seemed to function as one?) Should there be one for the Mile Markers? There are just two spindle nuts (one with a locking tit), a lock ring with holes for the tit, and another spindle nut.

Finally, what is the wheel bearing grease you guys recommend? I bought some of the pink sticky high temp grease, but I don't offroad, it is a daily driver also used in snow. So is the regular dark gray high temp grease better or not for my application?

Note: This applies to Dana 44 front axles.

[BajaSportsmobile]

AutoZone carries Timkin bearings. Order for a light duty 3/4 ton Chevy 4x4 from the 80's. It is a 44HD and has a bigger inner bearing and seal than a 1/2 ton 44. Outer bearing should be the same.

[E350]

Interesting. I will order both types of inner bearings and seals and return the lighter duty set if the other fits. Thanks Bajasportsmobile!